The Oxford Pershing Square Scholarship 2027 is a fully funded scholarship for outstanding applicants pursuing the Oxford 1+1 MBA at the University of Oxford.
Oxford offers up to five Pershing Square Graduate Scholarships. Each award covers the full course fees for an eligible Oxford Master’s degree in the first year and the Oxford MBA in the second year. Scholars also receive a living-cost grant of at least £21,805 for each year of study.
The main Oxford Pershing Square Scholarship deadline is January 6, 2027. Applicants must separately apply to their chosen Master’s programme by its own December or January deadline.
Students looking for other Oxford opportunities can also read the Clarendon Scholarship 2027 guide or browse fully funded scholarships on Scholarships Central.
Oxford Pershing Square Scholarship 2027 Overview
| Detail | 2027 Information |
|---|---|
| Scholarship | Oxford-Pershing Square Graduate Scholarship |
| University | University of Oxford |
| Business school | Saïd Business School |
| Programme | Oxford 1+1 MBA |
| Duration | 2 years |
| Year 1 | Oxford Master’s |
| Year 2 | Oxford MBA |
| Scholarships available | Up to 5 |
| Master’s tuition | Fully covered |
| MBA tuition | Fully covered |
| Living grant | At least £21,805 per year |
| Minimum two-year living support | At least £43,610 at the current published rate |
| Main deadline | January 6, 2027 |
| Scholarship essay | Maximum 500 words |
| 1+1 MBA essay | Maximum 250 words |
| Shortlisting | Early April 2027 |
| Interviews | Late April or early May 2027 |
Oxford’s dedicated scholarship page currently lists five awards, even though some older Oxford and third-party materials still mention six. For 2027 applicants, the current dedicated scholarship page should be treated as the primary source.
What Is the Oxford 1+1 MBA?
The Oxford 1+1 MBA combines two Oxford qualifications over two years.
Year 1: You complete an eligible one-year Oxford Master’s degree.
Year 2: You complete the one-year Oxford MBA at Saïd Business School.
This allows students to combine specialist knowledge in fields such as public policy, computer science, law, health, environmental studies or social sciences with business and management training.
The two programmes are separate degrees and have separate admissions processes.
Is the Pershing Square Scholarship Fully Funded?
Yes. For the standard Oxford 1+1 MBA route, Pershing Square is genuinely a fully funded Oxford scholarship.
It covers:
- full fees for the Master’s degree;
- full fees for the Oxford MBA;
- at least £21,805 per year for living costs;
- mentorship opportunities;
- conferences and networking;
- Pershing Square Scholar community activities.
At the currently published rate, the living grant alone is worth at least £43,610 across two years, in addition to full tuition for both degrees.
Who Can Apply for the Oxford Pershing Square Scholarship?
Oxford considers applicants in three priority groups.
1. New Oxford 1+1 MBA Applicants
This is the main route.
You must be admitted to both:
- an official Oxford 1+1 MBA partnering Master’s programme; and
- the Oxford MBA.
Applicants placed only on the MBA waiting list are not considered admitted for scholarship purposes.
2. Other One-Year Oxford Master’s + MBA Applicants
Oxford can also consider applicants admitted to both a full-time one-year Oxford Master’s that is not currently on the official 1+1 partner list and the Oxford MBA.
However, these candidates are considered after standard 1+1 MBA applicants.
3. Current Oxford Master’s Students
Current Master’s students who are subsequently admitted to the MBA and were not previously considered for Pershing Square may also be considered.
This route has different funding implications, so current Oxford students should check the latest Saïd Business School rules before relying on the standard two-year package.
What Does Oxford Look for?
The Oxford Pershing Square Scholarship eligibility and selection criteria go beyond grades.
Oxford looks for applicants who demonstrate:
- strong academic achievement;
- leadership potential;
- integrity and commitment;
- an intention to address major global social challenges;
- the ability to develop scalable and sustainable solutions;
- a convincing explanation of why the Oxford 1+1 MBA is important to their goals.
Academic achievement can be demonstrated through university results, GMAT or GRE performance, academic prizes and other evidence.
The scholarship is especially suited to applicants who can connect a major real-world challenge with a credible plan for impact.
Oxford Pershing Square Scholarship Work Experience Requirement
Because applicants must qualify for the Oxford MBA, they normally need at least:
two years of full-time work experience after graduation.
Oxford excludes internships from this minimum and looks for career progression, leadership potential and the ability to contribute professional experience to the MBA class.
This means Pershing Square is generally not designed as a direct Bachelor-to-MBA scholarship.
Pershing Square Scholarship GPA Requirement
There is no separate universal Pershing Square Scholarship GPA cutoff.
