UK Government - Sainsbury Management Fellowships 

What the Sainsbury Management Fellowship gives you

You will receive a one-off grant of about 58,000 EUR (50,000 GBP) towards a full-time MBA programme at one of the world’s leading business schools. An MBA is a postgraduate degree in business administration that prepares you for leadership and management roles. The grant covers tuition fees, course materials, living expenses and relocation costs. If your tuition fees are already being paid for by other means, you may use the grant to cover the remaining costs. There are no monthly instalments; the payment is made over the entire duration of your MBA programme. You will also become part of the SMF alumni network – the community of former scholarship holders – and gain access to events organised by the Royal Academy of Engineering. The programme is funded by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and has supported over 400 people since 1987.

Who can apply

There are two programmes: one for engineers and one for scientists (added in 2024). Up to 8 scholarships are awarded annually under each programme.

• Nationality and residence: You are a British national. Engineers must currently be resident in the UK; scientists must intend to remain in the UK upon completion of the MBA programme.
• Your first degree: Engineers must hold a degree in engineering, a related technical discipline or the natural sciences; scientists must hold a degree in the natural sciences or a related field. A first-class or upper second-class honours degree (2:1) is preferred.
• Work experience: Engineers generally have between four and ten years’ professional experience since obtaining their first degree; scientists require at least four years.
• GMAT (engineers only): You must have already sat the GMAT admissions test and achieved a score of at least 650 before applying. A GMAT result is not required for students of the natural sciences.
• Where you study: Only full-time MBA programmes at accredited business schools are eligible. Engineers can choose from 19 universities in Europe and the USA (including Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, INSEAD, Harvard and Stanford); scientists can choose from 8 British universities. Part-time, distance-learning and Executive MBA programmes are not eligible for funding.
• Leadership: You should be able to demonstrate leadership qualities in the workplace, as well as a clear commitment to British industry and its engineering and scientific communities. Status as a ‘Chartered Engineer’ or ‘Chartered Scientist’ is an advantage, but not a requirement.

How to apply

Engineers apply online via the Royal Academy of Engineering’s funding portal; scientists apply via the National Physical Laboratory. You may also apply without having secured a place at a business school. There are two application rounds per year for each programme, one of which closes on 30 September. If you are shortlisted, you will take part in a 45-minute panel interview in London.

How realistic are your chances?

The selection criteria are strict: you must be a British citizen, hold a technical degree and have several years’ professional experience; and – in the case of engineers – you must have an excellent GMAT score. Only up to 8 scholarships are awarded per programme each year. This keeps the number of participants small, but the requirements are high, and the selection panel pays particular attention to proven leadership qualities and a genuine commitment to British industry. If you clearly meet the criteria and can demonstrate genuine leadership qualities, your prospects are good. Apply early in your career, whilst you still meet the necessary experience requirements.