Stanford University (SU) is one of the most famous education and research centers of the world, one of the most advanced universities in the field of high technology and IT. Many Stanford graduates founded their own commercial projects which today bring billions of profits.
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By subject
Subject | Place in QS 2023 |
---|---|
Engineering & Technology | 2 |
Social Sciences & Management | 3 |
Accounting & Finance | 3 |
Anatomy & Physiology | 3 |
Arts & Humanities | 4 |
Natural Sciences | 4 |
Life Sciences & Medicine | 5 |
Study Cost at Stanford University
. | Minimum | On average |
---|---|---|
Studying | 0 USD | 48,927 USD |
Hall of residence | 0 USD | 18,606 USD |
Food | 0 USD | 7,940 USD |
Personal expenses | 3,000 USD | 5,520 USD |
Transportation | 1,760 USD | 1,760 USD |
Studying materials | 2,040 USD | 2,040 USD |
Medical contribution on campus | 868 USD | 868 USD |
Medical insurance | 5,208 USD | 5,208 USD |
Total | 12,876 USD | 85,661 USD |
Study Cost of Doing a Master’s Course at Stanford University
. | Minimum | On average |
---|---|---|
Studying | 0 USD | 48,927 USD |
Hall of residence | 0 USD | 18,606 USD |
Food | 0 USD | 7,940 USD |
Personal expenses | 3,000 USD | 5,520 USD |
Transportation | 1,760 USD | 1,760 USD |
Studying materials | 2,040 USD | 2,040 USD |
Medical contribution on campus | 868 USD | 868 USD |
Medical insurance | 5,208 USD | 5,208 USD |
Total | 12,876 USD | 85,661 USD |
History of Stanford University
Stanford University was founded in 1885 by a former governor of California and an entrepreneur Leland Stanford. The businessman moved to the West during the Gold Rush and made his fortune as a railroad tycoon. The university was founded and named in honor of Leland Stanford Jr., who died suddenly from typhus at the age of 15 in 1884. A few weeks after Leland's death, Mr. Stanford told his wife Jane that he wanted to immortalize their son's name, and from that moment ‘the children of California shall be our children’. The university campus project was designed by an architect and designer Frederick Law Olmsted who also designed Central Park and Prospect Park in New York city.
The first academic year began on October 1, 1891. Since the first days of lectures, men and women studying together has been introduced here which for that time has become quite a bold and progressive step. The University withstood the earthquake in 1906 but with serious losses: most of the campus was destroyed. The university has often experienced financial difficulties.
In the 1930s, a professor Frederick Terman encouraged his students and graduates to try their hand at so-called educational enterprises. Many of them founded their own companies next to the university, and so the foundation of Silicon Valley was laid — a huge region where the largest IT companies are located.
Infrastructure and Location of Stanford University
Stanford University is located in Palo Alto, a small town, in the heart of famous Silicon Valley. It takes half an hour to get there from San Francisco (California, USA). The university campus, as well as laboratories and other buildings of the university, are located on 8180 acres (more than 33 km²) of land. There are more than seven hundred buildings at the disposal of Stanford University, and the university classrooms are equipped with the cutting-edge technology.
There are 18 independent laboratories, scientific centers and institutes on the Stanford campus, and 20 libraries are available for students practically during 24 hours. Not far from the university campus are several hospitals and clinics, there is also a church, a shopping center (which has 140 boutiques and shops) and even an art gallery on its territory.

Faculties of Stanford University
School | Degrees | Duration |
---|---|---|
School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences | Bachelor's Master's | 4 years 1 year |
School of Humanities and Sciences | Bachelor’s Master's | 4 years 1-2 years |
School of Engineering | Bachelor’s Master's | 4 years 1-2 years |
Graduate School of Education | Master's | 1-2 years |
School of Medicine | Master's MD | 2 years 4-6 years |
Law School | JD LLM | 3 years 1 year |
Graduate School of Business | MBA MSx | 2 years 1 year |
Read more about schools and faculties in Stanford
- School of Medicine. According to the QS rating, it is constantly one of the most powerful schools of medicine in the world, on the basis of which several medical institutions (Lucile's Packard Children's Hospital and Stanford Hospital), where future specialists get practical experience, work.
