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Two students talking to each other with Mac laptops in open in front of them

Company sponsorship

Some of our MBA students are either wholly or partly sponsored by their employers. Company sponsorship offers benefits to both the employee and the business.

Offering your staff financial support towards the cost of their fees, and allowing them to take study days for on-campus learning (for part-time programmes) is an investment in their professional development.

In return they will be able to apply their learning directly to their role and bring fresh insights and a global perspective to your business.

³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Business School has a wealth of resources available to help both employers and candidates maximise the benefit of company sponsorship for one of our MBA programmes.

Support for candidates

Gaining support from your employer is an essential step in your MBA journey. Whether you are asking for financial support, flexible working patterns or time off, a well-researched business case will show your employer that you are serious about it.

We’ve designed a range of resources to support you, as you prepare to have these conversations with your employer. We also provide one-to-one support and guidance to candidates. Please contact us to request a meeting.

Our five sponsorship top tips

1. Plan ahead

Choose a suitable time during the financial or business year to make your case.

2. Define your ask

Are you asking for a financial commitment, time commitment or both?

3. Know the timetable

Know when you will be required to take time away from work for on-campus teaching and international residences.

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4. Communicate the value

Be clear about the value that this MBA will have for you personally and for the organisation.

5. Get in touch

We offer support and guidance on building a successful business case, and we're happy to speak to your employer directly if they have any questions about the programme.

Please contact us to request a meeting.

Steve Tomsett

I was fortunate enough to be fully funded by my employer. I used my professional development plan as the vehicle to achieve this and demonstrated how the programme aligned to both my personal development and the company’s corporate objectives.

Steve Tomsett Executive MBA - Class of 2021

Support for employers

When studying a part-time MBA, your employees can immediately apply the skills they are learning to their roles, bringing meaningful impact to the business.

These skills include:

  • Leadership development: our leadership modules help your employees become more aware of their strengths, weaknesses, traits and habits, and build on this knowledge to improve their leadership and self-development.
  • Innovation and problem-solving skills: your employees will be tackling real-world business challenges, working in teams to find innovative solutions.
  • Networking opportunities: your employees will be networking with students and alumni from a global, world-leading institution, providing them with fresh perspectives and insights, and offering potential new business opportunities for your organisation.

Read our for more information on the benefits of supporting your employees to pursue an ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ MBA.

Dedicated support for companies

We offer dedicated support to organisations who are considering sponsoring their staff to pursue their studies at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, including:

  • information sessions for sponsors and their employees
  • one-to-one application support for your employees
  • networking events for sponsors and employees

We can tailor the support depending on your organisation’s needs. Contact us to learn more.

Employer sponsorship commitments

Paying your employee's fees

If part of your sponsorship agreement with your employee is to pay their fees, you will receive invoices directly from ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Business School.

  • Part-time MBA degrees: fees can be paid once per year, with a total of two payments over the duration of the programme.
  • Full-time MBA degree: fees must be paid in a single payment.

For both full-time and part-time degrees, tuition fees are payable annually on the first day of the month prior to the start date of the programme, or within 30 days of invoicing, whichever is the later.

Study days (part-time programmes)

The table below outlines the number of in-person teaching days required for each part-time programme, giving you an indication of the time your employee will need to spend out of the office. This includes induction, on-campus sessions, global experiences, exams and final projects.

The number of days required to be out of the office in the second year of the programme will vary depending on their choice of electives. These teaching days are not included in the table below.

Part-time MBA time commitment

This table outlines the number of mandatory in-person teaching days.

Programme Start date Programme duration In person weekdays In person total (incl. weekends)
Executive MBA January 23 months 27 41
Weekend MBA January 23 months 32 46
Global Online MBA January and September 21, 24 or 32 months 10 12

Start your journey at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ today

Frequently asked questions

What information do I need to provide to ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ if I am being sponsored by my company?

You will need to provide us with an original, dated and authorised letter that confirms the following:

  • your name and College Identifier Number
  • the full name and entry year of the programme for which you have been offered a place
  • the amount of fees which will be paid by your sponsor
  • the full name and address to which the invoice should be sent
  • any Purchase Order number required for payment to be effected
  • confirmation that the fees will be sent directly to ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ

You will need to email a copy of this letter to tuition.fees@imperial.ac.uk copying business.school@imperial.ac.uk into the email. Please note that until your sponsorship award has been formally confirmed by your sponsoring organisation and accepted by ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, your tuition fees will remain your financial responsibility.

I am being fully sponsored; do I still need to make a deposit payment?

You will be responsible for paying the deposit until we receive a sponsorship letter that confirms that you are being sponsored for 100% of the tuition fee payment, and this has been reviewed and approved by the Tuition Fees team. If you do not pay the deposit within the deadline you risk losing your place.

If you pay the deposit before we receive the sponsorship letter confirming full funding, you will be entitled to a refund for the amount you have paid.

My company is offering a tuition fee reimbursement scheme, how does this work?

If your company is paying the fees directly to you for you to make payment to us, then this agreement is between you and your company, not you and ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ. We do not need to receive a sponsorship letter from you.

If the company withdraws their support at any point the tuition fee obligation falls to you.

My company is offering a salary sacrifice scheme, how does this work?

This will be an agreement between you and your company. We do not need to receive a sponsorship letter from you.

Can I still apply for scholarships if I am being sponsored by my company?

Yes. Scholarships are awarded as a reduction to your tuition fees so you can still be considered for a scholarship if you are being partially sponsored by your company. However, if you are being fully-sponsored by your company you are not eligible for a scholarship.

Please refer to the relevant pages below for information on our scholarship award criteria and deadlines.

We are considering sponsoring an employee to complete their MBA for the first time. What information and support do you have for companies?

We understand that offering sponsorship and support is a big commitment. We offer dedicated support to organisations who are considering sponsoring their staff to pursue their studies at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, including:

  • information sessions for sponsors and their employees
  • one-to-one application support for your employees
  • networking events for sponsors and employees

We can also tailor the support depending on your organisation’s needs. Contact us to learn more.

Read our Sponsoring companies guide for more information on the benefits of supporting your employees to pursue an ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ MBA.