Your Applications
Each incoming Knight-Hennessy scholar must also apply to, be accepted by, and enroll in a full-time Stanford graduate degree program. Unless you have already been offered and deferred admission to a full-time Stanford graduate degree program, or you are a first-year Stanford PhD student applying to join KHS in your second year, you must submit separate applications; one to Knight-Hennessy Scholars, and an application(s) to your desired Stanford graduate degree program(s).
| Knight-Hennessy Scholars | Stanford degree program(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | The Knight-Hennessy Scholars application invites you to make your case for selection by demonstrating independence of thought, purposeful leadership, and a civic mindset. | The Stanford graduate degree program application(s) invites you to make your case for admission to Stanford by demonstrating your qualifications specific to your intended program. |
| Application Opens | June 1, 2024 | Varies by program Consult your graduate degree program(s) directly |
| Application Deadline | October 9, 2024 1:00pm Pacific time | Varies by program. No later than December 1, 2024 |
| Notification Date |
| Varies by program Consult your graduate degree program(s) directly |
| Requirements |
| Consult your graduate degree program(s) directly. |
| Test Score Policy | KHS follows the practices of your graduate degree program(s): if your graduate degree program does not require standardized tests, then you do not need to submit any with your Knight-Hennessy Scholars application. If your graduate degree program(s) requires test scores, you must report them to Knight-Hennessy Scholars by your graduate degree program's application deadline or Knight-Hennessy Scholars application deadline, whichever is later. | Varies by program Consult your graduate degree program(s) directly |
| Application Fee | No application fee | Most Stanford graduate degree programs require a fee to apply. Consult your graduate degree program directly to verify the amount. Information about application fee waivers is available from Graduate Admissions. KHS cannot waive this fee. |
| Acknowledgement of Other Application | In your KHS application, you will indicate the Stanford graduate degree program(s) to which you apply. | In your Stanford graduate degree program application(s), you will indicate that you are also applying to Knight-Hennessy Scholars. |
| Reviewed by | KHS Admission committee | Admission committee for your desired program(s) |
Application Steps
- Step 1: Create your concurrent KHS application and your Stanford graduate degree program application(s) as early as possible. You do not need to complete the application at once; you may save your progress and return as needed.
- Step 2: Enter your recommenders’ information in your applications as early as possible. This allows your recommenders ample time to submit their letters.
- Step 3: Complete the various sections of the application, saving your progress as you go. Allow yourself ample time to prepare materials that may take longer to prepare, such as essays or personal statements.
- Step 4: Submit the online applications by their respective deadlines. Note: You will not be able to edit your KHS application once you submit it, with the exception of test scores, recommenders, and your intended Stanford graduate degree program(s).
- Step 5: If your Stanford graduate program(s) requires test scores and you receive new scores after submitting your KHS application, update test scores for Knight-Hennessy Scholars through your application status page.
Additional Instructions
- You must submit all Knight-Hennessy Scholars application materials in English via our online application. We do not accept materials sent via email or postal mail.
- We highly recommend that you apply using a current version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.
- For reference only, here is a PDF sample of the application for the 2025 cohort admission cycle.
Application Tips
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) About Your Applications
While we generally encourage a distinct approach to each application, your content may overlap if it satisfies requirements for both applications.
Some materials may be identical across the applications, like your transcripts. Others may be very similar, like your resume. However, you may or may not want to ask the same recommenders to write letters for each of your applications. And you will certainly want to write different essays/personal statements that answer the different prompts in the two applications.
We encourage you to continue learning about KHS application materials, and also to check with the Stanford degree program(s) to confirm its application requirements. Your program may require additional materials that KHS does not.
To be eligible for graduate study, you must have earned a U.S. bachelor's degree or its equivalent from a college or university of recognized standing. See Stanford's guidelines for minimum level of study. For questions on this policy, contact the Office of Graduate Admissions, not the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program.
In most cases, you are eligible to apply to a graduate program even if you did not study that precise field as an undergraduate; please refer to the graduate degree program’s website for specific information about its requirements.
Yes, some of our applicants choose to apply to more than one degree program at Stanford University. Note, you are unable to apply to more than one academic program simultaneously in most cases. Please review the policies at Stanford Graduate Admissions.
No, Knight-Hennessy Scholars does not review your Stanford degree program application(s) or associated documents. While the separate admission committees do not share application materials (except in very rare cases when it may aid evaluation efforts), we check in at regular intervals with Stanford departments and programs to verify which KHS applicants have submitted their degree program application and remain competitive for admission.