The information on this page is for PhD, MS, and HCP (part-time MS) applicants.
Please review the Stanford Graduate Admissions FAQ for university-wide admissions policies.
Deadlines and Application Process
Transcript and Letters of Recommendation
Deadlines and Application Process |
When is the application deadline? PhD application deadline is Tuesday, December 1, 2020.
Master's application deadline is Tuesday, January 12, 2021. Online applications must be submitted before midnight Pacific Standard Time on the above date. Application deadlines are final. Applications will not be accepted after the deadline. |
Are the application deadlines the same for people applying to the Knight-Hennessey Scholars (KHS) program? MS applicants also applying for the KHS program must submit their application by Tuesday, November 3, 2020, in order to be reviewed before the invitations are sent for the KHS Immersion Weekend. PhD applicants also applying for the KHS program use the deadline for all MS&E PhD applicants. Applications received or completed after the deadlines, cannot be considered for the KHS program. |
When will I receive my decision? For PhD applicants, decisions are usually made by mid-February. For Master's applicants, decisions are usually made by mid-March. |
Will you give me a pre-evaluation to assess my chance of admission or my eligibility for admission before I apply? No. We cannot review your qualifications before you apply, and we need to see the entire application pool to determine the strongest applicants. |
How do I know if you have received all of my documents? Go into the Review Activity section of your application. Receipt of letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, resume, unofficial (uploaded) transcripts, and both official and unofficial test scores are updated automatically by the system. Stanford's processing of official test scores is very slow, so please do not be concerned if this takes a long time to be updated. We cannot confirm receipt of any material by email or phone. Decision letters are posted here as well. |
Will my application still be reviewed if you receive any of my supporting materials (official test scores, and letters of recommendation) after the deadline? Official test scores received after the deadline will not have any negative impact on the review of your application, as long as the unofficial test scores are provided in the online application by the deadline. Letters of recommendation received after the deadline will still be attached to your application, but we cannot guarantee they will be seen by the Admissions Committee if they arrive more than two weeks after the application deadline. |
How long should the statement of purpose be? The statement of purpose should be no more than two pages single-spaced. Most applicants use the statement to explain why they are applying and to answer any questions that might arise from their transcripts or resumes. |
May I upload a paper that I have authored/co-authored? You may upload an abstract of a paper. The abstract should be no more than two pages single-spaced. Please include a link to the full paper. |
May I send hard copies of any documents? No. Do not send hard copies of anything at this time, as we are not currently working from our office, and cannot receive mail or deliveries. The applications are reviewed completely online. You may include links to any publications or professional certificates in your application. Official transcripts, and documents needed for visa processing will be collected by the central office (not the department) after admission. |
Must I complete the background requirements before applying to the MS program? Applicants must have completed a course in differential calculus of several variables before applying. Students may complete a general-purpose programming course after admission or during the MS program. |
Is work experience required for admission to the MS program? No. |
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Transcript and Letters of Recommendation |
Must I submit recommendation letters from faculty? Current Stanford students should submit at least two recommendation letters from Stanford faculty. New applicants should submit at least one academic recommendation letter. We understand that there may be circumstances where this is not possible, but recommend that you make every effort to do so, as it could negatively affect your application. Recommenders continue to have access to submit letters after the application is submitted, but must upload their letter no later than two weeks after the application deadline. |
My recommender is having technical difficulties uploading a letter. How can they get help? Please direct your recommender to the CollegeNet online help page, where they can find more information and submit a help ticket. |
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Financial Aid |
Is financial aid available? The MS&E Department has fellowship and assistantship funding available for doctoral students only. Master's students must find their own funding. Loans are available for U.S. citizens and permanent residents. |
How much will the degree cost? The Stanford University Office of Graduate Admissions provides more information about Financing Graduate Study and an estimated expense budget. For 2020-2021: $12,543 per quarter - estimated living expenses for graduate students Some of our graduate students choose to complete the degree in three quarters, taking 15 units per quarter. $19,287 per quarter - Tuition cost for 11-18 units |
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