After Knight-Hennessy Selection

From Notification to Year One

1. 1
   16 March 2027

   Notification

   KHS notifies scholars on 16 March, typically via a phone call from the KHS team — one of the most anticipated calls in the scholarship world — followed by formal notification by email. The offer is conditional on Stanford program admission; if you haven’t heard from your program yet, the wait continues.

2. 2
   April 2027

   Acceptance and enrollment

   Accept the KHS offer and confirm enrollment in your Stanford program (KHS offers can’t be deferred). You’ll begin paperwork for the funding, housing applications, and (for international students) the visa process. KHS connects you with fellow incoming scholars through an online community.

3. 3
   May–July 2027

   Pre-arrival period

   Complete Stanford's onboarding requirements: health forms, housing applications, orientation registration. International students begin the visa process. KHS may organize virtual meet-and-greets with your incoming cohort. This is also the time to wrap up current commitments and prepare for the move to the Bay Area.

4. 4
   August 2027 · Arrival

   KHS orientation + Stanford orientation

   KHS orientation happens before or alongside your Stanford program orientation. You'll meet your full cohort in person for the first time, tour Denning House, meet the KHS staff and current scholars, and begin the KGLP. Your Stanford program orientation runs concurrently. A one-time relocation stipend helps with the move.

5. 5
   Autumn 2027

   Weekend retreat

   KHS runs local weekend retreats with leadership workshops and time to build community. Past scholars describe a first-autumn retreat at Stanford Sierra Camp near Lake Tahoe; KHS does not confirm the venue on its site, so treat that detail as unconfirmed.

6. 6
   Autumn quarter

   First quarter: the adjustment

   Your first quarter balances your Stanford coursework with KGLP programming. Most scholars report feeling overwhelmed at first — the combination of a demanding academic program and the KHS enrichment programming is intense. The KHS team is experienced at helping scholars manage this balance.

7. 7
   Year 1

   The KGLP calendar

   Throughout your first year, the KGLP includes weekly Storytelling sessions for first-year scholars, speaker events, cohort activities, and the beginning of KHeystone project planning. You’ll also attend global experiences organized by KHS. The calendar is structured to complement, not compete with, your Stanford coursework.

What Scholars Report About Year One

“The first month is drinking from a firehose. Stanford orientation, KHS orientation, new city, new cohort, first classes — all happening simultaneously. But the KHS community becomes your anchor. By October, Denning House felt like home.”

“The most valuable part of KHS isn't the money — it's the people. Having dinner with a medical student, a lawyer, and an engineer all working on different aspects of the same global problem completely rewired how I think about my own work.”

“Be prepared for the guilt of abundance. You have full funding, incredible resources, and access to anything Stanford offers. The question becomes: what will you do with all of this? That question can be paralyzing if you're not ready for it.”

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