IMD Emerging Markets Scholarships

Overview

Update: The IMD Emerging Markets Scholarship has been discontinued as a named award. IMD Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland now offers a broader portfolio of merit and need-based scholarships for the IMD MBA programme. Students from developing countries including Nepal are eligible for several of these, particularly the Nestlé Scholarship for Women (CHF 40,000) which gives preference to women from developing countries.

IMD is consistently ranked among the top 5 business schools globally for executive education. The one-year IMD MBA is highly selective — the 2025 class had approximately 90 participants from 40+ nationalities. MBA fees for 2026 are CHF 97,500. IMD awards scholarships to approximately 48% of students, with over 50% of scholarships going to women.

For Nepali students, the IMD MBA is aspirational rather than widely accessible — it requires significant work experience, GMAT/GRE scores, and a compelling leadership profile. But for the right candidate, the scholarship options make it financially achievable.

Current IMD MBA Scholarships (2026)

• MBA5 Scholarship — CHF 50,000. Merit-based. Open to all candidates demonstrating academic excellence, leadership, and international exposure.
• Hilti STEM Scholars Program — CHF 50,000. For candidates with STEM backgrounds committed to leadership in technology and innovation.
• Nestlé Scholarship for Women — CHF 40,000. Preference given to women from developing countries — Nepal qualifies strongly. Nestlé employees are not eligible.
• Forté Scholarship for Women — CHF 30,000. For female candidates demonstrating leadership potential.
• IMD MBA Merit Scholarships — up to CHF 40,000. Broad merit-based awards based on academic and professional achievement.
• BackPack Scholarship for Women — full funding. For highly talented women who have faced obstacles to pursuing an MBA. Deadline: 14 July annually.

Eligibility

All IMD MBA scholarships require admission to the IMD MBA programme. General criteria across all scholarships:

• Applied for and received an offer to join the IMD MBA programme in Lausanne, Switzerland
• Demonstrates excellence in previous academic and professional endeavours — strong GPA and GMAT/GRE scores
• Shows career progression and international exposure
• Demonstrates ambition and ability to use the MBA to pursue a leadership role
• Performance during the IMD Assessment Day (part of the admissions process)

Nestlé Scholarship for Women — specific criteria

• Female candidate
• Preference given to women from developing countries — Nepal qualifies
• Employees of Nestlé or its subsidiaries are not eligible

BackPack Scholarship for Women — specific criteria

• Highly talented woman with leadership potential
• Has faced obstacles to pursuing an MBA — financial constraints, family responsibilities, or professional disruptions
• Not sponsored by your company
• Committed to addressing a pressing challenge in your community

IMD MBA General Admission Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent
• Minimum 3 years of full-time work experience (most candidates have 5–8 years)
• GMAT or GRE score
• English proficiency — IELTS or TOEFL if English is not your first language

How to Apply

Scholarships are applied for as part of the MBA admissions application — there is no separate scholarship portal.

1. Apply for the IMD MBA — submit your full MBA application through the IMD admissions portal at imd.org/degree/mba. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the year.
2. Complete the scholarship section — within the MBA application form, there is a Programme section where you complete the scholarship application. Select the specific scholarships you wish to apply for and respond to the relevant essay questions.
3. Essay requirements vary by scholarship — the MBA5 Scholarship requires a 750-word essay on how you will contribute to the class and make impact beyond graduation. Other scholarships have their own prompts within the application.
4. Assessment Day — shortlisted MBA applicants attend an Assessment Day in Lausanne. Performance during this day is a factor in scholarship selection.
5. Scholarship decisions — scholarship awards are confirmed alongside or shortly after your MBA admission offer. Deadlines for all scholarships except the BackPack are "throughout 2026, available until allocated" — apply early as funds are finite.

For need-based bursaries, apply at the same time as your admissions application. The bursary application form is within the admissions application.