Stanford Reliance Dhirubhai Fellowship – 2022-23

To support Indians Reliance industries are offering the scholarship for the students who apply to Stanford University. An Indian who is in need of scholarship (financial help) for doing their MBA at Stanford can accomplish his/her goals.

The Reliance Dhirubhai fellowship program gives an excellent opportunity to Indian applicants. Every year Stanford honors up to five fellowships.

Reliance Dhirubhai can provide up to $140,000 scholarship for the cost of tuition and related fees for each year of the two-year Stanford MBA Program.

Application process and criteria for evaluation

The application mainly consists of:

  • Resume/curriculum vitae (C.V.)
  • Educational history and test scores – optional at preliminary stage.
  • Awards and recognition (academic or social)
  • Employment history and career aspirations
  • 250-word essay question
  • Personal financial information

There are mainly 2 stages in the application process.

First stage: Applicants should complete the Reliance Dhirubhai Fellowship program application process with the all above details, then Stanford selects up to 50 Reliance Dhirubhai fellowship finalists only, based on their academics and overall profile.

Second stage: Once done with the application, Stanford will select up to five Reliance Dhirubhai candidates every year from among the finalists based on their skills, strength, leadership qualities and individual characteristics and contribution to society.

Application deadlines and decision dates

22 April 2019 – 28 May 2019 Application available online
28 May 2019
(5:00pm Pacific Time)
Application submission deadline
20 June 2019 Program finalists notified
Round 1 and 2: To Be Announced Finalists to prepare and submit Stanford MBA application
Round 1 and 2: To Be Announced Stanford releases admission decisions, including those for Reliance Dhirubhai Fellows
September 2020 Reliance Dhirubhai Fellows matriculate in Stanford MBA Program

Essay question – How do you aspire to shape India’s future? (250 words)

Essay Analysis:

Even we had to read it twice! Yes, the word count is just 250 words and it means that you must be judicious with what story you pick and what you right.

First things first, this is not an essay where you blow your trumpet. Leave that excellent leadership story for your resume or other essays. This essay specifically wants you to talk about how you will SHAPE India’s future.

You need to devote time to understand your background and then visualize how you can use your current expertise clubbed with skills learnt at Stanford to shape India’s future. We recommend you to talk about a long term goal 10 – 15 years down the line and talk about a clear road map about it.

Another recommendation would be to take a current problem India is facing and tell how you can shape that issue instead of just talking about a utopian India that you envision.

Your essay should answer the following questions:

  • What is the area that you want to shape? Don’t be too broad like you want to reduce corruption. If you want to reduce it, start off by saying which area. The more specific the answer, the better it is
  • Why you can shape that area? Tell about how you are well suited to make a difference
  • What is your game plan? In short, what you wish to do that will change the situation
  • What is the end result that you envision?

All the best for your application!


General Education can assist you for The Stanford Reliance Dhirubhai MBA Fellowship Program

General Education consultants have been helping the applicants for application essays, scholarship essays by preparing and presenting their case adequately to the admission committees of top B-Schools across the world. Don’t hesitate to contact us through the query form on the right-hand side of this page and we can help you in cracking all the rounds for scholarship and fellowship evaluation.  

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