Endowed Fellowships

The Rady School of Management recognizes that given the high costs of business school, even in public universities, access to quality graduate management education is severely limited for economically disadvantaged candidates. Cost issues are compounded for prospective MBA students who have non-traditional career goals, particularly those involving financial risk, such as being involved in start-up or emerging companies. From the standpoint of any major business school, the ability to attract and support students from diverse backgrounds and with varied career goals is critical.

Tuition and fees for full-time MBA programs across the UC system are approximately $24,000 per year for in-state students and close to $36,000 per year for out-of-state students. Funding of $40,000 per year enables us to provide adequate support for two students for the first year of their MBA program. Our goal is to identify exceptional candidates who have significant potential to make an impact in the business community and who are unable to fund their own enrollment in the Rady MBA program.

One vehicle to address the funding need is through endowed fellowships. The gift principal is invested in an endowment and each year a percentage of the interest earned on the gift is available to spend on fellowships. For example, an endowed gift of $1 million produces approximately $40,000 to $50,000 in expendable income, which would be available to fellowship recipients at the Rady School. A percentage of the interest is invested back into the principal to maintain the long-term strength of the endowment.

Fellowships are vital as they remove economic barriers that may prevent promising students from choosing Rady. Fellowship funds can also support current students by easing the burden of paying for an MBA and allowing students to focus on academics, not economics.

Endowed fellowships may be created over a three-to-five year period or in some cases through deferred giving. Individuals/benefactors endowing fellowships will be recognized at the Rady School and at UC San Diego.

For information on endowment opportunities, please contact Graig R. Eastin, senior director of development & external relations at (858) 822-4230 or geastin@ucsd.edu.