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Immersion Weekend (by invitation)

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Immersion Weekend is an opportunity for you to learn more about graduate degree programs, Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS), Stanford University, other scholars, and yourself. It is also a chance for us to learn more about you and interview you. By meeting you in an interactive setting, you can convey attributes that may not come across in the online application.

This part of the process is by invitation only.  After reviewing your application, your video statement, and verifying that you remain competitive for admission to the Stanford graduate degree program, KHS will select up to 170 candidates to visit Stanford University, at our expense, for Immersion Weekend.  Knight-Hennessy Scholars will cover your reasonable travel expenses, including lodging at Stanford, airfare, and meals on-campus.

We will host Immersion Weekend for the 2024 Cohort on March 1-2, 2024. You must attend this event if you wish to be selected as a Knight-Hennessy scholar.  Consult the Dates and Deadlines page for a full view of the evaluation timeline.

During your visit, you will participate in individual and group activities, some of which will be evaluative. Our goal is to comprehensively preview your life as a graduate student at Stanford. Immersion Weekend is a highlight of the year for both the Knight-Hennessy Scholars community and our finalists. If you are selected as a finalist, we are confident that you too will consider it a highlight of your application experience.

Events have typically included  the following:

  • Faculty presentations
  • Group activities
  • Individual and group interviews*
  • Social events
  • Visit with your graduate program (if requested by the Stanford degree program)

 

*Please note, this year the 2024 cohort finalists invited to Immersion Weekend will participate in an online individual interview prior to March 1-2. The group interview will continue to take place in-person at Immersion Weekend.


FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q: What if I am not able to travel due to restrictions from COVID-19? 

A: We will continue to monitor the travel restrictions and any policy set by Stanford regarding international students. If you are unable to travel for Immersion Weekend due to COVID-19, we will arrange a virtual interview. 

Q: What if I have a conflict during the Immersion Weekend dates?

A: Barring unforeseen circumstances and/or immediate family obligations, you must attend Immersion Weekend to be considered for selection to Knight-Hennessy Scholars. 

Q: I need a visa to visit the US. Can you send me a letter of invitation for the visa?

A: If you are selected as a finalist, we will work with you to coordinate a visa invitation letter as necessary. We cannot provide letters of invitation before finalists are selected. 

Q: Will I have already received my admission decision from my Stanford graduate degree program before Immersion Weekend? 

A: The Stanford degree program conducts its own distinct review and communicates its admission decision to you on its own distinct timeline. Depending on the program, you may receive your Stanford admission decision as early as December or as late as April. Some Knight-Hennessy Scholars finalists will have already been offered admission to their Stanford program, while others will still be vying for admission to Stanford. 

Q: I need to interview for my graduate program. May I interview for Knight-Hennessy Scholars then too? 

A: No, Knight-Hennessy Scholars interviews take place exclusively during Immersion Weekend. 

 

Last updated January 10, 2024.