Stanford University Admissions 2025: Application Deadline, Eligibility & Fees

Stanford University Admissions 2025: Application Deadline, Eligibility & Fees

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Shreyashi Pathak

Study Abroad Content Specialist | Updated on - Jul 5, 2025

What's New in Stanford University?

5 July 2025: Stanford University has released the application timeline for Autumn 2025 intake. International students can apply for all Master’s and PhD programs by December 2, 2025. Classes begin on September 22, 2025. Check programs.

4 July 2025: Stanford University has announced the application deadlines for the 2026–27 academic year. For the autumn 2026 intake, the Ph.D. program application is due by December 2, 2025, and the Master’s program application is due by January 15, 2026. Both deadlines close at 11:59 PM PST. Check programs.

27 June 2025: Stanford Graduate School of Business has released the application deadlines for the Stanford MBA program (2025–26 cycle):

  • Round 1: September 9, 2025 
  • Round 2: January 7, 2026
  • Round 3: April 7, 2026

Indian applicants are encouraged to apply in earlier rounds to allow sufficient time for visa processing. Check details.

25 June 2025: Stanford University has announced that Wednesday, December 3, 2025, is the application deadline for its MS in Statistics and Data Science programs for the 2026 intake. Check details.

24 June 2025: Stanford University has released the 2025–26 cost of attendance for graduate programs. The total estimated annual cost is $121,194 (approx. ₹1.04 crore) for students living on campus, and $122,577 (approx. ₹1.06 crore) for those living off campus. This includes tuition of $77,454 and housing ranging from $21,000 to $21,792. Check programs.

13 June 2025: Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) has released the 2025–26 cost of attendance for first-year MBA students. The total estimated cost for a single student is $135,771 (INR 1.16 crore), with a $85,755 (INR 73.84 Lakhs) tuition fee and other expenses. Check details.

Stanford University admissions open for international students in 3 intakes per year: fall, winter and spring. Majority of the applicants prefer fall intake for admissions which starts in September. Admissions are highly competitive at Stanford University with ~3.91% acceptance rate. The university prefers applicants who demontrate strong academic achievement through high GPA, test scores, and extracurricular involvement. Additionally Stanford University is also Popular among international students for its MBA Program which is taught throug the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Stanford Business School is ranked #1 as per the QS Global MBA Ranking and #23 as per the Financial Times Global MBA Rankings.

To get through Stanford University admissions, you must target a GPA a 3.5 or above for graduate programs. International applicants are encouraged to target a GPA between 3.7-3.9% (93-99%) for better chances of securing graduate admissions at Stanford University. There is no minimum GPA requirement for UG admissions at Stanford. However, a GPA of 4.18 is suggested for Indian students along high test scores (SAT/ACT).


Stanford University Top Programs

Given below are the top Graduate program at Stanford University with their admission requirements for international students:

Programs Academic Qualifications GPA Requirement Document Checklist
Master of Business Admission Bachelor’s degree with Strong quantitative and analytical skills 3.77 GPA or 95% (Avg) 2 LORs
Personal Statement (200 words)
2 Essays Short Questions
MS in Computer Science Bachelor’s degree with Strong quantitative and analytical skills 3.5/4.0 SOP
3 LORs
Resume
Supplemental Application Form
MS in Electrical Engineering Bachelor’s degree in engineering or medicine; or four-year bachelor's degree. 3.0/4.0 SOP (1-3 pages)
3 LORs
Resume
MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering 4 year Bachelor’s degree 2.75/4.0 SOP (1-3 pages or 1000 words)
3 LORs
Resume/CV
MS in Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s degree with Strong quantitative and analytical skills 3.0/4.0 SOP
3 LORs
Resume/CV
Supplementary Information form
MS in Aeronautics and Astronautics Bachelor’s degree with Strong quantitative and analytical skills 2.75/4.0 3 LORs
SOP
Resume/CV
Supplementary Application Form

Stanford University Acceptance Rate

Stanford University acceptance rate is 3.9% as the admissions are highly competitive. For the last year’s admissions, 53,733 applicants applied for Stanford University admissions. Of those, only 2,099 got admitted to the university.

  • 270 or 13% of the admitted students were international students.
  • Enrolled international students came from 64 countries worldwide. Which means that the university admitted 4 to 5 students from each country.
  • The male to female ratio of the admitted students was 46:54.

Stanford University acceptance rate


Stanford University Graduate Admissions

Stanford University offers graduate admissions in more than 200 master's and doctoral level programs offered 7 schools and departments . Nearly 9,300 students are currently enrolled across various graduate programs at Stanford.

