by Koli Akpet
Current MBA student and Spirit of Cranfield winner
2014 was the year I graduated from my undergraduate studies, and since then, I have been consistently trying to get funding for postgraduate studies. I failed every year until 2023. The tips I share below are based on my journey to getting fully funded by a combination of the Inspiring Leadership Scholarship Award and the StepEx Blended Financing, after more failed attempts than I care to mention with programmes that are not half as great as the ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ full-time Transformation MBA.
Koli in action at Leadership Week hosting a press conference with his colleagues.
Tip 1: Research, Research, Research
Research all the scholarships available, the requirements for each award, and all the student loans/support (I opted for StepEx) that you qualify for. Also, your country may have funding for MBAs too, so check out what is available outside of Cranfield, including UK-specific scholarships for certain sectors, e.g. Chevening. For example, did you know that Santander, gives support to international post-grad students in the UK? Exactement!
Tip 2: Set a Goal
Landing a good MBA scholarship at ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ is not something that will just happen by default; you must be intentional about your aspirations for the Cranfield MBA. This cannot just be a goal that is expected of you or something that someone else wants for you. In order to hit the jackpot, this must be something that you want for yourself.
Tip 3: Strategise and Stand Out From The Crowd
Most people assume that they know what the MBA and MBA scholarship admission boards want to see in an MBA scholarship and admissions application. This causes them to make the mistake of circumventing their uniqueness in favour of the bog-standard. The problem with this is that other applicants are most likely going to adopt the same strategy, and your application will almost certainly NOT stand out from the pile.
Tip 4: Decide Your Angle
In order to decide on your angle, make an exhaustive list of the most unique aspects of your career and personality—things that will make you unique and stand out from a crowd of applicants. In your application, there will be competency-based questions. You need to decide which of these unique experiences you wish to highlight.
Tip 5: Apply Early
Don’t be that person who leaves their application until the last minute. Your Cranfield MBA strategy needs time, so the earlier you begin, the less likely you are to miss important deadlines and the less likely you are to make avoidable mistakes. The later you leave it, the fewer scholarship opportunities will be available.
Tip 6: Get Solid References
When choosing a referee, prioritise choosing people who know you deeply, have overseen your work, and are motivated enough about your success to give your reference the time and attention to detail that it needs to make you an attractive choice for some of the more robust scholarships.
Tip 7: Prepare for Your Interview
Don’t assume that just because you have aced many interviews in your career or have been the one conducting these interviews, you do not need to prepare for your Cranfield MBA interview—you do! The interviews are different in the sense that what the Cranfield MBA interviewer is looking for is someone who would be a good fit for the Transformation MBA. For this, you need to be a master of the story that got you into that interview in the first place.
Your interview will also be your opportunity to show that you’re even better than you look on paper; remember this is your chance to showcase your talents and your potential. Cranfield is not looking for the finished product, they want someone with the potential and capacity to learn and develop new skills. You might be asked to do a 5-minute presentation on a topic you were given in your interview invitation; don’t take this for granted—do your research and rehearse your 5-minute presentation to ensure you don’t overshoot the time.
Tip 8: Relax and Ace Your Interview
Now that you have sufficiently prepared, relax and trust the process. At this point, the best thing you can do is be yourself. One of my mantras whilst sitting through MBA interviews was: “It is better to be rejected on the basis of who you are authentically than to be accepted for who you are not.” There is a reason why you have been invited for this interview; to have gotten to this stage, you have done something right. Now that you have prepared, show them who you are.
Tip 9: Allow the Interviewer to Meet You
If you are nervous, begin your interview by admitting it; this always helps defuse the nervous energy at the beginning of most interviews. Let the interviewer in, resist the urge to be closed off and guarded, answer questions confidently, and if you don’t understand something, instead of pretending to and firing on, ask for clarifications.
Tip 10: Interview the Interviewer Too
I cannot overstress the importance of this. Don’t just get interviewed—interview the interviewer too. This shows initiative and assertiveness; it also shows strong leadership qualities and ownership of your life. This interview should not just be about whether you’re a good fit for the Cranfield MBA and its brand—also make it about whether the Cranfield MBA is a good fit for you and your brand. Finally, when you’re asked if you have any questions for the interviewer, the answer is always, “Yes!”
I hope these tips help you in your journey to securing funding for your MBA. Have you tried any of these strategies? If you're considering an MBA, check out ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥’s full-time MBA programme for a transformative experience!
Koli and his learning group.
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