Admissions | Department of Psychology

Please note that we do not provide print materials of admissions information by mail. All information regarding the graduate program is provided on the Psychology Department website.

General Information The Department of Psychology does not have specific course requirements for admission to its doctoral program. We review the entire folder of applicants to assess their promise for teaching and research careers. Courses taken, Grade Point Average, Graduate Record Exam scores (Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical), letters of recommendation and statement of purpose are all considered. Stanford places considerable emphasis on research training. Therefore, students who are admitted have often been involved in independent research as undergraduates.

GRE Requirements Graduate Record Exam scores (Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical) are required. The GRE Subject Test in Psychology is recommended but not required.

Statement of Purpose

At the top of your Statement of Purpose, include a list of three (3) Psychology Department faculty members, in order of preference, with whom you would like to work.

Number of Applicants Admitted per Year

The department currently accepts about 10-15 new graduate students each year. Minority students are particularly encouraged to apply, and all applicants are given careful consideration. Typically, 2-4 students are admitted in each of the major sub-areas of the department:Cognitive, Developmental, Neuroscience, Personality, and Social.

We accept students with undergraduate or Masters Degrees. An undergraduate degree in Psychology is not required. Applicants from other backgrounds are admitted. All applicants should have the knowledge equivalent to an undergraduate degree in Psychology, as they will be expected to go straight into graduate level coursework. Applications are accepted for Autumn Quarter entry only.

Graduate Admissions for 2010

The deadline for submitting an application for 2010 is 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time (8:59PM-Pacific Standard Time), November 24, 2009. All applicants are notified of admission decisions in March or April 2010.

PLEASE NOTE, THE GRE EXAM MUST BE TAKEN BY THE NOVEMBER 24TH DEADLINE. THE SCORES DO NOT HAVE TO BE RECEIVED BY STANFORD BY NOVEMBER 24TH, BUT THE EXAM MUST HAVE BEEN TAKEN.

Official Transcripts can be mailed to:

Admissions Committee
Department of Psychology
Stanford University
Jordon Hall, Building 420
450 Serra Mall
Stanford, CA 94305-2130