Knight-Hennessy has fewer hard eligibility requirements than most prestige scholarships. The bar is high, but the door is genuinely wide.
Answer five questions to see if you qualify. Takes about 30 seconds.
1. Do you have (or will you earn) a bachelor's degree?
A bachelor's degree is required. There are no exceptions to this requirement.
2. Did you earn your bachelor's degree in 2020 or later? (For 2027-28 enrollment)
The bachelor's degree must have been earned no earlier than January 2020 for the 2027-28 cycle. Military veterans may qualify for an extension.
3. What is your citizenship status?
All nationalities are eligible for Knight-Hennessy, including DACA recipients. 46% of recent scholars held non-U.S. passports.
4. Are you planning to apply to a Stanford graduate program?
KHS is exclusively for Stanford graduate students. You must be admitted to a Stanford graduate program to receive the scholarship.
5. Are you currently enrolled in a Stanford graduate program?
Current Stanford graduate students are not eligible. KHS is for incoming students only.
Meeting eligibility requirements is step one. The real challenge is standing out among 8,500+ applicants. Start with the application guide.
Based on your answers, you don't currently meet KHS requirements. Check our alternatives page for other prestige scholarships.
You need a bachelor's degree from any accredited university worldwide. The degree must have been earned between January 2020 and September 2027 for the current cycle. This seven-year window means both recent graduates and people with several years of work experience can apply.
Why this matters: Unlike Rhodes (which targets recent undergrads) or most MBA scholarships (which want 3-5 years of experience), KHS casts a deliberately wide net. A 2020 graduate with 7 years of work experience and a 2027 graduate heading straight to grad school are both welcome.
There are zero citizenship restrictions. U.S. citizens, international applicants, permanent residents, DACA recipients — all are eligible. In recent cohorts, 46% of scholars held non-U.S. passports representing 25+ countries.
This is genuinely unusual among prestige scholarships. Rhodes restricts by country. Marshall is U.S.-only. Chevening excludes UK citizens. Knight-Hennessy simply doesn't care where your passport was issued.
MBA, JD, MD, PhD, MA, MS, MFA — if Stanford offers it as a graduate degree, it's eligible for KHS. This includes all seven Stanford schools:
There is no maximum age requirement. Some scholars have been in their late 30s. The bachelor's degree timeline (2019+) is the only proxy for "recency" that matters.
KHS doesn't set a minimum number of years of work experience. Some scholars apply straight from undergrad. Others come with 5+ years of professional experience. Your Stanford program may have its own expectations (the GSB prefers 3-5 years, for example), but KHS itself doesn't specify.
If you served in any country's military after earning your bachelor's degree, the eligibility window extends by your years of active-duty service. For example, if you graduated in 2018 and served 3 years of active duty, you'd still be eligible for the 2027-28 cycle.
11% of scholars in recent cohorts had military backgrounds. KHS actively values military service and considers it a form of purposeful leadership.
DACA recipients are explicitly eligible and encouraged to apply. Stanford has historically been one of the most supportive universities for undocumented and DACA students, and KHS extends that commitment.
The most confusing part of applying to KHS is that you submit two completely separate applications.
Read the Dual Application Guide →