For Oxford MBA admission, Saïd Business School says it welcomes applicants with approximately:
3.5/4.0 GPA or equivalent, or a UK First/Upper Second Class degree.
Applicants below that level may still be considered if they demonstrate strong career progression and competitive GMAT or GRE performance.
The selected first-year Master’s programme will also have its own academic requirements.
GMAT or GRE Requirement
Oxford MBA applicants must submit either a GMAT or GRE score.
Oxford does not impose an absolute minimum, but currently describes:
GMAT 595+ on the current scale as competitive.
For the GRE, around:
160 verbal and 160 quantitative
is considered competitive.
These are competitive benchmarks rather than guaranteed admission thresholds.
IELTS and English Requirement
The Pershing Square Scholarship itself does not have a separate IELTS requirement. Applicants must satisfy the language requirements of both the MBA and their selected Master’s.
For the Oxford MBA, the current IELTS Academic requirement is:
7.5 overall, with at least 7.0 in each component.
Eligible applicants may receive an English-language waiver based on recent qualifying English-medium education or certain professional experience.
Always check the first-year Master’s requirements separately because they may differ.
Oxford 1+1 MBA Master’s Programmes
The Oxford 1+1 MBA includes a wide range of partnering programmes, not just business degrees.
Current options include Master’s programmes in areas such as:
- Public Policy;
- Advanced Computer Science;
- Criminology;
- Education;
- Pharmacology;
- Sociology;
- Statistical Science;
- Law and Finance;
- International Health and Tropical Medicine;
- Social Data Science;
- environmental studies;
- Anthropology;
- African Studies;
- Chinese Studies;
- Japanese Studies;
- South Asian Studies.
Oxford maintains a live list because participating programmes can change.
See the official Oxford 1+1 MBA partnering programmes
You Need Two Separate Applications
One of the most important points about how to apply for the Oxford Pershing Square Scholarship is that the 1+1 MBA requires two applications.
You must apply separately to:
- your chosen Oxford Master’s programme; and
- the Oxford MBA.
Both applications are assessed independently and each programme has its own requirements and deadline.
You should clearly indicate in the MBA application that you are applying for the Oxford 1+1 MBA.
Two Important Essays
There are two additional essays applicants should not confuse.
Oxford 1+1 MBA Essay — 250 Words
All 1+1 MBA applicants must explain why the combined programme is particularly beneficial to them and how it fits their career and personal-development goals.
Maximum:
250 words.
Pershing Square Scholarship Essay — 500 Words
Applicants seeking Pershing Square funding must upload a separate scholarship essay in the Funding section of the 1+1 MBA application.
The current question asks applicants to explain:
How do you intend to change the world and what does this tell us about you as a person?
Maximum:
500 words.
How to Write the Pershing Square Scholarship Essay
A strong essay should not simply say that you want to become a leader or make the world better.
A useful structure is:
major problem → why it matters → your experience with the problem → scalable solution → why the Master’s is necessary → why the MBA is necessary → long-term impact
The essay should show that your plan is ambitious but credible.
Oxford specifically looks for candidates focused on world-scale challenges who can envision scalable and sustainable solutions.
How to Apply for the Oxford Pershing Square Scholarship 2027
The application process is straightforward once the two-degree structure is understood.
- Choose an eligible Oxford Master’s programme.
- Check its admission requirements and funding deadline.
- Prepare and submit the Master’s application.
- Prepare the separate Oxford MBA application.
- Select the Oxford 1+1 MBA route.
- Submit the required 250-word 1+1 MBA essay.
- Upload the 500-word Pershing Square essay in the Funding section.
- Submit the complete MBA application by January 6, 2027.
- Complete any interviews or additional admissions steps required by either programme.
Both programme applications must ultimately be complete for scholarship consideration.
Oxford Pershing Square Scholarship Deadline 2027
The correct main deadline is:
January 6, 2027.
Oxford states that 1+1 MBA applications for the 2027/28 intake must be submitted by this date for Pershing Square consideration.
The MBA application-stage deadline closes at:
23:59 UK time.
Do not confuse this with the later March 15, 2027 MBA admissions round. Oxford says applicants who want consideration for University scholarships need to apply by the January stage.
Master’s Deadline
The first-year Master’s has its own deadline, normally in:
December 2026 or January 2027.
Applicants must check their exact course page.
Oxford Pershing Square Scholarship Selection Timeline
The current scholarship timeline is:
| Stage | Expected Timing |
|---|---|
| Master’s application | Course-specific December/January deadline |
| 1+1 MBA + scholarship deadline | January 6, 2027 |
| Scholarship shortlisting | Early April 2027 |
| Scholarship interviews | Late April / early May 2027 |
Oxford selects candidates based on the full application, scholarship essay and interview.
