Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Citizens and residents of all countries are eligible to apply for graduate study and matriculate at Stanford University, including those who are undocumented. If you are undocumented, refer to the Personal Background section of this page for instructions on completing the citizenship section of the application.

The Explore Graduate Programs page lists all MA, MS, PhD, and other non-professional graduate programs offered at Stanford, and includes corresponding links to department websites and the Stanford Bulletin.

For information about professional programs (e.g., JD, MBA, MD), visit the corresponding links on our homepage.

• Within the Biosciences PhD programs, you may apply for two programs within a single application.
• You may apply concurrently to one program listed on the Explore Graduate Programs page and one or more professional school programs. For example, you can apply concurrently to the PhD program in History, the PhD program at the Graduate School of Business, and the JD program at the Law School.

On the Explore Graduate Programs page, under Other Options on the left side, check the box next to Biosciences PhD Program to filter the list for just those programs.

• No. There is only one application that covers all programs listed on the Explore Graduate Programs page. Required questions and materials vary across programs, and the online application will display program-specific content based on the program you select at the start. If you are applying to one or more professional programs (e.g., JD, MBA, MD) in addition to a non-professional program, you will need to submit a separate application to the professional program. Refer to the corresponding links on our homepage.

• International applicants follow the same application process as domestic applicants. Two areas to be aware of:
  • If you attended an undergraduate institution outside the U.S. and are unsure whether your international degree is considered equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree, we recommend using the degree equivalency tool offered by World Education Services (WES).
  • If your first language is not English, you are required to submit TOEFL scores or demonstrate that you qualify for an exemption/waiver. Refer to the TOEFL section for details.
  • If you are interested in pursuing a master’s degree while completing your bachelor’s degree, visit the Coterminal Degree Programs section of the Student Services website to confirm your eligibility and check whether your department of interest offers a coterm option. If you are interested in pursuing a doctoral degree or any master’s degree not available as a coterm program, follow the same process as external applicants to apply for graduate study.
  • Yes. Reapplicants follow the same application process as first-time applicants.

  Personal Background

  • My legal name has only one name. How should I enter my name in my application?
    • Since entries are required for both first and last names in order to submit an application, please enter your name as follows:
      • Enter a period (.) in the First (Given) name field.
      • Enter your given name in the Last (Family) name field.
      • Select “Yes” under “Would you like to share a different first name that you go by?” then enter your given name in the Chosen First Name field.
      • If you have been granted DACA status, do not hold formal citizenship in any country, or are otherwise undocumented, you are eligible to apply for graduate study and matriculate at Stanford University. When prompted for your citizenship on the application, please select “Other” instead of a specific country. To explore resources for undocumented and DACAmented students at Stanford, visit the Undocumented at Stanford website.

      Academic History

      • Does my foreign degree qualify me for graduate study at Stanford?
        • You must hold, or expect to hold before enrollment at Stanford, a U.S. bachelor’s degree or its international equivalent from a college or university of recognized standing. If you are unsure whether your international degree is considered equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree, we recommend using the degree equivalency tool offered by World Education Services (WES).
        • No, a WES evaluation is not required during the application process. However, if you are admitted and accept the offer of admission, you may be required at that time to submit a WES evaluation as verification of your academic credentials.
        • You must list and provide your unofficial transcript for every post-secondary institution where you were enrolled — or are currently enrolled — in an undergraduate or graduate degree program.
        • No. Stanford considers unofficial transcripts to be sufficient for the review process. If you are offered admission to Stanford and accept the offer, you will be required to submit official transcripts/degree conferral documents at that time.
        • If you were enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at that school, then yes. If you are offered admission to Stanford and accept the offer, you will not be required to submit official transcripts for schools you attended for less than one academic year or on a part-time basis.
        • In lieu of a transcript, please upload a document that includes the courses that are in progress.
        • Yes, as long as you submit original language records with official English translations. We accept translations issued by the institution or a professional translating service. Translations must be literal and complete versions of the original records.
        • You are asked to enter both GPA and GPA scale for each institution you list on the application. Enter your GPA as it appears on your transcript. Do not convert your GPA to a 4.0 scale if it's reported on a different scale.
        • Please choose the degree option that best matches your degree program. In addition, please write a note in the Additional Information section stating your actual degree and describing your degree program so that your evaluators may understand your situation.
        • We recommend adding two degrees (two rows)—one that represents an equivalent bachelor's degree (do not select “No degree awarded or expected”) and one that represents an equivalent graduate degree. Please upload the same (one) transcript for both entries. Then, write a note in the Additional Information section describing your degree program so that your evaluators may understand your situation.
        • Please reduce the size of your transcript PDF document, then try submitting again.

