Stanford University 2022 Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program for High-Achieving Students

For the Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program, each year up to 90 high-achieving students who are independent thinkers, display purposeful leadership, and have a civic orientation will receive full funding to pursue a graduate education at Stanford.

The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program will annually identify a group of 100 high-achieving students from around the world with demonstrated leadership and civic commitment to receive full funding to pursue a wide-ranging graduate education at Stanford, with the goal of developing a new generation of global leaders. The Knight-Hennessy Scholars is the largest fully endowed scholars program in the world.

• Table of Content
• About Stanford University
• Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program
• Aim and Benefits of Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program
• Requirements for Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program Qualification
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About Stanford University

Stanford University was founded in 1885 by California senator Leland Stanford and his wife, Jane, “to promote the public welfare by exercising an influence in behalf of humanity and civilization.”

Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program

Aim and Benefits of Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program

The Stanford education of Knight-Hennessy Scholars is fully funded.

• Full funding includes tuition, stipend, graduate program and related academic expenses, with additional financial support available.
• Pursue any graduate degree at Stanford, from PhDs in arts, education, engineering, humanities, or social sciences to professional degrees in business, law, or medicine.
• Build skills in leadership and communication that will empower you to work across disciplines and to scale creative solutions for complex challenges.

Requirements for Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program Qualification

• The organisers encourage applications to Knight-Hennessy Scholars from citizens of all countries. That’s natural since we expect Knight-Hennessy Scholars to have global impact.
• Did you earn a degree at an institution outside the U.S.? To be eligible for graduate study, you must hold the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree from a college or university of recognized standing.
• You are eligible to apply to the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program if you are applying to enroll in any full-time graduate degree program at Stanford (for example, but not limited to, DFA, Eng, JD, MA, MBA, MD, MFA, MS, or PhD) or if you plan on pursuing one of Stanford’s many joint- and dual- graduate degree options (for example, but not limited to, MD+PhD, JD+MA, MBA+MS).
• Also, if you earned your bachelor’s degree in 2014 or later, you are eligible to apply (2012 or later for US Military).

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

2. 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

3. Civic Mindset

• Personally humble and kind
• Inclusive
• Respects differences
• Concerned for and helpful to others
• Low ego

Application Deadline

How to Apply

Where we find evidence of these criteria is throughout your application materials and, if you are selected as a finalist, at Immersion Weekend. 

For more details, visit Stanford University website.