- Law School. The school exists almost from the very foundation of the university. It offers education in 21 specializations (from state law to business and biotechnology). Stanford University is one of the top ten universities in the world in law teaching, and in the USA the university is second only to Harvard and Yale Universities in this field.
- School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences. Despite the fact that this school was formed only by the middle of the 20 century, the study of environmental sciences is top rank in Stanford. Here the problems of saving the planet's energy resources, climate change, natural disasters are being studied. The school cooperates with the San Andreas Fault Observatory.
- School of Humanities and Sciences. The school offers training in 50 separate fields: from languages and literature to sociology and physics. More than 75% of undergraduate students study at the faculty. The teaching of the natural sciences at Stanford University is considered to be one of the most high-rated in the world.
- Graduate School of Education. The school prepares a new generation of teachers for teaching at secondary schools and universities.
- School of Engineering is the most powerful faculty in academic terms. It has 84 laboratories at its disposal, where students have the opportunity to work on their scientific projects.
- Graduate School of Business. The school allows to do a master's degree in management and business administration. The MBA diploma of the Stanford University School of Business will be an excellent foundation for a successful career in entrepreneurship. The Stanford School of Business is included in the "Magnificent Seven" of the USA business schools and is constantly listed in the top 10 world rankings. Graduate School of Business also offers post-graduate courses where more than a hundred talented students study.
Study programs
Education & Training
Education (Honors)
Urban Studies - Urban Education Concentration
Law
Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law
European Studies
History and Law
Human Rights
International Relations
Accounting & Finance
Economics
Economics (Honors)
Computer Science & IT
Biomedical Computation
Computer Science
Computer Science (Honors)
Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence Track
Computer Science - Biocomputation Track
Economics & Business Management
Communication
Communication (Honors)
Digital Humanities
Economics
Economics (Honors)
Environmental Studies & Earth Sciences
Biology - Ecology and Evolution
Earth Systems
Geophysics
Geophysics (Honors)
Urban Studies
Agriculture & Forestry
Biology - Marine Biology
Arts & Humanities
Architectural Design
Art History
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Art Practice
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Medicine
Bioengineering
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Biology - Biochemistry and Biophysics
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Anthropology: Medical Anthropology
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Social Sciences & Management
African and African American Studies
African and African American Studies (Honors)
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Anthropology
Physical Sciences
Aeronautics and Astronautics
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Biology - Ecology and Evolution
Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law
Earth Systems
Natural Sciences & Mathematics
Aeronautics and Astronautics
Aeronautics and Astronautics Engineering
Bioengineering
Biology
Biology - Biochemistry and Biophysics
Engineering & Technology
Aeronautics and Astronautics
Aeronautics and Astronautics Engineering
Atmosphere - Energy
Bioengineering
Biomechanical Engineering
Law
Environmental Law and Policy
International Economic Law, Business and Policy
International Legal Studies
International Policy Studies - Energy, Natural Resources, and the Environment
International Policy Studies - International Security
Environmental Studies & Earth Sciences
Earth System Science
Earth Systems Program
Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources
Geological and Environmental Sciences
Geophysics
Accounting & Finance
Economics
Joint MA/MBA in Education
MSx Program
Master of Business Administration
Mergers and Acquisitions
Journalism & Media
Communication - Journalism Track
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Journalism
Education & Training