        Test Scores

        Each graduate program sets its own policy on GRE General Test and GRE Subject Test scores — required, optional, or not considered. Refer to the Explore Graduate Programs page to view each program’s testing policy.

        Required: You must submit GRE scores for your graduate program. Optional: You are not required to submit GRE scores for your graduate program, but you have the option to include them in your application to be displayed to the admission committee. Not Considered: You are not required to submit GRE scores for your graduate program, and the admission committee will not have access to your self-reported or official GRE scores.

        You are required to take the TOEFL if your first language is not English and you do not qualify for a TOEFL exemption/waiver. Refer to Test Scores for more information, including Stanford’s minimum TOEFL score requirements and exemption/waiver guidelines.

        Refer to the ETS instructions for sending your GRE and TOEFL scores. Stanford’s ETS institutional code is 4704. Individual department code numbers are not necessary. As long as you select the institutional code of 4704, the score is electronically delivered to Stanford.

        We follow ETS policies on score validity (five years for GRE scores, two years for TOEFL scores). Refer to Test Scores for the earliest test date Stanford considers to be valid for the current application cycle.

        Yes. Graduate programs that accept the GRE also accept the GRE at-home test for those impacted by COVID.

        Yes. The admission committee will see all scores you list, as well as the highest score from each section.

        Yes. Any scores you self-report on the application are considered unofficial but sufficient for the initial review process.

        • Your official scores were sent less than two weeks ago. If so, please wait until two weeks have passed before submitting a request.
        • There is a discrepancy between the name/birthdate on your score report and the name/birthdate on your application. Follow the instructions below to submit a request.
        • Your official scores were sent to Stanford during a previous application cycle. Follow the instructions below to submit a request.

        If more than two weeks have passed since you requested scores to be sent to Stanford, please submit a request to Graduate Admissions with the following information:

        • Topic: Technical Support
        • Section: Test Scores
        • Subject: Missing Official Scores
        • Description
          • Test type (e.g., GRE, TOEFL)
          • Test date
          • Name and Date of Birth listed on your score report
          • Date your official scores were sent to Stanford, if different from the test date

          Recommendations

          Three letters of recommendation are required for your application.

          Yes. The application system allows you to list up to four recommenders. This gives you the option to register a fourth recommender to serve as a backup in case one of your first three recommenders is unable to submit by the deadline. Recommendations will be displayed to the admission committee in the order in which they are submitted. It is up to the admission committee to decide which recommendations to review. If all four recommendations are submitted and you wish for only three of them to be considered, you may exclude the additional recommendation.

          • Letters of recommendation should come from academic or professional references who know you well and are qualified to evaluate your potential for graduate study. It is strongly recommended that at least one of these letters be from a university professor familiar with your academic work. Refer to your graduate program’s website to check whether it offers specific guidance on choosing your recommenders.
          • Refer to the Recommendations page to view the general prompt for the recommendation letter. The exact prompt displayed to the recommender may differ depending on the graduate program you select. Refer to your graduate program’s website to check whether it offers specific guidance on what recommenders should include in their letters.
          • Waiving your right lets your recommender know that you do not intend to read the letter that they submit for your application. That, in turn, reassures your graduate program’s admission committee that your recommender has provided support that is candid and truthful. While you are free to respond as you wish, if you decline to waive your right, your recommender may decline to provide a letter. If you decline to waive your right of access, you may review recommendations for your application only after you enroll as a student at Stanford, and then only to the extent that the information is maintained by the university.

          Upon sending the request to your recommender, you will no longer be able to change your decision about whether to waive your right to that request. You will need to cancel the existing request by clicking Exclude, then re-adding the recommender with your updated waiver response.

          On the Recommendations page of the application, click on the recommender’s name you wish to replace, then click Exclude at the bottom of the resulting popup window. You then will see the option to add a new recommender. The recommender you exclude will not receive an email notification.

          No. Your recommenders may submit their letters before or after you submit your application. No. Your recommenders may submit their letters before or after you submit your application.

          Unless otherwise specified on your graduate program’s website, the deadline to receive recommendation letters is the same as the application deadline.

          Yes. Letters received after the deadline will still be attached to your application and viewable to the admission committee. However, late letters are not guaranteed to be reviewed.

          No. As recommenders are required to respond to specific evaluation questions on the recommendation form, Interfolio is not compatible with the online system. Please ask your recommenders to submit their letters directly using the online application system. Please remember that letters written specifically for your Stanford graduate program tend to be stronger than letters written for general use purposes.

          Occasionally, some email servers will send recommender link emails directly to Spam or will not allow the email to reach the primary inbox at all (particularly for email addresses located outside of the United States). Please reach out to Technical Support by submitting a request via the "Request Application Support" button on the "Instructions" page of your application.