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Graduate Admissions Information

Office of Graduate Admissions | Departments & Programs
Humanities and Sciences Office Graduate & Undergraduate Studies
Vice Provost for Graduate Education | Graduate Housing

The School of Humanities and Sciences (H&S) is home to a thriving graduate community. If you are thinking about pursuing a master's degree or a doctorate, we encourage you to find out more and determine whether our graduate departments and programs would fit your intellectual and personal goals. Stanford graduates with advanced degrees not only find careers in colleges and universities, they also contribute actively in the corporate, government, academic, and non-profit arenas.

  • Stanford University operates on an academic year that consists of autumn, winter, spring, and summer quarters.
  • With rare exceptions, graduate students are admitted only at the beginning of the autumn quarter, and applications for admission and financial aid must be completed by the preceding winter.
  • Students can only apply to one Humanities and Sciences department or program at a time.
  • Admissions committees within departments normally review applications during the period of December through mid-March and notify applicants of the admissions decisions by March 15.
  • Preparing for graduate studies

Financial Aid

In the School of Humanities and Sciences most of our doctoral programs offer 4-5 years of financial support and a plethora of resources to help you succeed. The terms of financial aid offered are explained in the department’s admission letter. Details can be obtained from the department.

  • Application Fee Waivers - Stanford honors several types of application fee waivers so you should not let finances prevent you from applying for admission.

Departments and Programs

The entire scope of graduate responsibilities—from admission to degree conferral—lies within individual departments.

  • Departments serve as the fastest and most efficient point of contact for providing information or solving problems.
  • Policies pertaining to admissions, financial aid, and programmatic requirements differ from department to department.
  • Most of our departments now have Web pages that include detailed information on admissions, financial support, graduate courses, typical PhD timeline and requirements, student life, and placement prospects. Prospective students are especially encouraged to make these departmental sites their first stop in gathering information about graduate study in H&S.
  • Stanford also has a strong focus on collaborative, interdisciplinary research that crosses boundaries between departments. The "thin walls" between academic disciplines encourages creativity and innovation. For more information, refer to the following website.
  • Need some assistance selecting the most appropriate department or program for your studies?

Office of Graduate Admissions

Applications for admission are completed online through the Office of Graduate Admissions.

  • Office of Graduate Admissions website includes graduate programs and degrees offered at Stanford, requirements and deadlines for applying, and the online application.If you contact the office, be sure to indicate which department/program you are applying to (you can apply to only one department at a time).

    Office of Graduate Admissions
    630 Serra Street, Suite 120
    Stanford, California 94305-6032
    Email: gradadmissions@stanford.edu
    Telephone: (650) 723-4291

  • Guide to Graduate Admissions (PDF) contains descriptions of graduate programs offered, specific application requirements, deadlines for applying, and description of housing facilities and expenses of study.
  • Information for International Students includes additional information and requirements for applicants that are not US citizens or permanent residents.

Other Academic Offices

The H&S Dean's Office: Office of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies (GUS)
The H&S Office of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies provides support to the School's departments and programs in managing all aspects of policies and procedures relating to admissions, financial aid, fellowships, degree progress, and University-wide graduate studies. For more information about GUS programs, check out the information below.

Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education
The Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education is dedicated to enhancing the quality of graduate education at Stanford University. VPGE staff work collaboratively throughout the University, providing academic leadership and resources on several fronts, such as facilitating interaction and innovation in graduate education across the schools within Stanford University, promoting best practices in diversifying the graduate student population, and experimenting with interdisciplinary initiatives that offer new learning opportunities for graduate students.