If you’ve looked into graduate study at Stanford University, you’ve probably heard of Knight-Hennessy Scholars—a graduate scholarship program with a focus on fostering the development of globally conscious future leaders through multidisciplinary graduate education.
You may also have heard that the acceptance rate is extremely low.
This article discusses the elite Stanford scholarship, including eligibility, acceptance rate, why the program is so exclusive, and some tips on how to improve your chances of becoming a Knight-Hennessy scholar.
Knight-Hennessy Scholars has an exceptionally low acceptance rate, typically only accepting around one out of every hundred applicants. The scholarship accepts fewer than 100 scholars each year, but receives thousands of applications.
The number of scholars accepted each year is theoretically capped at 100—although, as you can see below, 89 is the highest number enrolled in any one year so far.
| Year | Number of Scholars | Total Number of Applications | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 51 | 3,600 | ~1.4% |
| 2019 | 68 | ~4,200* | ~1.6% |
| 2020 | 70 | 6,171 | ~1.1% |
| 2021 | 80 | ~7,000* | ~1.1% |
| 2022 | 71 | ~7,000* | ~1.0% |
| 2023 | 84 | ~7,500* | ~1.1% |
| 2024 | 89 | 8,271 | ~1.1% |
| 2025 | 84 | 8,570 | ~0.9% |
The average acceptance rate of the scholarship since its inception in 2018 is ~1.2%. As the table shows, the number of scholars accepted has risen less sharply than the number of applications received, so the acceptance rate has trended still further downward over time.
Some further statistics about trends in who exactly is accepted are provided below.
| GPA Average | Competitive: 3.7+ (many 3.9+) |
| GMAT/GRE Average | Not published; must meet/beat Stanford grad program standards, since enrollment in a grad program is a prerequisite |
| Avg. Years Work Experience | Not specified; several years are common, especially for professional degrees such as MBAs |
The Knight-Hennessy Scholars cohorts from 2022 onwards are broken down below according to the field of study scholars are pursuing at Stanford. (Note that, because some scholars pursue dual-degree programs, the percentages can add up to more than 100.)
| 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
| Business | 15% | 15% | 18% | 17% |
| Education | 6% | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Engineering | 17% | 21% | 24% | 25% |
| Humanities & Sciences | 25% | 16% | 16% | 21% |
| Law | 18% | 18% | 19% | 17% |
| Medicine | 23% | 21% | 20% | 26% |
| Sustainability | 1% | 5% | 6% | 5% |
As you can see, proportions of scholars in different fields of study fluctuate somewhat year on year but are overall relatively stable. It’s notable that students of Business, Engineering, Law, and Medicine predominate; the very broad category of Humanities & Sciences is represented only at about the same level as each of these more specific fields.
For 2022 and 2023, Knight-Hennessy also provided a breakdown according to the level of degree scholars were pursuing, indicating that the largest proportion enrolled in professional degrees (e.g., the Stanford MBA). Given the program’s emphasis on leadership, this makes sense.
| 2022 | 2023 | |
| Master’s | 27% | 22% |
| Doctoral | 35% | 36% |
| Professional | 44% | 42% |
Scholars have pursued a wide range of majors in their undergrads. The 2018 and 2019 cohorts included
Knight-Hennessy Scholars come from a broad array of institutions worldwide. The website includes a detailed list of undergraduate institutions represented in each cohort.
The list includes many leading universities in the US and abroad. While Stanford, Harvard, MIT, Yale, and other elite institutions are represented, the cohort is intentionally diverse and includes scholars from less traditionally represented schools as well.
Notably, many scholars have international backgrounds; 48% of the 2025 cohort hold non-US passports.
Scholars have backgrounds in a wide variety of sectors, including but not limited to
Profiles and reports highlight that scholars have worked for
The Knight-Hennessy eligibility requirements are
To be eligible, therefore, applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree within the last six years and must be accepted by—and enroll in—a full-time Stanford University graduate degree program. There is no minimum GPA requirement for Knight-Hennessy, but applicants must meet any GPA requirements for their specific degree programs.
Applicants must apply directly to a Stanford degree program and to Knight-Hennessy Scholars. No endorsements from colleges or universities are required. No specific graduate degree program at Stanford is given preferred consideration for the Knight-Hennessy fellowship, although some fields tend to predominate.
Knight-Hennessy encourages applicants to review the eligibility requirements and application process on its website, including the submission of a video statement and test scores.
In the admissions process, Stanford Knight-Hennessy scholars must demonstrate evidence of the following criteria:
Not all applicants will be equally strong in all areas, so everyone is encouraged to showcase their strengths in different ways in their application materials.
Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford is among the most exclusive graduate scholarships in the world for several reasons:
As mentioned above, the Knight-Hennessy scholarship provides full funding for up to three years of graduate study, including tuition, living expenses, and other benefits. Scholars also have access to a wide range of resources, including mentorship, experiential learning, and community engagement, to support their academic and professional development.
The program offers a unique opportunity for graduate students to develop as global leaders, with a focus on driving meaningful change, giving scholars a chance to become part of a diverse and vibrant community of students from around the world.
To strengthen your application for Knight-Hennessy Scholars, consider the following strategies:
There’s clearly no surefire way to win such a selective scholarship—many excellent candidates are rejected every year—but by excelling in these areas and presenting a cohesive, authentic application, you can maximize your chances.
Knight-Hennessy Scholars is highly competitive, and it values leadership, civic commitment, and academic excellence across diverse backgrounds.
To date, there have been only 597 scholars—out of over 50,000 applicants.
If you’re applying to study an MBA or JD at Stanford and you have the ambition to join the next Knight-Hennessy cohort, you can schedule a free consultation with one of our expert MBA admissions consultants or law school admissions coaches, where we can discuss your chances and how to strategize your application.
*All data retrieved from the Knight-Hennessy Scholars website, unless otherwise stated.
Luke Anthony Peña
Principal, Consulting & BD
Education: BA, BS, MA, MBA
Having served as Director of Admissions at Stanford GSB, Dartmouth Tuck, and the ultraselective Knight-Hennessy Scholars program, Luke is among the most qualified admissions consultants in the industry. He has chaired admissions committees, personally reviewed thousands of applications, and interviewed candidates from across the world; he knows admissions inside out.
