How to Get into Stanford with a 100% Scholarship for International Students

Realizing the dream of attending a world-class institution Stanford University can seem financially challenging, especially for international students facing prohibitively high tuition and living costs. However, Stanford is one of a select few universities committed to a need-based financial aid program that meets 100% of the demonstrated financial need for all admitted undergraduates, regardless of citizenship, making a “full scholarship” or 100% coverage a very real possibility for low- and middle-income families. For graduate students, prestigious programs like the Knight-Hennessy Scholars offer comprehensive, fully-funded scholarships across diverse fields, covering tuition, a stipend for living expenses, and even travel. Beyond eliminating financial barriers, these scholarships offer the unparalleled benefit of access to Stanford’s cutting-edge research, world-class faculty, and a network of future global leaders.

In this blog, we provide a complete guide to understanding how to get into Stanford with a 100% scholarship for international students, including eligible programs, the full scope of financial coverage, important benefits, and essential application strategies to help you secure your spot at The Farm.

Benefits of Getting into Stanford with a 100% Scholarship

Securing a 100% scholarship (often a need-based grant or a fully-funded fellowship) to Stanford University as an international student offers far more than just financial relief. The benefits are transformative, impacting your educational experience, career trajectory, and personal growth:

• Graduate completely debt-free, as all funding is provided through grants and scholarships, not loans.
• Receive financial coverage for all expenses, including tuition, housing, food (room and board), books, supplies, and travel.
• Remove financial stress, allowing you to fully dedicate your time and energy to academics, research, and personal growth.
• For graduate scholars (e.g., Knight-Hennessy), gain membership in a highly selective cohort with unparalleled networking and mentorship opportunities.
• Utilize Stanford’s state-of-the-art labs, research centers, and Silicon Valley connections without financial constraints.
• Benefit from structured leadership training programs often included with prestigious fellowships.
• Graduate with the freedom to choose a career path—whether in academia, entrepreneurship, or public service—without being financially compelled by high salaries.
• The combination of a Stanford degree and a fully-funded status significantly boosts your profile for top global employment and further study.
• Typically includes stipends or allowances for conference travel, fieldwork, and other professional development activities.
• Having 100% guaranteed funding from Stanford greatly simplifies the financial proof required for your student visa application.

List of Popular Scholarships to get into the University of Stanford

Stanford University is renowned for its commitment to need-based financial aid, making a world-class education accessible to students from all economic backgrounds, including international students. The following table summarizes the main institutional and prestigious external scholarships available to international students seeking a 100% (full) scholarship or comprehensive financial aid at Stanford.

Scholarship/Program Name	Level of Study	Coverage & Financial Details	Eligibility Criteria
Stanford Need-Based Financial Aid	Undergraduate (BA/BS)	100% of Demonstrated Need Met through grants (scholarships). No Loans expected. Covers tuition, mandatory fees, room, board, books, supplies, and travel allowance.	All admitted international students who demonstrate financial need. Must apply for aid at the time of admission. Admission is need-aware for international citizens (requesting aid may affect the admission decision).
Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS) Program	Graduate (Master’s, PhD, MBA, JD, MD, etc. in any field)	Fully-Funded: Full tuition and associated fees, a generous stipend for living/academic expenses, a travel stipend, and an allowance for relocation. Funds up to the first three years.	Open to citizens of all countries. Must apply to and be accepted by a full-time Stanford graduate program. Selected based on Independence of Thought, Purposeful Leadership, and a Civic Mindset.
Departmental Fellowships & Assistantships (RAs & TAs)	Graduate (primarily PhD, some Master’s)	Full Tuition Waiver plus a competitive monthly stipend (salary) in exchange for Teaching (TA) or Research (RA) work. The primary source of funding for PhDs.	PhD students are typically guaranteed funding by their department (e.g., Engineering, Sciences, Humanities). Master’s students may receive RAs/TAs based on academic merit and departmental need.
Stanford GSB Need-Based Fellowships	Graduate (MBA Program)	Partial to Full Fellowship Grant. Awards are determined solely by demonstrated financial need; the average award is substantial.	All admitted MBA students (regardless of citizenship) who demonstrate financial need. Note: Stanford GSB MBA admission is need-blind.
Stanford Reliance Dhirubhai Fellowship	Graduate (MBA Program)	Full or near-full coverage (up to 80% of cost of attendance, $\sim$$150,000) for tuition and living expenses for the two-year MBA program.	Indian citizens residing in India who demonstrate financial need and show strong leadership potential and a commitment to return and contribute to India for at least two years. (Very limited and highly competitive).
Fulbright Foreign Student Program	Graduate (Master’s/PhD)	Full Funding (typically covers tuition, airfare, living stipend, and health insurance) for the duration of the study.	Varies by country, generally requires a Bachelor’s degree, strong academic record, and a clear plan to return and contribute to the home country. Must apply through the Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy in the home country.
Other Country-Specific Fellowships (e.g., Chevening, Aga Khan)	Graduate (Master’s/PhD)	Varies, but many offer Full Funding (tuition, stipend, travel).	Chevening: UK-eligible countries. Aga Khan: Students from AKDN priority countries, with a 50% grant/50% loan structure. Must be admitted to Stanford first.

