Winners of the 2016 QS-Alliance Manchester Business School Scholarships

Each year the UK’s Alliance Manchester Business School partners with QS to offer two exclusive scholarships for attendees of the QS World Grad School Tour. Covering 50% of tuition fees for a one-year master’s program at the business school, this year’s scholarships have been awarded to Fabio Farina and Alexander Rübner, from Italy and Germany respectively.

Part of the University of Manchester, Alliance Manchester Business School prides itself on welcoming talented students from around the world each year. “The scholarship is important to help us maintain a diverse body of students, so they’ll get to make friends for life with classmates from different backgrounds, and also forge their networks for the future,” explains admissions manager Tania Smith.

Noting that this year saw an extremely high level of applications, she says Fabio and Alexander impressed the selection committee due to “the high level of written ability in their statement of purpose, which complemented their undergraduate academic achievements.”

Fabio Farina

Nationality: Italian

Program: MSc Finance and Business Economics

Currently completing an undergraduate degree in economics, Fabio was keen to find a master’s program that would allow him to develop his knowledge in the fields of both finance and economics. He was especially keen to study in the UK, in order to develop his English language proficiency and gain direct experience of the British business environment.

When he discovered the MSc Finance and Business Economics at Alliance Manchester Business School, Fabio says everything about the course and the university seemed “perfect” – except for the cost, which was above the budget agreed with his parents. Having considered other options, however, he remained convinced that this was the best program for him – and was excited to find out that the school offered several scholarships.

“I sent all the documents needed and even though, actually, I was not sure I would receive any financial help, I felt more confident about talking to my parents,” Fabio recalls. “They understood my determination and trusted my decision, allowing me to accept the offer for the course I wanted to study, in the university I desired to be.”

He still clearly recalls the moment he found out he’d been chosen for the QS-Alliance Manchester Business School Scholarship. “I could not believe it. I started jumping and crying,” he remembers – adding that his mother “probably fainted” when he called to share the good news.

During his year studying in Manchester, Fabio plans to focus on preparing for the working world, and hopes the university’s well-established careers network will support him in finding a position to work in the UK afterwards. Having already spent some months living abroad in both the UK and US, he’s not concerned about being away from home, though he expects this time to be rather different: “I will go there to build the foundations of my career and my future life, making the whole experience much more challenging.”

Advice for other scholarship applicants: “The earlier you start organizing your plans, the wider will be the set of opportunities available, and having the time to take special care of any application or letter sent can make a big difference. Secondly, I feel like encouraging students to build a distinguishing profile, rich in unique experiences, and imprinting their personal mark in any essay or statement they attach to their applications. Last, but not least, if you know any rite to gain the good will of the blindfolded goddess, do not hesitate to make it!”

Alexander Rübner

Nationality: German

Program: MSc Marketing

Having been interested in marketing throughout his undergraduate degree in business administration, Alexander is keen to pursue a master’s program in this field as the next step towards his desired career. He’s particularly keen to take on a role in sports marketing, an ambition which has been strengthened by his experience as an intern in the sports department of German advertising agency Jung von Matt.

During his search for highly reputed marketing programs, Alexander discovered the course at Alliance Manchester Business School. He was attracted by the institution’s strong reputation, the in-depth knowledge and professional skills provided by the course, and the prospect of studying abroad – “the new country, culture and people I will meet and which will surely support my development also on a personal level.”

After graduating, Alexander hopes to gain a place on a graduate training program at a large multinational, gaining experience in various fields of marketing and in different locations abroad. In the longer term, he’s keen to develop his abilities as a leader – applying the knowledge gained from his studies, as well as his own direct experience of inspiring and people-centered leaders. 

Both his short-term and longer-term career goals, Alexander believes, will be brought within closer reach by the master’s degree at Alliance Manchester Business School, not least due to the strength of the institution’s reputation. This, he says, “signals to employers that graduates have already succeeded in a competitive election process and afterwards received a high-class education” – setting expectations he is keen to live up to.

Advice for other scholarship applicants: “There are so many different scholarships, which makes it difficult to give general advice. What I experienced is that in most tasks you have to fulfil to gain a scholarship, reflection plays an important role: Who am I; what are my strengths and weaknesses; what do I want to achieve in life? Big questions of course, but the answers will not only raise your chances of obtaining scholarships, but also build the foundation of your personal development during your studies and beyond.”