Following are the admissions requirements for majority graduate courses:

Application Portal: Stanford Graduate Application

Application Fees: $125 (~₹10.8K)

Admission Requirements:

  • 4 year bachelor's degree or 3 year’s bachelors+ 2 years master’s degree
  • GPA required: 3.5 GPA (90%)
  • 2 Essay questions (500 words)
  • Statement of purpose
  • 2-3 letter of recommendation
  • Resume
  • Interview
  • TOEFL score of 100+ [IBT]
  • Standardized testing:
    • GRE- 161 (Quant) & 162 (Verbal)
    • GMAT- 650+​

Stanford University Master of Business Administration

Admissions to Stanford MBA are conducted in three rounds starting from August through April of the following year. Applications to the MBA program are accepted through the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

The admission requirements for MBA program are as follows:

Application Portal: Stanford Graduate School of Business Application (https://applymbamsx.stanford.edu/apply/)

Application Fees: $275 (₹23,828 INR)

Admission Requirements:

  • 3 year’s bachelors 2 years master’s degree
  • GPA required: 3.77 GPA or 95% (Avg)
  • 2 letters of recommendation
  • Personal statement in 200 words
  • 2 Essays
  • Short answer questions
  • English language proficiency:
    • TOEFL IBT- 100
    • IELTS- 7.0
  • Test scores:
    • GMAT- 630-790
    • GRE- 150-170 [Quant] | 149-170 [Quant]

Stanford MBA Application Deadlines

Application Round Deadlines Decision Dates
1 September 10, 2025 December 5, 2025
2 January 8, 2026 April 3, 2026
3 April 8, 2026 May 29, 2026

Stanford MBA Class Profile 2026

As per the recent MBA Class profile, 61% of students submitted GMAT score while the rest 39% submitted GRE scores for admissions. The Stanford MBA class profile came from 82 U.S instituton and 83 foreign institutes.

Particulars Details
Number of Applicants 7,295
Number of Applicants Enrolled 424
Percentage of Female Students 44%
Percentage of International Students 39%
Countries Represented 72
Average GPA 3.75
Average GMAT Score 738
Average GRE Verbal Score 164
Average GRE Quant Score 163
Average TOEFL Score 113
Average Work Experience 5.1 years

Stanford University Undergraduate Admission

Stanford University offers undergraduate programs in 66 majors. Currently, there are 7,800 students enrolled in undergraduate programs. Below are the entry requirements for undergraduate admissions at Stanford:

Application Portal: Common Application

Application Fees: $90 (₹7,797)

Admission Requirements:

  • High school transcripts
  • Interview
  • QnA (50 words each)
  • 3 Essays (100-250 words)
  • 2 LORs from teachers
  • Counselor recommendation
  • Resume
  • TOEFL score of 100+ [IBT]
  • Standardized test (optional):
    • SAT- 1450
    • ACT- 31​

Stanford University Application Deadlines and Decisions

International undergraduate applicants must adhere to the below mentioned dates and deadlines while applying to Stanford University admissions:

Undergraduate Admission Deadlines

Mentioned below are the upcoming application deadlines and other important for undegraduate admissions at Harvard University:

Event Early Action Regular Decision
Stanford Deadlines November 1, 2025 January 5, 2026
Notification for Missing Documents Mid-November Mid-February
Decision Dates Mid-December Early April
Admission Confirmation Deadlines May 1, 2026 May 1, 2026

Master’s degree applicants may wait till Early March for their decisions to arrive. Decisions for PhD applicants are typically made in Early April.


Stanford University Selection Criteria

The selection criteria of Stanford University is majorly focused with high academic GPA and test scores. Additionally, the admission committee also seeks candidates who demonstrate exceptional leadership and aptitude skills. Stanford University also requires essays or personal statements to get insight into a student's thoughts and post study plans.

There are numerous other factors that play a key role in the selection process at Stanford. Some of these factors are:

  • Academic Achievement
  • Volunteering/extracurricular involvement
  • Unique achievement
  • Genuine interest to study at Stanford
  • Commitment to school
  • Geographic residence & ethnic status
  • Full-time work experience
  • Essays
  • LORs from faculty or counselor
  • Character/personal qualities
  • Interview

Admissions at Stanford University are highly competitive, and the acceptance rate has consistently been recorded below 5%. Stanford not only considers high GPA but also looks for candidates who demonstrate other qualities such as leadership and analytical skills. Students seeking admissions may improve their chances by submitting essays, personal statements and relevant test scores.

FAQs

Ques. What are Stanford University admission requirements for international students?

Ans. The admissions requirements for international students are similar to domestic applicants. However, international students are also required to provide English test scores and immigration documents for admissions.