Also Read: What is Stanford University Acceptance Rate?

Details of Top Scholarships to get into the University of Stanford

Getting a scholarship at Stanford as an international student primarily relies on one of three major programs: institution-wide need-based aid for undergraduates, the highly selective Knight-Hennessy program for graduates, or departmental funding for PhD students.

1. Stanford Undergraduate Need-Based Financial Aid

Stanford’s undergraduate aid is need-based only (no merit scholarships), but its policy is one of the most generous globally: it commits to meeting 100% of the demonstrated financial need of all admitted students, regardless of citizenship, and does so entirely through grants and scholarships (no loans), meaning students can graduate debt-free; however, for international citizens, the admission process is need-aware, meaning the request for financial aid can be a factor in the admissions decision itself. For qualifying low and middle-income families (typically under $150,000 USD with average assets), this grant can cover the full cost of tuition, and for the lowest-income families (typically under $100,000 USD), it often covers tuition, room, and board, requiring international applicants to submit detailed financial forms like the CSS Profile at the time of application.

Benefits	Meets 100% of demonstrated financial need with grants (no loans). Coverage can include tuition, room, board, and fees based on family income.
Eligibility	Admitted international undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need. Must apply for aid at the time of admission (need-aware).
Application Process	1. Apply for Admission. 2. Submit the CSS Profile and required financial documents.
Deadline	January 15 (for Regular Decision applicants)
Official Link	https://financialaid.stanford.edu/undergrad/how/international.html

2. Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS) Program

The KHS program is an extremely prestigious and fully-funded scholarship for graduate students enrolling in any degree at Stanford (Master’s, PhD, MBA, JD, etc.), providing full tuition, a stipend for living expenses, an annual travel allowance, and extensive leadership development programming for up to three years; open to all nationalities with no age or field restrictions, applicants must be accepted into their primary Stanford graduate degree program and apply separately to KHS, where they are selected based on three criteria: Independence of Thought, Purposeful Leadership, and a Civic Mindset.

Benefits	Fully funded for up to three years: full tuition, stipend for living/academic expenses, and an annual travel allowance. Includes leadership development.
Eligibility	Accepted into any full-time Stanford graduate degree program (Master’s, PhD, MBA, JD). Open to all nationalities who earned their first degree within the last seven years.
Application Process	Requires two separate applications: one to your Stanford graduate program and one to KHS.
Deadline	Early October (for KHS application); varies for graduate program.
Official Link	https://knight-hennessy.stanford.edu/

3. Graduate Departmental Funding (Assistantships & Fellowships)

For most international PhD students, financial support is typically guaranteed by the admitting department or school (e.g., Engineering, Humanities, Sciences) through a combination of Research Assistantships (RA), Teaching Assistantships (TA), or institutional fellowships; RAs and TAs involve working part-time on research or teaching duties in exchange for a full tuition waiver and a competitive monthly stipend for living expenses, while internal fellowships are merit-based grants that also provide a stipend, making this the most common and reliable path to a fully-funded graduate degree at Stanford.

