The Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program at Stanford University brings together a diverse and dynamic group of future leaders from across the globe.
This highly selective initiative fosters collaboration across disciplines and equips scholars with the skills, mindset, and experiences needed to solve the complex challenges facing today’s world.
Scholars benefit from the King Global Leadership Program, which includes leadership workshops, community-building activities, mentorship, travel opportunities, and personal growth experiences both in the U.S. and abroad.
Host Institution:
Stanford University, California, USA
Level and Field of Study:
Open to applicants pursuing full-time master’s and doctoral degrees in any academic field at Stanford. This includes, but is not limited to, programs such as DMA, JD, MA, MBA, MD, MFA, MPP, MS, or PhD.
Note: The following are not eligible:
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Honors Cooperative Program applicants
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Master of Liberal Arts applicants
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Doctor of Science of Law (JSD) applicants
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Current Stanford students applying for coterminal programs
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Current Stanford PhD students adding a master’s in the same field
Number of Awards:
Not specified
Who Can Apply:
The program is open to applicants from all nationalities and academic backgrounds. There are no restrictions based on citizenship, age, or professional interests.
Scholarship Benefits and Duration:
Knight-Hennessy Scholars receive financial support for up to three years of graduate study at Stanford, which includes:
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Full tuition and fees
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A living stipend covering housing, meals, books, academic supplies, and personal expenses
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An annual travel allowance for a round-trip economy ticket to and from Stanford
Additional Benefits:
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A one-time relocation grant for newly admitted scholars
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Access to extra funding in later years for academic development (e.g., conference travel or research support)
Eligibility Criteria:
To be eligible, applicants must meet two key requirements:
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Admission to a Stanford Graduate Program:
You must apply to both the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program and a full-time graduate program at Stanford. This can be done:-
Simultaneously for both programs to start the same academic year
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If you’ve deferred an earlier admission to begin in the same year
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As a current Stanford student pursuing a second full-time graduate degree
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As a first-year Stanford PhD student applying to KHS to begin in your second year
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Academic Qualifications:
You must have completed a bachelor’s degree (or its equivalent) on or after January 2019 from an accredited institution. For entry into the 2025 cohort, your degree must have been earned no earlier than January 2019.
How to Apply:
To be considered, applicants must submit:
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A separate application to the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program by 8 October 2025 at 1:00 PM (Pacific Time)
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A separate application to their chosen Stanford graduate degree program by the program’s own deadline (which varies and is typically earlier)
Before applying, candidates are strongly encouraged to review the application preparation guide and visit the official program website for full details.
👉 Official Website: https://knight-hennessy.stanford.edu/
