Stanford Reliance Dhirubhai Fellowship
Funded by the Reliance Foundation in memory of Dhirubhai Ambani, this fellowship covers full tuition and fees for the two-year Stanford MBA — worth approximately USD 175,000 — for up to five Indian and South Asian admits per year. Sri Lankan citizens are explicitly eligible alongside Indian, Bangladeshi, Nepali, Bhutanese, and Sri Lankan applicants. Recipients commit to return and work in India or South Asia for at least two years after the MBA.
Aligned with Stanford MBA rounds — 2026 entry rounds closed; 2027 entry Round 1 deadline mid-September 2026
Stanford Graduate School of Business
External Organization-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Value
Full Tuition + Fees (~USD 175k)
Duration
2-Year Stanford MBA
Awards
Up to 5 per Year
info How this award actually works
This is a separate, highly competitive application
Awards from external organisations like this one run their own selection round against applicants from across the world, and success rates are usually in the low single digits. Lanka Scholar does not administer it and cannot submit it for you. Treat it as a bonus on top of a funded study plan — never as the plan itself.
Who awards it
Stanford Graduate School of Business — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.
How you are considered
Through a separate application round run by the funder, with its own forms, deadlines and shortlisting. You submit it yourself — it is not part of a university admission application.
What it covers
Full Tuition + Fees (~USD 175,000 over 2 yrs). Read the terms carefully: even fully-funded awards rarely cover every cost, and any shortfall is yours to fund.
Where we come in
We help you judge whether this award is worth your time, and build a realistic admission plan that works whether or not you win it.
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Admission to Stanford MBA
You must be admitted to the Stanford Graduate School of Business MBA programme. The fellowship is not available for MS, MSx, or PhD programmes at Stanford GSB.
Indian / South Asian Citizenship
Open to citizens of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka — including Sri Lankan citizens applying from Sri Lanka.
Strong Pre-MBA Track Record
While the fellowship has no separate work-experience cut-off beyond the Stanford MBA's own admissions standards, recipients typically have 4-6 years of work experience and strong professional achievements in India / South Asia.
Return to India / South Asia
Recipients pledge to return to work in India / South Asia within two years of graduation and remain for at least two years thereafter. This is a binding commitment built into the fellowship agreement.
account_tree Application Process
Apply to Stanford MBA
Submit your Stanford MBA application via the standard rounds (Round 1 mid-September, Round 2 early January, Round 3 early April). Strong GMAT/GRE, essays, and recommendations are essential.
Indicate fellowship interest
The MBA application includes a financial aid section — indicate your interest in the Reliance Dhirubhai Fellowship and confirm your country of citizenship.
Fellowship selection
Stanford GSB nominates eligible admits to the Reliance Foundation, which makes the final selection. Outcomes are typically announced after admission decisions are released.
Accept and Commit
Successful fellows sign a fellowship agreement covering the return-to-region commitment. Tuition and fees are paid directly by the Reliance Foundation each semester.
Why Stanford GSB?
Stanford GSB is consistently ranked the #1 or #2 MBA programme worldwide, with a tight cohort of ~420 students per class and unrivalled access to Silicon Valley. The Reliance Fellowship is one of the most prestigious South-Asia-focused awards at any global MBA programme — recipients become part of an elite alumni network.
#1
Bloomberg US MBA Ranking 2025
~420
MBA Class Size
5
Reliance Fellows / Year
Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?
Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.
Work out your real number
Tuition, living costs, visa funds and flights for your destination — so you know the gap you are actually trying to close.
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Tuition, living costs and the total first-year figure for USA, in LKR as well as local currency.
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Check the requirement arrow_forwardSimilar Scholarships
Other curated opportunities for Sri Lankan students.
Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme
Aga Khan Foundation (tenable at top global universities)
East-West Center Graduate Degree Fellowship
East-West Center (with the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa)
Fulbright Foreign Student Program (Sri Lanka)
Institute of International Education / US Department of State