For Applicants to the Legatum Fellowship
Applications are now closed for the 2013-14 class of Legatum Fellows. Please feel free to read through the application process, review the sample application and conditions of eligibility for the 2014-15 class of Legatum Fellows. For frequently asked questions please see our Fellowship FAQ. For updates on the Fellowship program and application notices, please join our mailing list.
Application Process
All candidates for the Legatum Fellowship are required to submit an online fellowship application and 2 letters of recommendation. A committee will examine all applications and then finalists will be contacted to set up an interview. Whenever possible, Fellowship finalists are interviewed in person. For those finalists based outside of the United States or unable to visit campus, interviews will be conducted by phone or by regional representatives of the Center or MIT.
Conditions of Eligibility
Each applicant must be:
1. An applicant for a graduate degree program at MIT or a student currently enrolled as a rising junior, rising senior, or graduate student at MIT, and an MIT student for the duration of the Fellowship
2. Committed to using their education at MIT to start a business in a low-income country after graduating
Application Instructions
We strongly encourage you to submit an online application, however if you are unable to access the online application for technical reasons, you may request a hard copy application. Applicants applying to Sloan in Round 1 must complete and submit their applications by December 15, 2012, 5:00pm EST. All other applications must be completed and received by the Legatum Center by February 15, 2013, 5:00pm EST. When submitting online, please plan ahead for unforeseeable technical problems. Due to high traffic on our servers the day of the application deadline, we recommend that you submit your application in advance.
In order to apply for the Legatum Fellowship, applicants must submit two (2) letters of recommendation and an application consisting of the following completed sections:
- Personal Information
- Applicant Status
- MIT Information
- Business/Entrepreneurial Idea
- Short Essays
- Financial Resources
- Recommendations
- Resume Upload
- Additional Questions
Fellowship Notification
February 4,2013: Round 1 Sloan applicants are notified
April 22,2013: All other applicants are notified
For graduate applicants to MIT
There is a two-step process:
1. Apply for the Legatum Fellowship
2. Apply for admission to a graduate degree program at MIT (MBA, SM, PhD, etc.).
Deadlines for application to MIT vary by department, See Application Deadlines.
Please note that only those who receive admission offers from a graduate degree-granting program at MIT are eligible for the Legatum Fellowship Program.
For current MIT graduate students, rising juniors, & rising seniors
Apply for the Legatum Fellowship and indicate the program in which you will be enrolled during your Fellowship year.
For re-applicants
Reapplicants are required to complete this year's Fellowship application in full. Previous year submissions will not be reviewed.
Notes on Financial Assistance
The Legatum Center provides assistance to support Fellows’ studies at MIT. The amount of assistance will be determined based on a combination of merit and need.
As funding is limited, we encourage applicants to also explore external sources of funding. For more information on financial aid at MIT, please visit the Student Financial Services website.
The Legatum Fellowship award may be used only for tuition, stipend and/or medical insurance. Payments from the Legatum Center may be received to supplement, but not to duplicate, benefits from the educational institution or from other foundations, institutions, or organizations. The combined benefits from all sources may not exceed the maximum limitation as prescribed by MIT's cost-of-attendance budget.
Other important links at MIT
Sloan School of Management Admissions
Sloan Fellows Admissions
Graduate Students Office
International Students Office