The annual Future Female Leaders Award was launched by IESE Business School in 2023 for women professionals who reflect its mission. Awardees travel to IESE’s Barcelona campus for a three-day program around the Women in Business Conference, networking events and career development sessions.
Awardees who later apply to, are admitted by and enroll in IESE’s Full-Time MBA may receive this scholarship if they are top performers in the MBA application process. The most recently published award cycle ran in January 2026, and applications for it are now closed.
Benefits & funding
- FFLA awardees who enroll in the Full-Time MBA and excel in its application process may receive €5,000–€50,000.
- The January 27–29, 2026 award program included the Women in Business Conference, networking and career development sessions in Barcelona.
- IESE provided two hotel nights and meals during the award program.
- Awardees traveling from outside Europe and the UK could receive up to €300 toward airfare after the event; those traveling from Europe or the UK covered their own travel.
- Awardees choosing to apply to the Full-Time MBA received an application-fee waiver, but the award did not guarantee MBA admission.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be women professionals; no nationality or residency restriction is published.
- IESE alumni and current students are not eligible, and applicants must not be enrolled in or committed to another business school.
- IESE describes 2–10 years of work experience as its target profile, while stating that applicants slightly outside that range may still apply.
- Selection considers academic and professional excellence, integrity, service, positive impact and commitment to the FFLA and IESE community.
- Scholarship consideration additionally requires applying to, gaining admission to and enrolling in the IESE Full-Time MBA, then ranking among the strongest MBA applicants.
- MBA admission requires an undergraduate degree and English proficiency; GMAT or GRE results are mandatory for the MBA even though they are not required for the FFLA application.
- The award program is in person, so applicants should be available to travel to Barcelona.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
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Education required
Bachelor
Gender requirement
Female
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Application process
- 1Wait for IESE to open the next annual FFLA application window on its official form.
- 2Submit the FFLA application; a GMAT or GRE score is not required at this stage.
- 3If selected, confirm participation and attend the three-day award program in Barcelona.
- 4Apply separately to the IESE Full-Time MBA with the required form, video essays, transcripts, CV, tests, recommendation and essays.
- 5Include the one required scholarship essay in the MBA application; scholarship consideration follows MBA admission and is separate from the admission decision.
Program timeline
Applications opened
September 15, 2025
Application deadline at 23:59 Central European Time
October 29, 2025
Applicants notified of outcomes
November 2025
Awardees confirmed participation and the full agenda
December 2025
Three-day program began in Barcelona
January 27, 2026
Women in Business Conference
January 28, 2026
Program ended
January 29, 2026
Next cycle
IESE has not published exact dates