Full-time master's and doctoral degrees in any subject offered at Stanford are covered. Applicants from all countries - there are no restrictions based on citizenship, age, field of study, career aspiration, etc. A scholarship, payment of academic expenses and travel funding are provided.
Inspiring Leaders
Knight-Hennessy Scholars cultivates and supports a multidisciplinary and multicultural community of graduate students from across Stanford University and offers engaging experiences that prepare graduates to be visionary, courageous and collaborative leaders who tackle complex challenges facing the world.
Stanford University
All scholars are graduate students from Stanford University, who join Knight-Hennessy Scholars in addition to enrolling in a graduate programme at any of the following universities. of the seven Stanford schools
Leadership Development
Students participate in up to three years of programming which complements their postgraduate studies and prepares them to take on leadership roles in academia, industry, government, non-profit organisations and the wider community.
Knight-Hennessy Community
A new cohort of academics joins each year, adding to the existing one. diverse community of academics from all disciplines, nationalities, perspectives and backgrounds. Scholars learn together, collaborate on impactful projects and develop lifelong friendships.
Knight-Hennessy financing
Scholars receive a scholarship for up to three years of tuition feesdepending on the length of the course. In addition, scholars receive a stipend for living and academic expenses, and a travel grant for an annual trip to and from Stanford.
What characterises a Knight-Hennessy scholar?
Independence of Thought
Knight-Hennessy scholars are visionary thinkers who are curious, open-minded, analytical, eager for cross-cultural perspectives and genuinely enthusiastic about tackling our world's important challenges boldly and creatively.
Requirement 1: Admission to Stanford
First, in addition to applying to Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS), you must apply, be accepted and enrol in a full-time Stanford graduate programme, including, but not limited to, DMA, JD, MA, MBA, MD, MFA, MPP, MS or PhD programmes. You must meet at least a of the following four conditions:
- You are applying separately but simultaneously to the KHS and to a full-time postgraduate programme at Stanford, so you will start both in the same year.
- You have already received an offer and deferred admission to a full-time postgraduate programme at Stanford, and will apply to the KHS in such a way that you will start both in the same year.
- You are a current Stanford postgraduate student who will be applying to add a second full-time Stanford postgraduate programme, so you will start the KHS and the new programme in the same year.
- You are a current Stanford PhD student in your first year of enrolment and will apply for the KHS such that you will start the KHS in your second year of PhD enrolment.
There are no quotas by subject or programme. Please note that we will prioritise those who will spend at least two years studying at Stanford.
Please note that a small number of Stanford postgraduate programmes are not eligible for Knight-Hennessy Scholars:
- Candidates for the Cooperative Honours Programme
- Candidates for the Master of Liberal Arts
- Candidates for the Doctorate in Law Sciences (JSD))
- Current Stanford students applying for coterminal postgraduate studies
- Current Stanford doctoral students adding a master's or master's degree in their current discipline
Requirement 2: Date of graduation diploma
Secondly, you must have obtained, in January 2017 or later, a US bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a college or university of recognised standing.
For applicants who have served in the Armed Forces, we have extended the eligibility window by two years in recognition of longer service commitments; you must have graduated in January 2015 or later to enrol in 2024. Current university students are eligible if you obtain your first degree by September 2024. Within the eligibility window, we do not give preference on the basis of degree recency.
Leadership with purpose
Knight-Hennessy scholars are courageous leaders who are ethical, decisive, resilient, driven to achieve significant results and motivated to inspire others to make positive changes at scale.
Civic mindedness
Knight-Hennessy scholars are collaborative members of the community who are humble, empathetic, trustworthy, orientated towards acting in the service of others and deeply passionate about contributing to the greater good.
Deadline: 11 October 2023.
