While looking to finance your education, it makes sense to start with your organization. As a general practice, many organizations sponsor students by paying all or part of their tuition and allowing them to attend classes because they know the benefits of the degree experience to the organization.

Research shows that fewer companies are paying for all the costs of an EMBA education, but the good news for many EMBA applicants is that many students receive some form of corporate sponsorship. In fact, in some regions of the world, full corporate sponsorship levels may be higher.

According to the results of 2023 Executive MBA Council research:

• 16.1 percent of students receive full financial sponsorship
• 29.5 percent receive partial reimbursement
• 54.5 percent are fully self-funded

How to start discussions with organizations? Even if you are not seeking financial support from your organization, you will want to consider a conversation with your boss. The majority of formats will require some time away from work, and discussions about time commitment and its impact on work are important ones. The Guide for EMBA Conversations can help make the conversations more productive.