Curriculum Studies & Teacher Education
Education Data Science
Individually Designed in Education
International Comparative Education (ICE)
Joint MA/JD in Law and Education
Natural Sciences & Mathematics
Aeronautics and Astronautics
Applied Physics
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Biomedical Informatics
Biophysics
Languages, Literature & Linguistics
Classics
Comparative Literature
East Asian Studies
English
French
Medicine
Bioengineering
Biomedical Informatics
Biomedical Informatics MS Degree
Biophysics
Chemistry
Computer Science & IT
Biomedical Informatics
Computer Science
Education Data Science
Individually Designed in Education
Joint Computer Science MS/MBA Degree
History, Philosophy & Theology
Anthropology
Art and Art History
History
Musicology
Philosophy
Arts & Humanities
Art Practice
Art and Art History
Communication - Journalism Track
Comparative Literature
Composition
Humanities
Anthropology
Art Practice
Art and Art History
Classics
Communication - Journalism Track
Social Sciences & Management
Anthropology
Communication - Journalism Track
Communication - Media Studies Track
Coterminal
Coterminal Program in Geological Sciences
Physical Sciences
Aeronautics and Astronautics
Aeronautics and Astronautics MS Degree
Applied Physics
Biophysics
Computational and Mathematical Engineering
Agriculture & Forestry
Laboratory Animal Science
Economics & Business Management
Change Leadership for Sustainability
Corporate Governance and Practice
Economics
International Economic Law, Business and Policy
Joint Computer Science MS/MBA Degree
Applied Sciences & Professions
Sociology
Engineering & Technology
Aeronautics and Astronautics
Bioengineering
Biomedical Informatics
Chemical Engineering
Chemical Engineering MS Degree
Other
Applied Physics MS Degree
Civil and Environmental Engineering MS Degree
Computational and Mathematical Engineering MS Degree
Computer Science MS Degree
East Asian Languages and Cultures
Natural Sciences & Mathematics
Mathematics
History, Philosophy & Theology
History
Philosophy
Economics & Business Management
Management Science and Engineering
Mathematics
Humanities
English
History
Linguistics
Philosophy
Languages, Literature & Linguistics
English
Linguistics
Social Sciences, Humanities, and Interdisciplinary Policy Studies in Education
Engineering & Technology
Electrical Engineering
Management Science and Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
Environmental Studies & Earth Sciences
Earth System Science
Social Sciences & Management
Developmental and Psychological Sciences
Political Economics
Social Sciences, Humanities, and Interdisciplinary Policy Studies in Education
Education & Training
Developmental and Psychological Sciences
International Comparative Education
Social Sciences, Humanities, and Interdisciplinary Policy Studies in Education
Physical Sciences
Applied Physics
Earth System Science
Geophysics
Mathematics
Stanford University uses a unique for the USA quarter system of education — in the majority of other American universities students study in accordance with semester division, so the exams dates and the beginning of academic year at Stanford are different from all other universities. The summer quarter is short and students do not need to fill it with courses, but during the summer, you can quickly earn the necessary credits and be ready in advance for the thesis or term paper presentation.
Quarter | Dates |
---|---|
Autumn | 24 Sept. — 14 Dec. |
Winter | 7 Jan. — 22 Mar. |
Spring | 1 Apr. — 12 June |
Summer | 24 June — 17 Aug. |
Top 5 Bachelor's Degrees Courses at Stanford University
- Computer science
- Human biology
- Engineering science
- Mechanical engineering
- Science, technology and society
Scientific Achievements of Stanford University
- Stanford University has more than 5000 research and scientific projects sponsored by investors and patrons of art.
- In 2,013-2,014 USD1.35 billion was allocated for university projects. Most of the projects are funded by the Federal Government.
- In 2013, a carbon nanotube computer was created here.
- Stanford University researchers created four "artificial synapses" based on a silicon chip.
- University specialists are working on a new generation of lithium-ion batteries.
- The University created self-cooling solar panels.
- Stanford University is developing promising developments in the use of stem cells.
- Stanford medical students take part in an interesting experiment: since 2014 they have been using Google Glasses during surgeries.