The overall admission requirements for international students applying in UG or PG level at Stanford are as follows:

Requirements Undergraduate Admissions Graduate Admissions
Application Portal Common Application Stanford Graduate Application
Application Fees 90 USD 125 USD
Academic Requirements No minimum requires 3.5 GPA or above
English Language Test Scores TOEFL IBT score of 100+ TOEFL IBT score of 100
GMAT Scores SAT: 1440-1570 | ACT: 34-35
Documents Checklist QnA (50 words each) | 3 Essays (100-250 words) | 2 LORs | Resume Essay questions | SOP | 2-3 LOR | Resume

Ques. What is the application processes of Stanford University admission for Indian students?

Ans. Indian students can apply for Stanford University admissions by following the below mentioned steps:

  • Select your course.
  • Check the admission requirements.
  • Prepare for the admission test (GMAT/GRE or SAT/ACT).
  • Submit English language proficiency test scores.
  • Upload required documents such as LORs, Essays, SOPs, etc.
  • Attend the interview (on invitation).
  • Pay the application fee
  • Wait for the arrival of admissions decision.

Ques. Is it difficult to get admission in Stanford University?

Ans. With an acceptance rate of only 3.9%, Stanford University is one of the toughest universities to get into. However, it's not impossible to secure admissions at Stanford for applicants who demonstrate strong academic background with exceptional non-academic achievements, leadership potential and analytical skills.

Ques. What time do Stanford decisions come out?

Ans. Stanford University announces decisions for Master's degree in Early March and for PhD in Early April. Decisions for undergraduate admissions are issued on the following dates:

Decision Type Decision Dates
Early Action Mid-December
Regular Decision Early April

Ques. How does Stanford notify applicants of decisions?

Ans. Stanford University notifies applicants about their admission decisions through the Stanford Portal and via official email. The applicants can login into the Stanford Portal using the credentials provided via email.

Ques. Is IELTS required for Stanford University?

Ans. IELTS is generally Not required for majority of undergraduate and graduate programs at Stanford University. The university majorly accepts TOEFL for admissions with a score of 100 or above. However, the IELTS can be accepted in lieu of TOEFL scores for MBA program. A minimum band score of 7.0 in IELTS test is required for Stanford MBA.

Ques. What GPA fo you need to get into Stanford University?

Ans. To secure admission to Stanford University, Indian students need a competitive GPA of 3.9 (94%) in previous academic program. If your percentage is lower than this, then you need to compensate with standardised test score like SAT, GMAT or supplementary documents like Personal Essay, Reference letters.

Ques. When do admissions start at Stanford?

Ans. The admission cycle varies for Stanford University courses, depending on the type of program.

Category Submission
UG Early Action Deadline Early November
UG Regular Decision Deadline Early January
Graduate Programs Mid-September
MBA Program Mid-September: January 6April 6

Ques. Is SAT score required for Stanford?

Ans. For 2025 admissions, Stanford University is not offering test-optional scheme. Therefore SAT or ACT score are required by first-year students for consideration at Stanford.

Ques. What all courses are available for International students at Stanford University in 2025?

Ans. International students planning to study at Stanford University can choose from 200 graduate programs and 69 undergraduate programs. More than 50% of the prospective students apply for STEM disciplines at the university.

Ques. What all documents are need for admission at Stanford?

Ans. The application documents for international applicants are:

