Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS) Grant

Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS) Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: The Board Of Trustees Of The Leland Stanford
Last Updated: March 10, 2026

Summary

The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program at Stanford University aims to develop visionary leaders by offering full funding for up to three years of graduate study. Open to applicants from all backgrounds, it emphasizes independence of thought, purposeful leadership, and civic engagement. Each year, 100 scholars are selected based on academic achievement and commitment to global challenges, preparing them to tackle complex issues. This unique opportunity fosters a diverse community of innovators committed to positive change.

Overview

Inspiring Leaders Knight-Hennessy Scholars is a multidisciplinary, multicultural graduate scholarship program. Each Knight-Hennessy scholar receives up to three years of financial support to pursue graduate studies at Stanford while engaging in experiences that prepare scholars to be visionary, courageous, and collaborative leaders who address complex challenges facing the world. The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program looks for candidates that demonstrate the following three qualities: independence of thought; purposeful leadership; and a civic mindset. Each year the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program will 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. Area(s) of study: All fields Award criteria: academic achievement; leadership; civic commitment Award provides: Funding for up to three years of graduate study at Stanford University, including tuition, fees, room and board, books, and a generous stipend. There are additional opportunities available for summer and social entrepreneurship funding.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Knight-Hennessy Scholars has no restrictions based on age, college or university, field of study, or career aspiration. We encourage citizens and residents of all countries to apply. We do not require applicants to seek endorsements from colleges, universities, or other institutions. Additionally, there are no quotas by discipline, program, or world region.First, in addition to applying to Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS), you must apply to, be accepted by, and enroll in a full-time Stanford graduate degree program including, but not limited to, DMA, JD, MA, MBA, MD, MFA, MPP, MS, or PhD programsYou are applying separately but concurrently to KHS and a full-time Stanford graduate degree program such that you will start both in the same year.You have already been offered and deferred admission to a full-time Stanford graduate degree program, and will apply to KHS such that you will start both in the same year.You are a current Stanford graduate student who will apply to add a second full-time Stanford graduate degree program, such that you will start both KHS and the new program in the same year.You are a current Stanford PhD student in your first year of enrollment, and will apply to KHS such that you will start KHS in your second year of PhD enrollment.  Second, you must have earned, in January 2019 or later, a U.S. bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a college or university of recognized standing.For applicants who served in the military, we extend the eligibility window by two years in acknowledgement of longer service commitments; you must have earned your degree in January 2017 or later to enroll in 2026. Current college students are eligible if you will earn your first degree by September 2026. Within the eligibility window, we do not give preference based on recency of the degree.