- In 1971, a famous Stanford prison experiment was performed at the faculty of psychology. A psychologist Philip Zimbardo simulated prison conditions at SU and investigated how an ordinary person reacts to a complete restriction of freedom.

Why is it Worth Choosing Stanford University?
- Stanford University is located in famous Silicon Valley. It appeared around the university not by accident: the university graduates took an active part in the creation of such IT companies as Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems, Yahoo!, NVIDIA, eBay, CISCO, Electronic Arts and Google.
- Stanford houses famous Cantor Center for Visual Arts with 24 galleries, sculptural gardens and terraces.
- At SU works National Accelerator Laboratory SLAC with a two-mile underground accelerator. It is the longest linear accelerator in the world. The first web page in the USA was created in the SLAC laboratory.
- Stanford University's target capital is 21 USD.4 billion (as of August 31, 2014), which allows the university to provide financial support to its students.
- Stanford University has 625 groups divided according to the interests of students, including 14 religious communities.
- Students move around the university by bicycles. Stanford has its own bike park which has more than 13000 bicycles.
- Stanford University is known for the fact that the curriculum in the university is developed individually for each student. The ratio of the number of students and teachers at the university is five to one.
- More than 50 Stanford teachers are Nobel Prize winners.
- 90% of Stanford University graduates successfully find work during the first few months, and their salary is considered to be the highest if compared with other prestigious universities in the United States.
- Every year Stanford University conducts more than 200 conferences and seminars where university students take part.
Entry Requirements for Stanford University
- | Bachelor's degree | Master’s degree |
---|---|---|
Online application | collegeaccess.org commonapp.org | on the university website |
Registration fee | 90 USD | 125 USD |
Personal achievements | wins in olympiads sports achievements | publications participation in conferences and summer schools participation in the university life |
GPA | 3.8+ | 3.8+ |
Tests | SAT 1390-1540 points ACT 32-35 points | GRE 160 points GMAT 680-770 points MCAT 518-519 points |
TOEFL | 100 | 89-100 |
Transcripts | six-year progress report a standard excerpt from school | a supplement about courses and grades from the university |
Recommendations | 2 from teachers | 3 from professors |
Certificate of Education | certificate of general secondary education | bachelor's degree certificate |
Personal documents | an essay on the given topic a motivation letter portfolio | a motivation letter Statement of Purpose portfolio |
Statistics of Admission at Stanford University
Applicants (Undergraduate studies) | 44073 |
Applicants admitted | 2085 people |
Applicants enrolled | 1703 people (5 %) |
Percentage of foreigners | 12% |
Foreign students | China India South Korea Canada France |
Stanford University Master’s Courses Statistics
Total Students | 9368 |
Percentage of foreign students | 34% |
Popular fields | Engineering (34%) Humanities and natural sciences (24%) Medicine (13%) Business (11%) |

Deadline for Applications Submission at Stanford University
. | Restrictive Early Action | Regular Decision |
---|---|---|
Examinations | March — May | March — May |
Deadline | 1 November | 2 January |
Commission decision | 8 December | 30 March |
Student's decision | 1 May | 1 May |
Course selection | 1 August | 1 August |
Classes start | 28 Aug. — 15 Sept. | 28 Aug. — 15 Sept. |
If an applicant enters a creative course, it is necessary to prepare an appropriate portfolio and submit documents a month before the deadlines of all other fields.
Scholarships and Grants at Stanford University
More than 80% of Stanford students receive financial aid, 58% of them are financed from the university fund, other students are given support by private organisations. Foreign students do not have the opportunity to receive financial aid directly from the university — this is done by outside organizations. Consequently, the amount of aid for foreign students may be lower than for the USA citizens because most of the help to American students is provided by the university (an average scholarship is 51,614 USD). And these organizations give undergraduate students support only in case if the application for financial aid was filled in when they submitted documents to Stanford University.
