The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program

This financial support is not administered by the University.

Overview

Knight-Hennessy Scholars receive full funding to pursue graduate study at Stanford. This includes the JD, MA, MBA, MD, MFA, MS, and PhD programs.

Knight-Hennessy Scholars receive full funding to pursue graduate study at Stanford University.

Field of study

Any Discipline

Eligibility

Applications are encouraged from citizens of all countries for all full-time graduate degree programs at Stanford.

You are eligible during your final year of student for your first/bachelor's degree or within five years of earning your first/bachelor's degree. For the cohort that applies in 2021, that means you must have graduated in January 2015 through September 2022 to enrol at Stanford in September 2022.

A full list of eligibility criteria can be found here.

Selection criteria

Knight-Hennessy Scholars look primarily at three areas:

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

Benefits

The education of Knight-Hennessy Scholars is funded for up to three years for any graduate degree(s) at Stanford to which you are admitted at the time you are selected as a scholar. If your degree program exceeds three years - such as an MD or PhD program, or a Stanford dual- or joint-degree program - then your Stanford home department(s) will fund the remainder of your education to the extent consistent with its standard funding commitment for that program.

During each of the first three years of graduate study, Knight-Hennessy Scholars receive:

a fellowship applied directly to cover tuition and associated fees
a stipend for living and academic expenses (such as room and board, books, academic supplies, instructional materials, local transportation, and reasonable personal expenses)
a travel grant intended to cover an economy-class ticket for one annual trip to and from Stanford

How to apply

Applicants must:

submit an online application for the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program
submit an application for the graduate degree they want to pursue at Stanford University (deadlines can vary)

Scholarships will only be granted to successful applicants who gain admission into a graduate degree program.

Applications accepted by October 2021 are for entry to Stanford University in September 2022.

Further information

A virtual information session is being organised for prospective applicants from the Oceania region on Wednesday, September 15, 2021 at 12:00 noon AEST.

Click here to register for this information session.

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