Acceptance Rate

The numbers are sobering. Applications have nearly tripled since 2018, while cohort size has remained relatively stable. The acceptance rate has fallen below 1%.

The Selection Funnel (2025 Cycle)

~8,500

Total Applicants

~3,000

Pass Initial Screen

~500

Video Invitations

~180

Immersion Weekend Finalists

~84

Knight-Hennessy Scholars

What the Funnel Tells You

Application to Video (6%): Your essays and recommendations need to place you in the top 6% just to get a video invitation.
Video to Finalist (36%): If you get the video invite, your odds improve significantly. About one-third advance to the immersion weekend.
Finalist to Scholar (47%): At the immersion weekend, nearly half of finalists are selected. These are the best odds in the entire process.
Overall (1%): End-to-end, roughly 1 in 100 applicants becomes a Knight-Hennessy Scholar.

Year-by-Year Data

Year	Applicants	Selected	Rate

Note: Application numbers are approximate based on public statements from KHS leadership. The 2019 rate appears higher because the program was scaling up cohort size.

How It Compares

Scholarship	Acceptance Rate	Annual Scholars
Knight-Hennessy	~1%	~84
Rhodes	~1.3%	~100
Marshall	~3%	~50
Gates Cambridge	~3%	~80
Fulbright (U.S.)	~15-20%	~2,000

Context matters: KHS has the lowest acceptance rate, but the comparison isn't perfectly apples-to-apples. Rhodes and Marshall restrict by nationality. Fulbright has many more slots. Gates Cambridge only funds Cambridge. The real question isn't "which is hardest?" but "which is the best fit for you?" See our full comparison guide.

Considering Multiple Scholarships?

Compare KHS side-by-side with Rhodes, Marshall, Gates Cambridge, and Fulbright.

Full Comparison →