Knight-Hennessy Scholarship for Master’s and PhD at Stanford University 2026 | Fully Funded

Scholarships for International

The Knight-Hennessy Scholarship is one of the most prestigious and comprehensive graduate scholarship programs in the world. It is offered at Stanford University in the United States and aims to support future leaders from all disciplines by providing full funding and the opportunity to engage in a multidisciplinary and multicultural community that values intellectual independence, purposeful leadership, and a spirit of civic service.

The scholarship does not rely on traditional grades or achievements; instead, it aims to understand applicants through their personal journeys, intellectual vision, leadership potential, and commitment to society.

Scholarship Details

Funding Institution
Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program, Stanford University, USA.

Funding Coverage
Fully funded for up to three years, including:

Full tuition and associated fees.
A monthly stipend to cover living and academic expenses (such as housing, books, local transportation, and personal needs).
An annual round-trip economy-class airfare.
A one-time relocation stipend at the start of the program to cover moving costs or technology purchases.
Additional funding in later years to support academic activities such as conference travel.

Eligible Programs and Fields

The scholarship covers all full-time graduate degree programs at Stanford, such as:

Doctoral programs (PhD)
Master’s programs (MA, MS, MFA, MPP, MBA)
Medicine (MD)
Law (JD)

Note: Some programs are not eligible, including coterminal degrees, the Master of Liberal Arts program, and the Doctor of the Science of Law (JSD).

Duration of Funding

Scholars are funded for up to three academic years. If the degree program exceeds three years (e.g., PhD or MD), coordination with the academic department will be required to determine coverage based on its own funding commitments.

Eligibility Requirements and Application Criteria

Basic Eligibility Conditions:

Admission to a Stanford Graduate Program: Applicants must apply to both the graduate program and the scholarship simultaneously, or already have a deferred admission offer.
Date of Bachelor's Degree: Applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in January 2019 or later (January 2017 for military candidates).

Who Can Apply?

No restrictions on nationality, age, or academic discipline.
No institutional nomination or recommendation from your home university is required.
Independent students or those not affiliated with any academic institution are eligible to apply.

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Required Documents

Online Application Form: Includes personal, academic, and contextual information about your experiences and interests.
Resume/CV: One page, in reverse chronological order, detailing academic and professional achievements.
Academic Transcripts: From every institution attended for at least one year, showing graduation date and degree earned.
Standardized Test Scores: Only if required by the program (such as GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, IELTS, etc.).
Two Recommendation Letters: From individuals who can provide strong evidence of your excellence in the three core selection criteria.
Short Answer Questions:
- Your short- and long-term academic and professional goals (250 words).
- A situation in which you engaged with someone different from you, acted with courage, and another where you did not meet expectations (shared 250 words).
- 8 surprising facts about yourself (150 words).
Personal Essay: Titled “Connect the Dots: How Have the Influences in Your Life Shaped You?” – maximum 550 words.

Selection Criteria

Independence of Thought: Critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, creativity, and ability to understand complex situations.
Purposeful Leadership: Determination, positive impact, ethical values, and the ability to inspire others.
Civic Mindset: Humility, empathy, integrity, and respect for diversity.

Evaluation Process

The scholarship and graduate program applications are reviewed separately.
Committees from the two processes do not share applicant information except in rare cases.
The scholarship committee verifies that selected candidates remain eligible for the academic program.
Admission decisions from Stanford are communicated separately and may occur between December and April.

Important Dates

Knight-Hennessy Application Deadline: October 8, 2025, at 1:00 PM Pacific Time.
Graduate Program Application Deadline: Varies by program.
Scholarship Results Notification: January 2026.

Important Notes

There is no application fee for the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship, but there may be separate fees for the graduate program applications.
The scholarship only funds the degree(s) specified in the initial admission offer.
If accepted into more than one program, applicants may apply for additional funding (not guaranteed).
Some programs, such as the MBA, require applying in the first round.