Knight-Hennessy Scholars 2027

Overview

Stanford's flagship, fully funded graduate leadership programme, open to applicants of all nationalities pursuing any eligible full-time graduate degree at Stanford. Requires a separate concurrent application to a Stanford graduate degree programme.

About Stanford University

Knight-Hennessy Scholars is Stanford University's flagship graduate scholarship programme, funding any graduate degree at Stanford (law, medicine, business, engineering or any other school) alongside a structured leadership-development curriculum specific to the programme's own cohort. It was established through a major gift from Nike co-founder Phil Knight and named for him and former Stanford president John Hennessy, and selects a cohort intended to be interdisciplinary and international by design.

Coverage & Financial Benefits

• Up to 3 years of funding for tuition and living expenses
• Annual travel stipend and one-time relocation allowance
• Structured multidisciplinary leadership development programme

Requirements & Eligibility

• Open to applicants from all countries
• Must also apply to, and be admitted by, an eligible Stanford graduate programme
• Bachelor's degree completed within programme-specific eligibility windows

Required Documents

How to Apply

1. 1Apply for admission to your chosen graduate programme at Stanford University, since Knight-Hennessy candidates must also be independently admissible to a Stanford graduate school.
2. 2Submit the separate Knight-Hennessy Scholars application, including its specific essays on leadership and independent thought, by the programme's own deadline.
3. 3If selected as a finalist, take part in the programme's in-person interview process ('Discovery Weekend') held on Stanford's campus.