Knight-Hennessy Scholars funds any full-time graduate degree at Stanford University — PhD, JD, MD, MBA, MS, and more — for up to three years, with no age limit, no field-of-study restriction, and no institutional endorsement required. It’s open to all nationalities. Here’s exactly how eligibility, the dual-application process, and current deadlines work.
Quick Facts
- Host: Stanford University, California
- Founded: Announced 2016, first cohort 2018, via a founding gift from Nike co-founder Phil Knight and former Stanford president John Hennessy
- Coverage: Full tuition, living and academic stipend, annual travel stipend, one-time relocation allowance, structured leadership development program
- Duration: Up to 3 years
- 2027 Cohort Deadline: October 6, 2026, 1:00 PM Pacific Time
- Separate Stanford Application Deadline: Earlier of your program’s own KHS-aligned deadline or December 1, 2026
- Application Fee: None for Knight-Hennessy itself; your separate Stanford graduate program application carries its own fee (~$125), with waivers available for eligible applicants
Eligibility
- Earned your first bachelor’s degree in January 2020 or later (a rolling ~7-year window); extended to January 2018 or later for applicants who served in their country’s military
- Currently enrolled students are eligible if they’ll complete their first degree by September 2027
- No age limit, no preference given based on how recently you earned your degree within the eligible window
- No institutional endorsement or nomination required
- Open to citizens and residents of all countries, all fields of study, no discipline quotas
Not eligible: applicants who earned their first bachelor’s degree in 2019 or earlier (outside the 7-year window, even if you’ve earned an additional degree since), and the following Stanford programs specifically: the Honors Cooperative Program, Master of Liberal Arts, JSD, MLS, current Stanford PhD students adding a Master’s in the same discipline, and some coterminal degree combinations.
The Two-Application Rule
This is the single most common way applicants go wrong: you must submit two separate applications — one to Knight-Hennessy Scholars, and one to your intended Stanford graduate degree program. Neither substitutes for the other, and being outstanding in one doesn’t compensate for missing the other. If you submit your Stanford graduate program application after December 1, 2026, but before your program’s own later deadline, you remain eligible for graduate admission — but you’re no longer eligible for Knight-Hennessy that cycle.
Exception for MBA applicants: to remain eligible for Knight-Hennessy, your Stanford MBA application must be submitted by the MBA program’s Round 1 deadline specifically — later rounds don’t align with the Knight-Hennessy admissions timeline.
What It Covers
- Full tuition for your Stanford graduate program, for up to three years
- A living and academic stipend
- An annual travel stipend
- A one-time relocation allowance for incoming scholars
- Supplemental funding for enrichment activities
- A structured, multidisciplinary leadership development program alongside your degree
How to Apply
- Identify an eligible full-time Stanford graduate program across Stanford’s seven schools.
- Confirm your specific program isn’t on the excluded list (Honors Cooperative Program, Master of Liberal Arts, JSD, MLS, certain coterminal/PhD-addition cases).
- Submit your Knight-Hennessy Scholars application, including resume, transcripts, recommendation letters, and essays demonstrating independence of thought, purposeful leadership, and civic mindset — there’s no fixed formula, so avoid trying to check boxes rather than showing genuine, specific evidence of these qualities: Recommendation Letter for Scholarship, : Personal Statement for Scholarship / SOP Examples
- Separately, submit your Stanford graduate program application by the earlier of your program’s KHS-aligned deadline or December 1, 2026 (or your MBA program’s Round 1 deadline, if applicable).
- Submit both well before the October 6, 2026, 1:00 PM Pacific deadline — recommendation letters and supporting materials can take longer to arrange than expected, so don’t wait until the final days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a specific undergraduate field to apply? No. Knight-Hennessy has no field-of-study restrictions or quotas by discipline, program, or region.
Is there an age limit? No. Eligibility is based on when you earned your bachelor’s degree, not your age.
Can I apply if I already have a graduate degree? Yes, as long as you earned your first/bachelor’s degree in January 2020 or later. Having an additional degree since doesn’t extend eligibility if your bachelor’s was earned before that window.
What happens if I miss the December 1 Stanford application deadline? You may still be eligible for graduate admission if you apply before your program’s own later deadline, but you’ll no longer be eligible for Knight-Hennessy that cycle.
Is there an application fee? Not for Knight-Hennessy itself. Your separate Stanford graduate program application has its own fee, though waivers are available for eligible applicants.
Official Resources
- Knight-Hennessy Scholars (official): knight-hennessy.stanford.edu
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