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.
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
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
Similar Scholarships
Other curated opportunities for Sri Lankan students.
Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme
Aga Khan Foundation (tenable at top global universities)
CMU Tepper Fellowship
Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business
Columbia World Project Fellowship
Columbia University