Family income | Scholarship | Average study cost |
---|---|---|
< 65,000 USD / year | 68,097 USD | 4,832 USD |
100,000 USD / year | 52,295 USD | 16,039 USD |
200,000 USD / year | 26,481 USD | 41,911 USD |
Financial aid is also offered to foreign students of master's and PhD programs who study engineering, environmental disciplines, space sciences and related disciplines. There are programs for future engineers DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship, Ford Fellowship, Fulbright-Hays and many others at Stanford University. The scholarships range from 10,000 USD to 38,000 USD.
There is one of NASA's research laboratories in Stanford, and the organization could not refuse to provide financial aid to university students. The scholarship is called NASA Space Technology Research Fellowships. The program is aimed at supporting postgraduate students conducting research in the field of space development. The maximum scholarship is 78,000 USD.
Stanford University also provides scholarships for students who study the humanities and who in the future wish to devote their lives to teaching (at schools or universities). The scholarship ranges from 4,000 USD to 8,000 USD for 9 months of study.
In addition, Stanford University has grants from the Graduate Student Aid fund. Assistance is offered to PhD students who are in a difficult financial situation (high costs for treatment, dental services) and cannot solve their financial problems on their own. The amount of the grant depends on a particular situation and is discussed with each student individually.
Apply for a scholarship search
Additional Opportunities — Studying at the Double Degree Program at Stanford University
Students at Stanford University have a unique chance to become holders of two diplomas in different fields. Most often this opportunity is used by students of MBA programs, combining the chosen field with an engineering or economic specialty (for example, for a couple of years you can get an MBA and a master's degree in computer science, environmental safety or international politics and law). You can study for the second specialty both at the university itself and at partner universities which Stanford University has signed cooperation agreements with. Postgraduate students have the opportunity to obtain the Ivy League Universities degrees at Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Medical School, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, Yale Law School and the Yale School of Medicine.

International Exchange Programs and Internships at Stanford University
Stanford University offers its students to spend an academic year in one of the partner universities in Europe and the United States. Undergraduate students have the opportunity to study selected subjects at Howard University in Washington, D.C., Spelman College in Atlanta and Dartmouth College in Hanover. For postgraduate students, exchange programs with The University of California, Berkeley and The University of California, San Francisco are available.
Free of Charge Studying at Stanford University
Stanford University, like any other prestigious university, is interested in attracting the most talented and intellectually advanced students, so when considering applications, the admission committee does not take into account the solvency of an applicant. Moreover, the university allocates considerable funds for financing talented students who would like to study at Stanford University, but do not have such an opportunity since the cost of an annual program ranges from 30,000 USD to 60,000 USD (depending on the field of study).
Students whose families have income of less than 125,000 USD per year can claim aid from the university. In this case, students are exempt from tuition fees. If the family income is less than 65,000 USD per year, a student does not pay tuition fee, dormitory accommodation and meals in student canteens located on campus.
In any case, a student will have to pay some amount of money starting from 5,000 USD even if the university fully covers the studying costs. You can earn money on the campus (for example, a student can assist a teacher or help in a laboratory or library) or work during the summer vacation to get this sum of money back.
Living in Stanford University Hall of Residence
11.5 thousand of Stanford University students live in 77 halls of residence on campus. Some buildings are multi-storey constructions, others are one-family houses. In addition, the university has women's and men's communities which also occupy separate halls of residence. Most of the buildings are located outside the central part of the campus, the halls of residence are located in such a way that it takes no more than 10 minutes to arrive at classes. The campus is home to about half of all master's students.
The cost of living in a single apartment is about 350 USD per month. The rooms in almost all halls of residence are standard, furnished with a desk, bed, wardrobe, a pair of chairs, a reading lamp and bookshelves. Toilet, shower and kitchen are shared with other students. There are rooms for rest and studying in the buildings, where students can have fun together with their fellow students.

Famous Graduates and Professors of Stanford University
- Sergey Brin is a well-known scientist, specialist in the field of information and computer technology, an entrepreneur, one of the developers of the Google search system. He got a master’s degree in engineering at Stanford University.
