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Stanford welcomes adventurous learners and offers financial assistance that makes it possible for any undergraduate who is admitted to attend – without loans.
Explore the possibilities of a Stanford education.
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Stanford students come from every U.S. state and more than 70 countries.
Total students
Are international
First in their family to attend college
Receive financial assistance
On average graduate without debt
While the primary criterion for admission to Stanford is academic excellence, we are also interested in how you approach practical and intellectual problems. We consider your extracurricular accomplishments, and we are eager to learn about your engagement in your community and the wider world. In putting together a new class each year, we look for students who are curious and questioning, who are driven to explore, and who commit themselves deeply to opportunities for learning and growth.
Stanford’s undergraduate admissions team deliberately brings together classes that include a dynamic range of people, places, and life paths.
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Stanford offers comprehensive, need-based financial aid that makes it possible for all admitted undergraduate students to attend.
Prospective students are often shocked to learn that they would pay less out of pocket to attend Stanford than they would at most public universities. Stanford believes strongly that deserving students should be able to attend regardless of financial means. And thanks to Stanford’s generous alumni, the financial aid program is robustly funded – it provides help for more than 70% of admitted students.
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Tuition is free for undergrads with family incomes under $150,000 and typical assets. Tuition, room, and board are free for undergrads with family incomes under $100,000.
Stanford’s financial aid program is need-based, meaning that eligibility is determined by your family’s financial circumstances. (Admission is also need-blind: for all but some international applicants, financial status does not affect the admission decision.)
We use a standard method to carefully review your situation and establish an expected contribution from you and your parents. This takes into account several variables, such as other siblings attending college, in addition to family income and assets. Your cost to attend equals the amount anticipated from your individual and family contributions, after subtracting scholarship and grant aid.
We do not expect you to borrow to meet your college costs.
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“If it’s the cheapest option, and it’s Stanford, might as well take it.”
Grayson Armour, ’23
Grayson Armour grew up on his family’s dairy farm in Carlinville, Illinois, where nightly views of the Milky Way inspired a fascination with distant horizons. A generous financial aid package made Stanford an easy choice, and as an aerospace major, he was able to reach for the stars on the Farm.
Community and curiosity run strong on the Farm.
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What makes Stanford distinctive? An unmatched breadth of excellence, an unparalleled freedom to explore, and a culture of openness and optimism. Here, powerful bonds of friendship and meaning emerge from a rich mosaic of people and life paths.
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At Stanford, the design major co-founded the On Call Cafe to provide an approachable, relaxed space to nurture student connection and community.
About 10,000 graduate students from all parts of the world enroll at Stanford each year, drawn by the university’s esteemed teaching faculty and deep commitment to breakthrough research. They each contribute to a vibrant and engaging intellectual community, and most live on campus.
Graduate students span 150 degree programs and make up about two-thirds of the total student body.
PhD students
Master’s students
Postdoctoral scholars
Residents and clinical fellows
International
Stanford’s highly collaborative intellectual community provides an unparalleled environment for graduate study and research. Many students engage in work that crosses fields, departments, and schools, including through joint degree programs.
Stanford graduate students have access to a variety of funding options based on academic merit, financial need, course of study, and type of degree program. Most fellowships and grants are secured through academic departments, outside agencies, or governments.
About 85% of Stanford graduate students receive financial assistance. The Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education administers nine university-wide graduate fellowship programs. The Stanford Graduate Fellowships in Science and Engineering program annually awards three-year fellowships to over 100 exemplary incoming doctoral students. Since 2008, over 467 doctoral students have received the three-year Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellowship for innovative research that crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries.
Stanford graduate students also have a long history of competing successfully for national and international fellowships as well as research grants. For example, over 400 graduate students are supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, a three-year fellowship awarded to the nation’s most promising scholars.
The university offers several programs specifically for graduate students dealing with challenging financial situations.
Admission requirements and processes vary from school to school. Applicants can access information on fellowships and other financial aid opportunities through individual departments and programs.
The Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences is the university’s largest school, with 24 departments and 25 interdisciplinary programs. Graduate students pursue master’s and doctoral degrees in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, launched in 2022, offers graduate degrees through 10 departments and interdisciplinary programs and supports research and fieldwork at the Woods Institute for the Environment and the Precourt Institute for Energy.
The Stanford School of Engineering has the largest graduate student cohort at Stanford, with approximately 4,000 students working in nine academic areas toward MS, engineer, and PhD degrees. The school also houses the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, informally known as the d.school.
The Stanford Graduate School of Education, which moved into brand-new facilities in 2025, offers master’s programs that combine theory and practice, a renowned teacher education program, and PhD training in teacher education, developmental and psychological sciences, and policy studies.
The Stanford Graduate School of Business aims to develop innovative, principled, and insightful leaders who change the world. Its MBA program features popular experiential offerings, such as Startup Garage, in addition to coursework, while its PhD training involves students in a wide range of research projects working closely with faculty.
The Stanford School of Medicine educates around 1,500 students each year in its MD, PhD, MS, PA, and dual-degree programs. In addition, it trains more than 1,200 residents and clinical fellows at the affiliated Stanford hospitals.
The Stanford Law School offers JD, JSD, master’s, and joint degree programs, with one faculty member for every five students, enabling extraordinary access and opportunities. Dozens of hands-on clinics, policy labs, and interdisciplinary projects provide deep engagement with contemporary issues.
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