Next deadline (for 2026–2027 cohort): October 2025
The Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program is designed to build a multidisciplinary community of Stanford graduate students. The program, which financially supports up to three years of graduate study at Stanford, annually selects a group of 100 high-achieving students from around the world with demonstrated leadership and civic commitment. Knight-Hennessy Scholars develop both the depth and range of subject expertise to confront the numerous grand challenges and opportunities of the future and make up a unique community of change agents from a diverse range of backgrounds.
Prospective applicants, including recent graduates and alumni, should make an advising appointment with Keila Diehl, the Knight-Hennessy campus representative.
Eligibility Requirements
The Knight-Hennessy program is open to citizens of all countries, as well as undocumented students.
[For 2024 application cycle] Applicants must:
- be applying to enroll in a full-time graduate degree program at Stanford (e.g., JD, MA, MBA, MD, MS, or PhD), or planning to pursue one of Stanford’s joint- and dual- graduate degree options (e.g., MD+PhD, JD+MA, MBA+MS)
- have earned, in January 2018 or later, a U.S. bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a college or university of recognized standing
- complete the entire application process for the graduate program, including any standardized test that your discipline requires (GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT, etc.) and, if needed, an English proficiency test
Note: The Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program does not defer Scholar offers.
Selection Criteria
Applicants will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Independence of thought (first-step mental sharpness; seeks out knowledge and new experiences; full of original ideas; makes sense of ambiguous situations; can hold a contrarian or dissenting point of view)
- Purposeful leadership (ambitious, in the best sense of the word; driven to improve self; willing to take risks; self-aware, persists, and bounces back from adversity)
- Civic mindset (personally humble and kind; inclusive; respects differences; concerned for and helpful to others; low ego)
Application Requirements
- Online application (personal/academic information, short responses, and 500-word essay)
- Official or self-reported transcripts from all colleges and universities
- One-page resume
- Two recommendation letters
- Scores on standardized tests (only if required by graduate degree program)
- Video submission (by invitation)
For more information about this opportunity, visit the Knight-Hennessy Scholars website (opens external site)