We offer many types of financial aid to help you fund your MBA.
Applying to business school is a big life decision, and you should start planning financially before you embark on this journey. Stanford GSB admits an accomplished and diverse class of students without regard to their financial situation. All MBA students, regardless of citizenship, are eligible for financial aid.
Fellowships are gifts from our community, and they do not have to be repaid. Stanford GSB fellowships are awarded based solely on your demonstrated financial need. Approximately half of Stanford MBA students receive fellowship funds. The average Stanford GSB fellowship is approximately $44,000 per year or $88,000 in total awards.
The Stanford GSB Financial Aid Office defines “need” as:
The mission of theBuilding Opportunities for Leadership Diversity (BOLD) Fellows Fundis to further Stanford University’s commitment to diversity and inclusion by augmenting Stanford GSB’s financial aid for MBA students with financial hardship and a commitment to the advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
TheKnight-Hennessy Scholarsprogram cultivates and supports a highly engaged, multidisciplinary, and multicultural community of graduate students from across Stanford University, and it delivers a diverse collection of educational experiences, preparing graduates to address complex challenges facing the world.
Each year, the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program selects up to 100 students who are newly enrolling in a graduate degree program in any of Stanford’s seven schools. Knight-Hennessy Scholars participate in an experiential leadership development program and receive funding for up to three years of graduate study at Stanford.
Candidates of any country may apply. Candidates must submit two applications to be considered: one to Knight-Hennessy Scholars and one to the graduate degree program by its deadline. The Knight-Hennessy Scholars application to join the 2025 cohort closes on09 October 2024 at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time.You must apply to the MBA Program by the Round 1 deadline of10 September 2024 at 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
Stanford GSB offers financial support to qualifying MBAs who pursue careers in the nonprofit and public service sectors or in high-impact businesses.
Stanford GSB provides resources for those who wish to pursue a summer internship in nonprofit, social impact, government, or entrepreneurial organizations.
We encourage you to research sources outside Stanford GSB to help reduce your debt load. If you receive an external scholarship for less than $40,000, your Stanford GSB fellowship will not be reduced. If you receive an external scholarship for $40,000 or more, your Stanford GSB fellowship will be reduced; however, the reduction is not dollar for dollar. Loans are only reduced if your total financial aid exceeds the cost of attendance.
Stanford GSB considers employer sponsorship or employer forgivable loans as external financial resources for the purpose of determining financial need and fellowship eligibility. Typically, students who receive employer loans or sponsorship are not eligible for Stanford GSB fellowships.
Be sure that you understand everything about the repayment terms required by your sponsor, especially the options for repayment if you choose not to return to the sponsor after graduation. If you are in doubt about accepting a sponsorship, include all details of the sponsorship with your financial aid application and request that your financial aid eligibility be calculated with and without sponsorship so that you can make an informed decision.
Most financial aid received by Stanford GSB students is in the form of student loans. Detailed information will be provided about loan options once you have been admitted to the program and applied for financial aid.
You can borrow up to thecost of attendanceminus any financial aid or other resources (i.e., parents, relatives, friends, employers, and other external sources). Loans through Stanford GSB must be used for educational purposes.
Loans for U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents
Before selecting your lender, we recommend you compare interest rates, terms and conditions, and repayment options for all loan programs.
Loans for International Students
The financial aid office will determine which loans to offer you based on your citizenship status and the information provided in your financial aid application. Stanford GSB works with several lenders to provide loan options for international students. The school does not benefit in any way, financial or other, from these arrangements.
You are strongly encouraged to look for private loan options in your home country because you may be able to secure better interest rates. The financial aid office will certify any educational private loan you choose; however, we recommend that you review the terms of these private loans, or any other private loan, before making your decision.
Stanford GSB offers financial support to members of the veteran community. The Post-9/11 GI Bill can help veterans pay for school. Additionally, Stanford participates in theYellow Ribbon Programwhich helps you pay for higher out-of-state, private school, or graduate school tuition that the Post-9/11 GI Bill doesn’t cover.