Stanford University Program Fees & Deadlines

ProgramImportant DatesFeesApplication FeesEligibilityFinancial Aid
MBA
2 years
Round 1 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake (9th Sep 2025)
Round 2 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake (7th Jan 2026)
Round 3 Application Deadline For 2026 Intake (7th Apr 2026)
INR 73.3 L/Yr
USD 85,755 /Yr
275GPA 3.75/4, Ielts 7, Toefl 113
Fee Deposit Deadline For Winter 2025 Intake (20th Jan 2025)
Fee Deposit Deadline For Winter 2025 Intake (20th Feb 2025)
Decision date for Autumn Intake (1st Mar 2025)
Application deadline for Autumn Intake (3rd Dec 2025)
INR 55.6 L/Yr
USD 65,082 /Yr
125GPA 3.0, TOEFL: 89
Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake (3rd Dec 2025)
INR 55.6 L/Yr
USD 65,082 /Yr
125TOEFL: 100
1st Fee Deposit Deadline For Winter 2025 Intake (20th Jan 2025)
2nd Fee Deposit Deadline For Winter 2025 Intake (20th Feb 2025)
Application deadline for Autumn Intake (3rd Dec 2025)
Decision date for Autumn Intake (1st Mar 2026)
INR 26.1 L/Yr
USD 30,555 /Yr
125GPA 3.0, TOEFL: 89
Application Deadline For 2026 Intake (2nd Dec 2025)
INR 78.3 L/Yr
USD 91,665 /Yr
1253.0 GPA, TOEFL: 89, GRE: 328
Decision Released By (1st Apr 2025)
Student Reply Date (1st May 2025)
Early Application Deadline For 2026 Intake (1st Nov 2025)
Decision Released By (15th Dec 2025)
Regular Application Deadline For 2026 Intake (5th Jan 2026)
INR 74.2 L/Yr
USD 86,836 /Yr
90TOEFL : 100, IELTS: 7.0
Decision Released By (1st Apr 2025)
Student Reply Date (1st May 2025)
Early Application Deadline For 2026 Intake (1st Nov 2025)
Decision Released By (15th Dec 2025)
Regular Application Deadline For 2026 Intake (5th Jan 2026)
INR 74.2 L/Yr
USD 86,836 /Yr
90GPA 2.0, SAT: 328
Round 2 Application Notification for Intake (3rd Apr 2025)
Round 3 Application Deadline for Intake (8th Apr 2025)
Round 3 Application Notification for Intake (29th May 2025)
Round 1 Application Deadline for 2026 Intake (10th Sep 2025)
Round 2 Application Deadline for 2026 Intake (8th Jan 2026)
INR 23.5 L/Yr
USD 27,485 /Yr
275GPA 3.75/4, TOEFL : 100, IELTS: 7.0
Decision Released By (1st Apr 2025)
Student Reply Date (1st May 2025)
Early Application Deadline For 2026 Intake (1st Nov 2025)
Decision Released By (15th Dec 2025)
Regular Application Deadline For 2026 Intake (5th Jan 2026)
INR 57.9 L/Yr
USD 67,731 /Yr
90GPA 3.6, IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
L.L.M
2 years
Decision date For Autumn 2025 Intake (3rd Mar 2025)
Application Deadline For Autumn 2025 Intake (3rd Dec 2025)
INR 66.2 L/Yr
USD 77,454 /Yr
125GPA 3.0, TOEFL : 89

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4 Reviews Found

NR

Overview

Stanford University School of Engineering had a very good ranking for engineering. Also, compared to other colleges, the admission process was very straightforward and hence easier to complete. My overall experience at Stanford University is best. I like the academics and facilities provided to the students and the International Student Department is very helpful and understanding.

academic: 9/10
faculty: 10/10
infrastructure: 8/10
accomodation: 8/10
placement: 8/10

SN
8.0 /10

Overview

As we all know Stanford comes in the top 10 colleges for education. I took Stanford because they were offering the program in which I want to do my career. Also, the fact that it is one of the best universities in the world was a major yes.

Scholarship

Yeah I did receive a scholarship from Stanford where I had a huge discount on my fees they asked me to introduce myself on a paper and I did.

academic: 10/10
faculty: 9/10
infrastructure: 10/10
accomodation: 10/10
placement: 9/10

MK
8.3 /10

Overview

Stanford is fantastic for aspiring entrepreneurs and allows me to explore a variety of disciplines while mingling with peers who rank among the most hard-working and creative in the world that inspires me and helps me grow.

Scholarship

100% financial aid.

academic: 10/10
faculty: 10/10
infrastructure: 10/10
accomodation: 10/10
placement: 10/10

KY
10.0 /10

Overview

It was close in proximity to my home, has great academics and faculty, chill atmosphere/vibe, beautiful campus, lots of resources and opportunities, highly ranked University, students who go here are happy

academic: 10/10
faculty: 10/10
infrastructure: 10/10
accomodation: 10/10
placement: 10/10
extracurricular: 10/10

Comments


Found 2 Comments

A
aman agrawal
May 27, 2024 12:18
2. Can I get into Stanford after class 12th?
S
Simran Kumari
May 29, 2024 11:14

Yes, you can apply to Stanford University after completing your class 12th (high school). Admission is highly competitive and requires a strong academic record, typically a high GPA (around 3.96 or above), and often standardized test scores (SAT/ACT), IELTS/TOEFL scores, Letters Of Recommendation, extracurriculars, etc.

K
Kishlay Ranjan
Jun 4, 2024 06:27

Yes you can get into Stanford after class 12th

Surbhi Gupta's profile photo
surbhi gupta
May 27, 2024 12:11
What GPA is required for Stanford?
S
Simran Kumari
May 28, 2024 14:28

Stanford University does not have a strict minimum GPA requirement for undergraduate admissions. However, admitted students typically have very high GPAs, ranging from 3.8 to 4.0, with an average GPA of 3.9.


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