Website

https://knight-hennessy.stanford.edu

Award Details

The Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program is designed to build a multidisciplinary community of Stanford graduate students dedicated to finding creative solutions to the world's greatest challenges. 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. As a Knight-Hennessy Scholar, you may pursue an education in any of Stanford's graduate programs including master's and doctoral degrees in business; earth, energy and environmental sciences; education; engineering; humanities and sciences; law; and medicine. 

Eligibility

  • Applications from citizens of all countries are encouraged
  • Must be applying to enroll in a full-time graduate degree program at Stanford 
  • Must be applying within four years, and enrolled within five years after first earned bachelor's degree 

For more information, review Eligibility and Criteria. 

Application Timeline 

Application Opens: June 1, 2024
Application Due: October 9, 2024

Endorsements: OSU will not be providing endorsements for Knight-Hennessy candidates, but we will read and give feedback on applications that are submitted for review by September 1, 2024.  Please contact LeAnn Adam for advising. 

OSU Contact 

National and Global Scholarships Advising Staff 

FAQ

  • ​​How competitive is the Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program? 

The Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program is highly competitive. Every year, up to 100 high-achieving students from around the world with demonstrated leadership and civic commitment are chosen for the Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program. The selection committee specifically looks for students that demonstrate independence of thought, purposeful leadership, and a civic mindset. You can be selected as a Knight-Hennessy Scholar only if a Stanford graduate program admits you to Stanford. Candidates submit separate applications for admission to Stanford and the Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program.

  • How can I set myself apart from other applicants?

A common theme with nationally competitive scholarships is that they are looking to support and invest in future “change makers” or “change agents.” This is a notion directly tied to leadership: what is the problem you hope to address in the future? It can be local, national, societal, global: what matters is that you wish to make a change for the better, in whatever field you are building your expertise. There isn’t a magic formula for success with national scholarships, but a clear idea of the impact you hope to have in the future is a very important element. 

Although there is not a typical/ideal Knight-Hennessy Scholar, the selection committees considers three areas: 1. Independence of Thought (exhibits first-step mental sharpness, seeks out knowledge and new experiences, full of original ideas, makes sense of ambiguity, can hold a contrarian or dissenting point of view), 2. Purposeful Leadership (ambitious, driven to improve self, able to bring others along, self-aware, persistent and resilient) and 3. Civic Mindset (personally humble and kind, supportive and accountable, embraces difference, concerned for and helpful to others).