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DISCUSSION FORUM

• Financial aid for international students, and loans From: Pavlina Ivanova  Aug 29, 2011 Posts 2

  Hello. I am interested in applying at Wharton for the next Fall 2012. As an international student (from Bulgaria) I would like to apply for possible scholarships and financial aid. Are there any such offered at Wharton or for me it would be only through loans? Can I get some more information if such loans are offered by banks only with a co-signer requirement? When the committee determines any possible scholarship and financial aid, what does it consider at the first place - financial needs or merit achievements such as the GMAT score or else? I will appreciate if you answer any of my questions. Thanks. Reply

• Re: Financial aid for international students, and loans From: Fanaticalfan  Aug 30, 2011 Posts 1,159

  In reply to

  All admitted students are automatically considered for Wharton fellowships - no seperate application is required. About 25% of the class receives a fellowship/scholarship, and the average award is about 25% of the cost of tuition - it is prudent to assume you won't receive a fellowship, but if you do get one, it is a nice bonus. Fellowships are generally given on the basis of merit, with merit being the overall strength of the applicant, not just their academic scores. Most students finance the bulk of their study costs through student loans. Details can be found at http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/mba/admissions/loan-programs.cfm Students are also encouraged to investigate other external scholarships and funding sources. Fulbright Scholarships are one starting point. Many governments around the world also offer scholarships for people to study overseas. FF Reply

• Re: Financial aid for international students, and loans From: adeolamarsh  Jun 18, 2012 Posts 1

  In reply to

  The message above is not very clear to me. As a 25% is not a bulk sum taken off the stagerring fees. A Fulbright scholarship is very competitive anywhere in the world. Wharton should be able to grant students at least an 85% scholarship grant or loan as an option. I see it as a wiser option compared to bank loans or grants. This also makes the students eager to want to study at Wharton. Deol   Reply

• Re: Financial aid for international students, and loans From: victormlee  Jun 18, 2012 Posts 2,526

  In reply to

  Deol, Have you already taken a look at http://www.wharton.upenn.edu/mba/admissions/financing-your-mba.cfm? To be blunt but honest, there are already many students who are eager to study at Wharton (and at other world-class business schools) under current conditions. Naturally, Wharton wants the "best" students and will try to do what it reasonably can to help those less well off obtain reasonable financing options.  All that being said, there is no "free money." By the time one is ready to undertake an MBA, one should already be able to assess one's own future career potential. Loans are a common and "dominant" way of funding MBA education. Think about it this way - if you are not investing in yourself and confident in your earnings potential (and the ROI of your MBA), why should others invest in you? In short, an 85% scholarship grant from a single Wharton-based source is highly unlikely. A wise applicant would explore funding (grants, loans, scholarships, etc.) from a variety of sources, as FF suggested. Yes, the MBA is NOT cheap by any means; it is truly an investment. For some the investment will be worth it; for others, more careful reflection and analysis may be required to determine if now is the best time to apply. Good luck, -Victor WG '11   Reply