October 2026 Scholarship Deadlines: Chevening and KHS

Two important October 2026 scholarship deadlines fall on October 6: Chevening closes at 11:00 UTC, and Knight-Hennessy Scholars closes at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Both concern study beginning in 2027, but they have different eligibility rules and university-application requirements. Check the provider’s deadline and your own eligibility before spending the final days on an application.

Official sources checked: October 2, 2026. The open-cycle information below is a dated snapshot, not a claim that applications remain open after October 6.

This briefing focuses on two verified deadlines rather than a long list of unconfirmed opportunities. The priority is knowing which application must be finished now and which admissions or funding tasks continue afterward.

October 2026 scholarship deadlines at a glance

These times are published on the official Chevening timeline and Knight-Hennessy application-deadline page. Neither is an end-of-day deadline in every applicant’s local time.

Chevening 2027–28: what to check before October 6

Chevening supports a one-year eligible UK master’s course. Before working on final responses, check the current citizenship and residency rules, the requirement to return to your country of award for at least two years, and the undergraduate-degree and work-experience conditions.

The current rules require at least 2,800 hours of work experience gained after completing the undergraduate degree. Undergraduate studies must have been completed at least two years before the application deadline. Applicants must also choose three eligible UK courses. Read the full official eligibility criteria, including restrictions and exceptions, rather than relying on an older general checklist.

Before submitting, check the accuracy of your work dates and hours, the course choices and the examples used in your answers. Make sure the account confirms submission; a saved application is not enough.

You do not need to hold a university offer simply to meet the initial scholarship deadline. Chevening’s published timeline gives successful applicants a later unconditional-offer deadline of July 8, 2027, at 17:00 British Summer Time. University application deadlines are separate, so keep them on your own calendar.

Knight-Hennessy 2027: the separate application matters

Knight-Hennessy is open to applicants from all countries who meet its current requirements. For the 2027 cohort, the standard undergraduate-degree window is January 2020 or later. A two-year extension applies to applicants who served in the military. Current college students must earn their first degree by September 2027.

Check Stanford’s official KHS eligibility page for the full conditions, including eligible degree programs and rules for current Stanford students.

The KHS application and the Stanford graduate-program application are separate. Most new applicants apply to both concurrently. You do not generally have to wait for a Stanford admission decision before submitting the KHS application.

The graduate application must meet the earlier of the program’s deadline for KHS applicants or December 1, 2026. MBA applicants have a specific Round 1 requirement. Confirm the applicable date with your department; October 6 is the KHS closing date, not a universal deadline for every Stanford graduate program.

Use the official application comparison to check which materials belong in each application.

Convert the closing time before setting reminders

All dates in this table refer to 2026. The conversions use the time zones in effect on those dates. Set your personal submission target earlier than the official cut-off, leaving time for upload, account or internet problems.

A final submission checklist for either award

1. Confirm the cycle and eligibility. Compare your situation with the current provider page, including exclusions.
2. Read each prompt again. Check that each response answers the requested question and that names, dates and claims agree across your materials.
3. Inspect the portal’s outstanding items. Do not assume an uploaded document, referee invitation or saved draft means the requirement is complete.
4. Check the writing and AI-use rules. Follow each provider’s current policy and submit accurate work that reflects your own experience.
5. Submit with time to spare. Keep the confirmation and record any later tasks in the same tracker.

Our application checklist offers a general way to organize deadlines. Use it as an organizational aid; the scholarship’s actual prompts and instructions control your submission.

Frequently asked questions

Do Chevening and Knight-Hennessy close at the same time?

No. Both dates are October 6, 2026, but Chevening closes at 11:00 UTC and KHS at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time, equivalent to 20:00 UTC.

Does a KHS application also apply me to Stanford?

No. Most new applicants must submit a separate graduate-program application. Confirm that program’s KHS-specific deadline as well as the scholarship deadline.

Do I need a UK university offer before the Chevening application closes?

No. The initial application and later offer deadline are separate. The current timeline states July 8, 2027, at 17:00 BST for the unconditional offer.

Can I assume the same dates apply to the next cycle?

No. These are verified dates for the current 2027 entry cycle. Read the provider’s next published timeline before planning a later application.

Keep other financial aid tasks on a separate track

Applicants also considering U.S. college aid can use our FAFSA 2027–28 application checklist and CSS Profile 2027–28 guide. These forms have different purposes and deadlines from the two scholarships above.

Excelsior Scholarships is an independent publisher. Applications go to the official providers linked in this article; this page does not award either scholarship.