Oxford Pershing Square Scholarship for Pakistani Students
Pakistani applicants can apply. The current scholarship page does not impose a nationality restriction.
A Pakistani candidate must meet the same Oxford requirements as other international applicants, including:
- admission to the relevant Master’s;
- admission to the Oxford MBA;
- appropriate academic qualifications;
- GMAT or GRE;
- relevant work experience;
- English-language requirements where applicable;
- a strong Pershing Square scholarship essay.
Applicants from Pakistan should focus less on nationality and more on demonstrating a credible connection between their previous experience, the world-scale problem they want to address, and the combination of specialist Master’s training plus an MBA.
Is There an Application Fee?
There is no separate Pershing Square scholarship fee.
However, because applicants submit two separate Oxford programme applications, normal programme application fees apply.
The current Oxford MBA application fee is:
£75.
The Master’s application is processed separately under Oxford Graduate Admissions.
Scholarship Benefits Beyond Funding
Pershing Square Scholars also receive access to a specialist community and professional-development opportunities.
Oxford highlights mentorship, scholar events, conferences, networking and engagement with the Pershing Square Foundation community. Some cohorts may also participate in activities such as the Pershing Square New York Trek, although such opportunities can change from year to year.
Oxford Pershing Square vs Clarendon Scholarship
Pershing Square and Clarendon are both major Oxford scholarships, but they work differently.
| Feature | Pershing Square | Clarendon |
|---|---|---|
| Main route | 1+1 MBA | Broad Oxford graduate study |
| Master’s funding | Yes | Yes |
| MBA funding | Yes | Depends on eligible course/rules |
| Living support | Yes | Yes |
| Separate scholarship essay | Yes | No |
| Social-impact emphasis | Strong | Not the same specific criterion |
| Awards | Up to 5 | More than 200 annually |
| Scholarship application | Separate Pershing essay | Automatic consideration for eligible applicants |
For the wider Oxford funding route, see Scholarships Central’s Clarendon Scholarship 2027 guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Oxford Pershing Square Scholarship fully funded?
Yes. It covers full fees for both the Master’s and MBA and provides at least £21,805 per year toward living costs.
How many Pershing Square Scholarships are available?
The current dedicated Oxford page lists five.
What is the deadline for 2027?
January 6, 2027 for the 1+1 MBA scholarship application. The Master’s has its own December or January deadline.
Can international students apply?
Yes. The current scholarship criteria do not impose a nationality restriction.
Can Pakistani students apply?
Yes, subject to normal Oxford and scholarship requirements.
Is work experience required?
Yes. Oxford MBA applicants should have at least two years of full-time post-graduation work experience.
Is GMAT or GRE required?
Yes. Oxford requires one of the two for MBA applicants.
Is there a minimum GMAT score?
Oxford does not publish an absolute minimum. A current GMAT score of 595 or above is described as competitive.
What IELTS score is required?
The current Oxford MBA requirement is 7.5 overall with at least 7.0 in each component, unless an approved waiver applies.
How many essays are required specifically for the 1+1/Pershing route?
There is a 250-word 1+1 MBA essay and a separate 500-word Pershing Square scholarship essay, in addition to the normal MBA application requirements.
Can I apply in the March MBA round?
You can apply for MBA admission in a later round, but Oxford says scholarship applicants need to apply by the January 6, 2027 scholarship stage.
Can an MBA waiting-list candidate receive Pershing Square?
Applicants on the MBA waiting list are not considered for the scholarship under the main priority route.
Official Oxford Links
Oxford-Pershing Square Graduate Scholarships — official page
Oxford 1+1 MBA — official programme page
Oxford 1+1 MBA partnering Master’s programmes
Oxford MBA application requirements
Oxford MBA FAQs and 2027 deadlines
Related Scholarships on Scholarships Central
Applicants comparing fully funded graduate opportunities can also use:
Clarendon Scholarship 2027 at Oxford
Master’s Scholarships on Scholarships Central
Fully Funded Scholarships on Scholarships Central
Fully Funded Scholarships Still Open
Final Thoughts
The Oxford Pershing Square Scholarship 2027 is particularly valuable because it funds both specialist graduate study and an MBA. Scholars receive full course fees for both years plus at least £21,805 per year in living support.
The main challenge is the application structure. Candidates must prepare two separate Oxford applications, satisfy both sets of admission requirements and submit the additional 1+1 MBA and Pershing Square essays.
Applicants should also use the correct deadline: January 6, 2027, not January 8 or the later March MBA admissions round.
The strongest applications will show more than excellent grades. Oxford specifically wants candidates with the leadership potential, integrity and practical vision to address large-scale challenges through scalable and sustainable solutions.