Benefits	Full tuition waiver plus a competitive monthly stipend (living expenses). The primary source of funding for PhD students.
Eligibility	Admitted Master’s or PhD students. Eligibility determined by the specific department, typically based on academic merit and teaching/research availability.
Application Process	Usually automatic upon admission to a fully-funded program (e.g., most PhD programs).
Deadline	Varies
Official Link	https://financialaid.stanford.edu/grad/

4. Stanford GSB Need-Based Fellowships (MBA)

The Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) offers its own need-based fellowships to its MBA students, which are substantial grants that do not need to be repaid and are available to all admitted students, including international citizens, based solely on demonstrated financial need; GSB admission is need-blind (unlike undergraduate admission), meaning applying for financial aid does not affect the decision to admit the student, and the average fellowship award is significant, covering a large portion of the expensive two-year MBA program cost.

Benefits	Grants awarded based on financial need. Average award is approximately $44,000 – $50,000 per year (up to $100,000 total over two years).
Eligibility	Admitted MBA students at the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB). All nationalities are eligible. GSB admission is need-blind.
Application Process	No separate application; admitted students are considered after submitting the required GSB financial aid application.
Deadline	Tied to GSB financial aid deadlines which follow MBA admission rounds.
Official Link	https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/programs/mba/tuition-financial-aid

Tips for a Scholarship Application to get into the University of Stanford

Gaining a scholarship at Stanford as an international student is highly competitive, requiring a strategy tailored to the university’s specific financial aid structure, which is overwhelmingly need-based for undergraduates and primarily focused on merit-based/departmental funding for graduates.

Here are the important tips for maximizing your scholarship application success:

• For undergraduate admission, you must indicate you need financial aid on your application; otherwise, you are permanently ineligible for Stanford grants.
• Complete the CSS Profile and all required supplementary documents accurately and on time to verify 100% of your demonstrated financial need.
• Since requesting aid makes undergraduate admission “need-aware,” your academic excellence must stand out exceptionally within the context of your home country’s educational system.
• If pursuing the Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS) program, ensure you apply separately to both KHS and your target graduate degree program by their respective deadlines.
• Tailor your KHS essays to explicitly demonstrate Independence of Thought, Purposeful Leadership, and a Generosity of Spirit (Civic Mindset) with specific, compelling stories.
• For most PhD programs, funding hinges on faculty. Research and build connections with prospective advisors who can champion your admission and funding via a Research Assistantship (RA).
• Choose letter writers who know you well and can provide concrete evidence and anecdotes of your potential, leadership, and resilience, not just your grades.
• Actively seek and apply for major non-Stanford scholarships open to international students (e.g., Fulbright, Chevening) to supplement internal funding.
• Stanford’s financial aid and competitive scholarship deadlines are firm. Submit all components, including required translations and recommender requests, well in advance.

Why Study at Stanford University?

Studying at Stanford University as an international student offers a unique combination of unparalleled academic rigor, revolutionary innovation, generous financial support, and a supportive, globally connected environment unlike almost any other institution.

• Stanford consistently ranks among the top 3–5 universities globally (e.g., placing as high as #3 in the QS World University Rankings 2026).
• It excels across the board, from top-tier programs in Engineering, Computer Science, and Business (GSB) to highly respected schools in Humanities, Sciences, Law, and Medicine.
• The university is a research powerhouse, home to Nobel laureates, world-class faculty, and over 150 research institutes focused on solving global challenges like AI, climate change, and health.
• Being located in Silicon Valley, California, provides direct, unrivaled access to the world’s leading technology, venture capital, and start-up firms (Google, Apple, Meta, etc.).
• Stanford is one of the few global institutions committed to meeting 100% of the demonstrated financial need of every admitted undergraduate, regardless of citizenship, making the university accessible to top talent worldwide.
• The financial aid packages primarily consist of grants and scholarships (not loans), allowing international students to graduate debt-free.
• Many graduate programs, especially PhDs, offer full funding through fellowships, research assistantships (RAs), and teaching assistantships (TAs), including the prestigious Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS) program.
• International students account for a significant portion of the graduate and undergraduate population, creating a highly diverse and multicultural academic environment.

Also Read: Stanford University Scholarships for International Students

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