International Applicants

International students have been an integral part of the university from its inception. Stanford is deeply committed to enrolling a student body that includes students from around the world. The interactions among students with different backgrounds and experiences create a dynamic environment in which to learn and live. Our admission process is thorough and carefully considers the backgrounds of our applicants and how they may impact and contribute to our campus. 

Members of our admission staff specialize in reading students' applications from countries around the world. We are familiar with many different educational systems and consider your application within the context of the resources available to you. We will consider the educational procedures within your school and country as well as cultural and regional differences.

Submitting Your Application

The application process is the same for all applicants regardless of citizenship status or country of residence. Please review the information for Freshman Applicants or Transfer Applicants found on this website, paying close attention to our application instructions.

All applicants need to submit the Common Application and the Stanford Supplement online through the Common Application website.  Unless they are approved in advance by the Director of Admission, paper applications will not be accepted or reviewed.

International or Domestic Applicant?

In our admission process, we consider any student who is neither a U.S. citizen nor a U.S. permanent resident to be an international student.

If you are a U.S. citizen or a U.S. permanent resident living and attending school abroad, then you will be considered an American expatriate in our admission process. This means that, while you will be considered a domestic applicant for financial aid purposes, your application will be read in the context of your high school abroad and you may need to submit the International Supplement to the Secondary School Report.

If you are an international citizen attending school in the U.S., we will read your application within the context of your high school. However, your citizenship will also be noted in the evaluation of your application, particularly if you are applying for need-based financial aid.

Non-U.S. Educational Systems

You should consult the application instructions for information about which transcripts and school reports will be required as part of your application. However, if you attend a school that does not teach an American curriculum, please be aware that your school will need to also submit the International Supplement to the Secondary School Report as part of your application. This form can be found in the "School Forms" section of the Common Application website.

There is no need to have your marks converted into an American GPA. We require that official documents from your school which note your grades, marks, or any predictions, be sent directly from your school as part of your application.

Non-English-Speaking Schools

Fluency in English is a prerequisite for undergraduate admission at Stanford. However, if you attended a school where the primary language of instruction was not English, you will not be at a disadvantage in the admission process.

We require official copies of your original transcripts and teacher evaluations. These must also be translated into English and copies of the translated documents provided with your application. Translations may not be completed by the applicant. However, we encourage applicants to utilize other resources available to them — such as English teachers or school administrators — to provide such translations.

Testing Requirements for International Students

Our testing requirements for all applicants are outlined on our Testing Requirements page.

The SAT Reasoning Test or ACT with Writing is required for all undergraduate applicants.  Applications without SAT or ACT with Combined English/Writing scores will not be considered for admission, except for students living in countries where these tests are not offered (e.g., the People's Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran).

In addition to one of these two tests, we strongly recommend, but do not require, that you take two SAT Subject Tests of your choosing.

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), although not required, is strongly recommended for our students who are not native speakers of English.  It is very useful in helping us determine our applicants' English proficiency; however, you may feel this proficiency will be clear in other aspects of your application.

You may submit your IELTS scores to us as part of your application if you wish, but please note that Stanford does not recognize the IELTS as a measure of English proficiency.

Financial Aid

Financial aid at Stanford is based on demonstrated need, and we make every effort to meet the full computed need of all admitted students.  However, because of the limited financial aid resources available to international students, Stanford can offer admission with financial aid to a small number of international applicants a year. Thus, a student's request for financial aid may be a factor in the admission decision. We will not admit a student unless we are certain either that the student is self-funded or that we are able to provide financial aid. For more information about financial aid at Stanford, and to find the required application forms, you can visit the Financial Aid website.