There are currently over 17 million students in higher education in Latin America, with many of those looking to study further education, likely in an attractive international location.
For Latin American MBA students wanting to study abroad, the UK is actually the third most desirable location, according to the Graduate Management Admission Council.
In previous years, Alliance Manchester Business School has welcomed a number of students from Latin America, who have come from a wide range of professional sectors, and have been successful in securing generous school-funded scholarships - some even securing our top 50% scholarships.
For many, the biggest barrier to studying an MBA is the cost. Though Alliance Manchester Business School takes pride in having a much more affordable MBA programme than many counterparts, especially our US equivalents for example, securing the next steps of your career and applying to an MBA is still a financial decision in part, and any help that participants can get with funding is incredibly helpful.
It could also be more achievable than you might think.
For some applicants, securing a scholarship really is key to achieving their MBA. Recognising this, Alliance Manchester Business School is proud to offer a range of scholarships to potential applicants in order to not only relinquish the financial burden for participants and give many the opportunity to study, but also ensure that the school’s MBA cohort is as diverse as possible.
Approximately 50% of Manchester MBA self-sponsored students secure themselves a scholarship, ranging anywhere between 10% to 50% of the cost of their MBA. The scholarships are awarded as part of the admissions process, normally at the same time as an offer is made - so candidates who apply early may have a stronger chance.
Making an MBA affordable
Esteban Aristizabal Isaza took advantage of the business school’s agreement with COLFUTURO, a scholarship which allows Colombian students to receive a discount on their Full-Time MBA.
Esteban says that the scholarship was a key factor in his application to Manchester, as coming from Colombia he had high hopes of securing the scholarship, and it is helping with the financial cost in a challenging economic market.
“The financial support provided a crucial buffer due to global economic challenges and increasing inflation. It made pursuing the MBA more feasible, alleviating concerns about the economic strain,” he says.
Esteban’s key piece of advice, other than researching rigorously into available scholarships, is to apply as early as possible.
"I would advise prospective students aiming for a scholarship next year to apply early. The university operates within a budget, increasing the likelihood of securing financial support if you're among the early applicants."
He also believes that it is important to invest as much time as possible into your application, articulating your aspirations, purpose and vision to really standout.
A scholarship journey
Also from Latin America, Lucas Cordoni was able to take advantage of the AMBS scholarship and secured funding towards his MBA at Alliance Manchester Business School too.
The key motivation for Lucas in pursuing an MBA was “to explore new career paths” and he is most excited about “participating in business competitions, network events and the internship,” he says.
Lucas attended an MBA event in Brazil prior to applying to the business school, where he spoke with the admissions team about both the programme and the potential scholarships available.
He believes this part of the application process is incredibly important as the admissions team “can give you more information about how likely you are to receive a scholarship and what you need to do to make your application stronger.”
Whilst he also suggests that applicants should apply in earlier rounds, as a way to ensure you are more likely to receive a scholarship.
How to apply
Latin America is a key region where we would like to welcome participants from in the forthcoming year. We would be delighted to have an informal conversation with you to learn more about your study interests, career goals and how our scholarships could help you. Please email mba@manchester.ac.uk and a member of the team will set up a call with you.
