Graduate Program Student Life

Student activities are an integral part of life at Stanford. While our graduate students remain focussed on their academic course of study and their research, they also strive to maintain a healthy balance between academic and social commitments. Our graduate student body include avid bikers, runners, hikers, singers, dancers, musicians, as well as students who are active participants in student government and/or community work. Stanford and its surrounding area provide a haven for all of the above activities.

The Physics Department staff organizes many special social events for our students and faculty through out the entire year. Every Friday, we have the well-established "Cookie Hour" tradition which allows the faculty and students to interact in an informal setting while munching on their favorite cookies. Starting with the welcoming Party in September, we have Halloween Fun in October, a Thanksgiving Social in November, Holiday Gaieties in December, Ice Skating in January, the Fairbank Memorial Run/Walk in February, a St. Patrick's Day celebration in March, an Easter Egg Hunt in April, our Department Picnic in May, the Commencement Reception in June, and field trips in July and August.

The Physics Department is a close-knit community comprised of our faculty, students, staff and their families. Our Department provides a supportive network and a perfect environment for our graduate students.

You can also find a wealth of information about being a Stanford Student in the following relevant Web sites:

• Stanford's home page: http://www.stanford.edu/
• Stanford Visitor Information: http://www.stanford.edu/home/visitors/
• Stanford Events through the Ticket Office
• Palo Alto Online: http://www.paloaltoonline.com/
• Yahoo's San Francisco Bay Area Guide

The Physics Department welcomes applications to our graduate program from all qualified applicants. We are committed to maintaining a student body which is non-gender biased and very diverse in terms of culture, class, race, ethnicity, background, work and life experiences, skills, and interests. We put forth our best efforts to provide an environment conducive to graduate study in physics, and our goal is for every student to be successful in his/her own area of research. Physics is a science which deals with natural phenomena and provides the foundation for many technical developments that improve the quality of life on earth. We encourage applications from women, African Americans, Mexican Americans, Native Americans, students with disabilities, and anyone whose background and experience will add new dimensions to our graduate program.

If you would like to obtain information on the graduate program in physics and/or an admissions application, please see the Registrar's Graduate Admissions page.