How to Apply
Selection by Nomination
We actively seek out the students we fund. We also accept applications, and every applicant must be nominated by two people who know their academic work.
How We Find Scholars
We go looking.
And we welcome nominations from anyone in a position to identify an exceptional student.
The majority of the students we fund are sourced directly by the Foundation. We work with schools, educators, and partner organizations around the world to identify young people with exceptional academic potential who would not otherwise have access to programs of this calibre.
We also accept applications. Every application begins with a nomination. Students cannot nominate themselves. We require two nominators who know the student's academic work well, such as a teacher, head of school, school administrator, tutor, or academic mentor.
Selection is highly competitive.
We hold every applicant to the same standard, regardless of how many scholars we support in a given year.
The Process
Five stages.
Each stage is designed to surface the qualities our partner programs select for, and to verify that our funding goes where it is genuinely needed.
Stage One
Nomination.
Two nominators submit on the student's behalf. Nominators should be people associated with the student's education to date, such as a teacher, head of school, school administrator, tutor, or academic mentor who knows their work well. Self-nominations are not accepted.
Stage Two
Written statement.
Students whose nominations are accepted are invited to respond to three short prompts (300 words each):
- Prompt One
Tell us about an idea, book, problem, or question that has genuinely absorbed you in the last year, and what you have done to pursue it.
- Prompt Two
Describe a moment when you encountered something you did not understand and worked to understand it. What changed in your thinking?
- Prompt Three
What do you hope a program like this will give you that you cannot get where you are now? Be specific.
Stage Three
Financial documentation.
This Foundation exists for students whose families could not otherwise afford these programs. We ask the parent or guardian to submit financial documentation, including recent tax returns or equivalent, a household income statement, and any supporting context. Submissions are confidential and reviewed separately from academic merit. Awards are not made to families who can fund the program themselves.
Stage Four
Interview.
Shortlisted candidates are invited to a video interview with the selection committee. The conversation is intended to understand the student in their own voice, beyond what any written statement can convey.
Stage Five
Decision.
The selection committee reviews each candidate in full, weighing academic potential, the written statement, the interview, and verified financial need. Successful candidates are matched with the partner program best suited to their talents, and the Foundation covers tuition, travel, and living costs.
Know a student we should meet?
If you are a teacher, head of school, administrator, tutor, or mentor and you know a young person who belongs in this conversation, we would like to hear from you.