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Stanford University Admissions 2026: Application Deadline, Requirements & Costs

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Stanford University Admissions
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International students can be a part of Stanford University admissions in early action and regular decision modes. The Stanford application deadline of 2025 for its UG and PG courses is mentioned below -
Undergraduate Deadlines:
  • Regular Decision Application: Jan 5, 2026
  • Decision Release (Early Action): Mid-December
  • Decision Release (Regular Decision): Early April
  • Admission Confirmation Deadline: May 1, 2026.
Postgraduate Deadlines: Deadlines vary depending on the program, such as -
  • MBA Program Round 2 Deadline: Jan 8, 2026
  • MBA Program Round 3 Deadline: Apr 7-8, 2026
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Stanford University Admissions
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Stanford University Admissions 2026

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Commonly asked questions
Q:   How can I get into Stanford after 12th?
A: 

Stanford's admission committee assesses its foreign applicants’ academic qualifications as per the volume of nations’ educational systems. It includes the type of school they attended and the level of education they attained. Hence, there are some things mandatory for international applicants.

UG criteria
- Official high school transcripts (English translation);

- Mid-year and final mark sheets;

- Early Decision Agreement (if applying for Early Decision);

- Essay; and

- Other course-specific requirements.

Q:   What kind of students does Stanford look for?
A: 

Stanford University follows a holistic admission policy. For undergraduate applicants, each and every part of the application is reviewed before granting admission. Below-given are the factors that are considered for Stanford University admission:

  • The primary criterion is academic excellence through the transcripts
  • Intellectual vitality
  • Extracurricular activities such as what impact students had in their jobs (if any), in the club, in the school, etc.
Q:   What does it take to get into Stanford MBA program?
A: 

For Stanford University admissions to the MBA program, the applicants are required to have the following things:

  • A U.S. bachelor’s degree or equivalent is required. Also, the two-year master’s degree following the three-year bachelor’s degree is preferred but not required
  • Academic transcripts
  • GMAT / GRE test score
  • Work experience is not required but applicants can submit CV if they want to (one-page resume)
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Essays
  • Optional short answer question
  • Application fee
Q:   What is the acceptance rate for Stanford University?
A: 

Acceptance rate of Stanford Uni is 3.9%, which shows that university is hard and selection process of university is competitive. 

Stanford University acceptance rate is continuously decreasing due to high selection criteria making it difficult for students to get admission.

Students with excellent qualifications and higher exam scores with all the supporting documents have the chance to get into university.

Stanford University Admission Dates 2026

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Stanford University Admission Requirements 2026

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Commonly asked questions
On Admissions
Q:   How can Indian students get admission at Stanford University?
A: 

Check tips for Indian students for admission to Stanford Uni mentioned below

  • Aim for good scores in SAT/ACT
  • Acquire strong LORs
  • SOP should be very clear
  • Focus on admission essay
Q:   What is a perfect Stanford Application like?
A: 

A perfect application means exceptional academic achievment, intellectual excitement, and a strong values and mission on goals. A perfect appliction showcases an outsanding academic performance, often including with top grades and standerized scores. But Stanford just dosn't accept students by grades as it sees students beyond academic, the ideal applicant showcases extracurrcular acitivies, reasearch, passion for learning and projects that are unique in it's own. 

Moreover, a standout application means that it also conveys a unique story that makes the applicant very different and unqiue from other applicants. This could be through personal essays, Recomendations and many more. Stanford University wants students who will contribute meaningfully to the university showcasing a good leadership, commitment and engagement. Hence this is what is a good or a perfect application like. 

Q:   How to get admission to Stanford University from India?
A: 

Below we have given Stanford University admission requirements for undergraduate courses

  • USD 90 nonrefundable application fee
  • ACT or SAT test scores (as applicable)
  • School Report form and counselor letter of recommendation
  • Official transcript (s) or academic results
  • Letters of recommendation from two teachers
  • Midyear transcript (by February 15)
  • Proof of English proficiency

Stanford University admissions are not limited to academic scores, the university looks at the overall profile of the candidate. In a clear sense, the primary factor for admission is academic excellence. However, the university also wants to learn about your nonacademic interests and extracurricular activities that help them in understanding your contribution to its community.

Graduate Admissions 

  • International students willing to take admission to Stanford University graduate courses must have a U.S. bachelor's degree or its international equivalent from a college or university of recognised standing. In other words, Indian students must have a bachelor's degree in Engineering or Medicine; or four-year bachelor's degree

Read: Requirements to Study in USA for International Students 

Q:   What is Stanford application process?
A: 

Given below are the steps to apply to Stanford University:

UG PG
  • Common application
  • Application fee of USD 90
  • School report form and counselor letter of recommendation
  • Official transcripts
  • Letter of recommendation from two teachers
  • Any other document (as applicable)
  • First of all, check the entry requirements
  • Then, click on the relevant application button present on the Graduate admissions page of Stanford University
  • Next, create a new application account and enter all the asked details like name, email id, birth date, etc.
  • Then, follow the instructions to establish the account password
  • Lastly, login and fill out the application and submit it
  • The application fee to apply for Stanford University graduate courses is USD 125

 

Stanford University MS Admissions 2026

37 courses 9 months - 3 years
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30.9L - 1.3Cr

iconEligibility Criteria

  • Accepting Exams: TOEFL, PTE, IELTS, Duolingo, GRE, GMAT
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Commonly asked questions
On MS Admissions
Q:   What are the Stanford University MS Computer Science requirement for the international students?
A: 

Stanford University MS Computer Science requirement for the international students are mentioned below:

  • students applying at the univesity for the MS course are required to hold a 4 year of bachelor's degree equivalent to the US qualification.
  • International students are also required to provide the proof of their English language proficiency if they are from non-native English-speaking countries. 
  • other documents and test scores including the CV, reference letter and more.
Q:   What are the MS course specialisation offered at Stanford University?
A: 

Stanford University offers various MS programs in different specializations, including Computer Science; Aeronautics and Astronautics; Data Science, Engineering, Software and many more.

some of the Stanford University MS programs are mentioned below:

  • MS in Aeronautics and Astronautics.
  • MS in Applied Physics.
  • MS in Bioengineering.
  • MS in Biomedical Data Science.
  • MS in Chemical Engineering.
  • MS in Computer Science and many other.

 

Q:   Is GRE required for Stanford University MS course?
A: 

Stanford University does not require the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) scores for the admission in the MS course along with other specialzations for all the programs but students can submit their GRE scores along with their application form to enhance their portfolio.

However, the university has not shared any mnimium score requirement for the GRE test. 

 

Stanford University Admissions 2026 FAQs

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About the author

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Loveleen Sharma

Study Abroad Expert

Loveleen is a seasoned content writer with 4+ years of experience, currently writing for Shiksha. When he is not writing and helping students, he can be found at the movies, reading fiction, and learning a new language.

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