Knight-Hennessy Eligibility Requirements 2027
Knight-Hennessy has fewer hard eligibility rules than most prestige scholarships. The bar is high, but the door is genuinely wide.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
4 min read
Updated Oct 5, 2026
Quick Eligibility Checker
Answer five questions to see if you qualify for the 2027 cohort. Takes about 30 seconds.
1. Do you have (or will you earn) a bachelor's degree or its equivalent?
A U.S. bachelor's degree or its equivalent is required. There are no exceptions to this requirement.
2. Did you earn your first bachelor's degree in January 2020 or later? (2027 cohort)
For the 2027 cohort the bachelor's degree must be from January 2020 or later. Military veterans get two extra years (January 2018 or later) — if that applies to you, answer Yes.
3. What is your citizenship status?
All nationalities are eligible for Knight-Hennessy, including DACA and undocumented applicants. 51% of the 2026 cohort held non-U.S. passports.
4. Are you applying to a full-time Stanford graduate degree program?
KHS is exclusively for full-time Stanford graduate students. You must be admitted to, and enroll in, a Stanford graduate degree program to receive the scholarship.
5. Are you already enrolled in a Stanford graduate program?
Current Stanford graduate students are generally not eligible. KHS is for students starting a new degree.
Allowed: current Stanford graduate students applying for an additional full-time degree that starts in 2027, and first-year Stanford PhD students applying to start KHS in their second year.
You appear eligible for Knight-Hennessy Scholars. Meeting the requirements is step one. The real challenge is standing out among 9,000+ applicants. Start with the application guide.
You may not be eligible. Based on your answers, you don't currently meet KHS requirements. Check our alternatives page for other prestige scholarships.
Bachelor's Degree Requirement
You need a U.S. bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a college or university of recognized standing anywhere in the world. For the 2027 cohort, it must have been earned in January 2020 or later. This seven-year window means both recent graduates and people with several years of work experience can apply. If you already hold a graduate degree, you remain eligible as long as your bachelor's meets the date rule.
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 seven years of work experience and a 2027 graduate heading straight to grad school are both welcome.
Any Nationality
There are zero citizenship restrictions. U.S. citizens, international applicants, permanent residents, DACA recipients — all are eligible. In the 2026 cohort, 51% of scholars held non-U.S. passports from 31 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.
Any Full-Time Stanford Graduate Degree
All programs →MBA, JD, MD, PhD, MA, MS, MFA — if Stanford offers it as a full-time graduate degree, it's eligible for KHS. This includes all seven Stanford schools:
- Graduate School of Business (GSB)
- School of Engineering
- School of Humanities & Sciences
- School of Law
- School of Medicine
- Graduate School of Education
- Doerr School of Sustainability
A few programs are excluded: the Honors Cooperative Program, the Master of Liberal Arts, the Doctor of Science of Law (JSD) and Master of Legal Studies (MLS), a PhD student adding an MA/MS in their own discipline, and coterminal degrees (unless you apply externally for a new program).
No Age Limit, No Work Experience Minimum
There is no maximum age. Some scholars have been in their late 30s. The bachelor's degree date (January 2020 or later for this cycle) is the only proxy for “recency” that matters.
KHS doesn't set a minimum number of years of work experience either. 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.
Military Veteran Extension
If you have military service, KHS gives you two additional years: for the 2027 cohort, your bachelor's degree must be from January 2018 or later. So a 2018 graduate who served in the military is still eligible this cycle.
9% of U.S. scholars in the 2026 cohort had served in the U.S. military (11% in 2025). KHS actively values military service and considers it a form of purposeful leadership.
DACA and Undocumented Applicants
DACA recipients and undocumented applicants are eligible if they meet the other requirements, and they are encouraged to apply. Stanford has historically been one of the most supportive universities for undocumented and DACA students, and KHS extends that commitment.
Who Is Not Eligible
- Current Stanford graduate students continuing their degree (exceptions: an additional full-time degree starting in 2027, or a first-year PhD student starting KHS in year two)
- Anyone without a bachelor's degree or its equivalent
- Bachelor's degree earned before January 2020 (before January 2018 with the military extension)
- Applicants to part-time, non-degree or certificate programs, and to the excluded programs listed above
- Applicants to Stanford's joint/dual degrees where the first degree has already started
- Anyone hoping to defer a KHS offer: deferrals are not allowed, so apply for the year you intend to enroll
Eligible? Next: Understand the Dual Application
Dual application guide →The most confusing part of applying to KHS is that you submit two completely separate applications. Dual application guide →