Founded in 1996, Oxford Saïd is the youngest among top business schools. As irony would have it, it belongs to the oldest university in the English-speaking world, whose origins date back to the 11th century. Combining the best of the old and the new allows students to benefit from an MBA program known for its innovation and forward thinking, as well as the Oxford brand that is globally revered. Saïd’s MBA class falls on the smaller side with 350 students. Among the class of 2021, 92% of students came from outside the UK, with 47% of participants being female, the highest percentage among all schools. The Saïd program runs for 12 months between September and August, with the final two summer months dedicated to electives, a consulting project, or an internship for credit.
A hallmark of the Saïd MBA is its focus on impact; there is the Saïd Impact Lab, where students can engage in various learnings and initiatives on the topic, as well as Oxford GOTO, which stands for Global Opportunities and Threats, a community addressing systemic global issues. In recognition of the schools’ commitment to impact, the Financial Times ranks it 4th best for ESG among the top programs. To be sure, Saïd has solid business expertise, most notably in finance and in entrepreneurship; Standout offerings include the Finance Lab and Oxford Foundry for budding entrepreneurs. Applicants are also advised to look into Oxford 1+1, a dual degree program that allows students to complement their MBA with a second Master’s degree from the coveted institution in just two years.
With regards to employment, 30% of the MBA class of 2020 entered the finance industry, followed by tech with 27% and consulting with 21%. Notably, 8% of the cohort took up jobs in the impact industry; Saïd is the only top business school to include this measure in its employment statistics. In terms of geography, 43% of graduates were located in Europe, followed by 20% each in North America and Asia. Notable Saïd alumni include Ruthe Farmer (Former Senior Advisor for Tech Inclusion at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Obama Administration, MBA 2008), Faisal Butt (Co-Founder of Spire Ventures, MBA 2009), and Cameron and Tyle Winklevoss (Co-Founders of Winklevoss Capital Management and former American olympic rowers, MBAs 2010).
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100
1,000
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Structured
30%
90%
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