Understanding the Scholarship Opportunities at Rice Business

Pursuing an MBA can require careful financial planning. While the overall cost might initially seem prohibitive, Rice Business provides various scholarship and funding opportunities to make an advanced business degree more accessible.

Merit-Based Scholarships

Our merit-based scholarships offer the most aid directly from Rice Business. The admissions office automatically considers all Full-Time MBA applicants for awards during the standard admissions process — no extra application needed! 

For the Full-Time MBA class of 2025, 89% of students received scholarship offers ranging from $5,000 up to the full cost of the program — a total award from the admissions office of over $5.26 million. When determining merit awards, our review board weighs each candidate holistically. Top applicants demonstrate excellence across academics, career progression, community involvement and personal strengths. 

Your official admissions letter will include all scholarship details. Awards are granted for the entirety of the program, with funding applied automatically towards tuition and fees each semester. It’s the easiest “set it and forget it” financial assistance you’ll ever receive — no extra forms required after accepting your spot in the class!

Other Funding Opportunities 

Beyond merit aid, we encourage all applicants to be proactive and explore additional funding streams available. 

• Texas TEG (Tuition Equalization Grant): Texas residents may qualify for a small amount per academic year (currently $3,783) by completing financial forms proving in-state residency for 12+ months.
• Veteran education benefits: Veterans accessing GI Bill funding at 100% rate can cover total MBA costs through Rice’s Yellow Ribbon matching program once the yearly VA cap is reached.
• Employer reimbursement: Many companies directly cover or reimburse business school tuition for employees. Confirm your employer’s policies regarding continuing education early.
• External scholarships: We post some known external awards that students can additionally apply for, although limited graduate options exist.

When you meet with us, we can help map out a personalized plan to finance your MBA dreams. While the total investment seems high at first glance, between merit scholarships, VA benefits, Texas grants, employer tuition help, student loans and creative budgeting — achieving your goal is absolutely within reach! Let’s discuss how to make it happen.