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Video Statement (by invitation)

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The video statement gives you an opportunity to “introduce yourself” and bring to life the person behind the application.  

This part of the process is by invitation only.  On a rolling basis in January, we will invite up to 500 applicants to submit a required video.  The invitation will include submission instructions and a specific deadline. The video will typically be due 6-10 days after the invitation is received. An invitation to submit a video is an indication that Knight-Hennessy Scholars and/or the Stanford graduate degree program is interested in your candidacy and would like further review.  From this group of up to 500, we will select approximately 150 finalists to attend Immersion Weekend.

The video stands apart from the other application materials as a platform to express yourself beyond the written word. The video statement is broad by design; we offer an open-ended prompt to give you agency over what you present and how you present it. We hope you will approach this video not as a performance but as another authentic representation of the applicant behind the application.  

The video topic: Teach something to your cohort of fellow Knight-Hennessy Scholars.

  • There is no attention — zero emphasis! — on the production value of your video.

  • We are not evaluating your choice of topic. You may choose any topic that you find meaningful and/or enjoyable to teach.

  • You must record the video using the online application. We cannot review videos on other sites, and you may not upload external videos to the online application.

  • Your video may be no longer than two minutes. If you only need 30 seconds, that's fine.


FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q: Does my video have to be about something academic?

A: No, the prompt is intentionally broad so that you may select from a wide range of topics.

Q: Do you select finalists solely based on the strength of the video?

A: No.  The video is added to your other required application materials which you submitted to us in October. We select finalists based on the application, the video statement, and verification that you remain competitive for admission to the Stanford graduate degree program.

Last updated October 11, 2023.