- Philip Knight is a former student of Stanford University, a couple of years after getting the MBA degree he founded the company Nike which produces sportswear.
- Mukesh Ambani is a businessman and philanthropist from India, the owner and one of the shareholders of Reliance. The fortune of the entrepreneur is estimated at 32 USD billion. He studied for an MBA, but did not finish the program.
- Bertrand Meyer graduated from the computer technology department at Stanford University, is the creator the Eiffel programming language.
- John Kennedy — the 35th President of the United States, studied on the MBA program until 1942.
Interesting Facts about Stanford University
- Stanford University students celebrate Halloween in the crypt — a Stanford University family mausoleum.
- Another interesting tradition which students follow from year to year — Full Moon on the Quad. At night when the full moon appears, the seniors exchange kisses with the freshmen.
- Sometimes on Stanford University campus very loud screams can be heard: students call it Primal scream. Usually students scream during the so-called ‘dead week’ (days before the exams). Every midnight during seven days students open windows in their residences and scream relieving stress. During the ‘dead week’ teachers organize a ‘night breakfast’ for students. This is also a tradition.
- In the 1920s, the study cost at Stanford University was about 120 USD per year.
- The very first master programs on the West Coast were opened exactly at Stanford University.
The Process of Entrance to Stanford University
Many people want to study at Stanford University, but only a few of them enter it because it is one of the most selective and demanding US universities. Admission to Stanford University involves participation in a stiff competitive selection based on the academic performance of an entrant, his/her personal qualities and achievements. If a future student has leadership qualities, the desire to change the world and to contribute to the development of science, it plays a primary role in the final decision of the admission committee.
At Stanford University, first of all, applicants with high ACT or SAT exam tests scores, excellent knowledge of the English language confirmed by the American TOEFL certificate and a high average score of the diploma or certificate of general secondary education are considered. In addition to meeting standard requirements, the Stanford University admission committee expects an applicant to write an essay or a Statement of Purpose in English where a future student needs to demonstrate his/her goals and the experience he/she has gained during the years of studying or work.
A university entrant should have a clear idea of what he/she wants to do in the future and what benefits he/she can bring other people (especially it concerns entrants who apply for postgraduate degree courses). Since Stanford is imbued with the entrepreneurship spirit here the admission committee likes to read motivation letters with original ideas.
At Stanford University, special attention is paid to the personal qualities of a future student, so another equally important point is the availability of academic recommendations (at least three) written by the entrant's teachers (for undergraduates) or professors (it concerns postgraduates). If an applicant enters Stanford University to do an MBA program, he/she needs to provide recommendations from his/her employer or teacher.
The final stage of the entrance campaign is a personal interview. Basically Stanford professors prefer to interview future postgraduate students, asking questions not only about the chosen field of study, but also more general questions to determine the intellectual potential of an applicant and the level of his/her interest in studying.

Preparation of Documents for Stanford University
The admission committee will not consider an applicant if the documents sent by him/her are not in order, i.e. they are incorrectly filled in, have grammatical or lexical errors. Therefore, first of all, it is important to prepare papers in accordance with the requirements and standards set by Stanford University. Even the smallest mistake can cost an applicant a place in a prestigious university.
Each applicant who wants to study abroad makes a decision on his/her own — to enter the university on his/her own, collecting the necessary papers, or to trust the specialists. If you are not completely sure that you will be able to overcome all the difficulties of the entrance campaign on your own, we are ready to offer you our professional help:
- We will help to collect the necessary package of documents for admission to Stanford University
- We will increase your chances of obtaining funding from the university or a private foundation
- We will help to speed up the process of obtaining a student visa and reduce the risks of failure because of formal errors
- You can devote the time saved to studying, preparing for exams or moving abroad
Want to study at a foreign university but don't know where to start? We can help!
Our specialists will find a university, arrange your documents, fill out the applications, and stay in touch until you receive an offer.

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