Quick Information
| Country | USA |
|---|---|
| Degree Level | Master's/PhD |
| Funding Type | Fully Funded |
| Scholarship Value | Full funding for up to 3 years of a Stanford graduate degree — tuition, fees and living/academic stipend (no published stipend figure) |
| Application Deadline | October 6, 2026 |
| Last Verified Date | November 11, 2026 |
| Official Source | https://knight-hennessy.stanford.edu/admission |
What Knight-Hennessy Scholars Is
Knight-Hennessy Scholars is Stanford University’s graduate fellowship, and the largest fully endowed university-wide graduate fellowship in the world. Each year it selects up to 100 people from across the globe to pursue any full-time graduate degree at Stanford — a JD, an MBA, an MD, a PhD, an MFA or one of dozens of Master’s programmes — with the cost of attendance covered for up to three years. On top of funding, scholars join a leadership programme with mentorship, training and a community drawn from every field.
What It Covers
For the first three years of graduate study, scholars receive a fellowship paid directly against tuition and associated fees, a stipend for living and academic expenses such as room and board, books, supplies, local transport and reasonable personal costs, a travel stipend for one economy-class trip to and from Stanford each year, and a one-time relocation stipend. For longer degrees such as an MD or a PhD, the degree programme funds the remaining years under its own standard commitment. One honest caveat from the programme itself: fellowship stipends are taxable, and Knight-Hennessy does not reimburse taxes, so international students should plan for that.
Who Can Apply
There are no nationality, age, field or university restrictions, and citizens and residents of all countries are encouraged to apply. The two hard rules are about admission and timing. You must apply to, be accepted by and enrol in a full-time Stanford graduate programme, and your first bachelor’s degree must have been earned in January 2020 or later for the 2027 cohort (January 2018 or later with qualifying military service). For the 2028 cohort the degree-date rule is expected to move to January 2021 or later (January 2019 or later with qualifying military service), but the 2028 requirements have not been published yet. That degree-date rule moves every cycle and has no exceptions, so check it on the official eligibility page before investing time in an application.
How to Apply
You apply twice: once to Knight-Hennessy and once to the Stanford degree programme. The two applications are read by separate committees, and you cannot become a scholar without a Stanford admission offer. The 2027 cohort application closed on 6 October 2026 at 1:00 pm Pacific Time, so that round is finished. The 2028 cohort application opens in summer 2027, and its deadline has not been published yet — use the intervening months to prepare a strong Stanford application, because the degree programme’s own deadline comes first for many applicants.
What Selection Looks For
Three qualities guide selection: independence of thought, purposeful leadership and a civic mindset. The programme looks for people who think for themselves, lead with purpose and care about the wider community — not only for the highest grades. A strong application shows all three through real experience, not through claims alone.
Official source: Knight-Hennessy Scholars — Admission (Stanford University)
