

MBA Courses at Stanford University: Fees 2026, Eligibility, Requirements
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Stanford University MBA Highlights 2026
The MBA program at Stanford is a demanding and fulfilling curriculum to assist students in becoming a leader with values and a purpose. The university believes in working together and broadening perspective through small class sizes, close peer-to-peer interaction, group activities, and one-on-one mentoring.
Stanford University provides a nine to 24-month MBA program in various specializations such as Business Administration; Finance; Economics; Management; Policy, Organization and Leadership; Accounting; Public Policy; and more. The Stanford University tuition cost for the MBA program ranges between INR 37 L and INR 1Cr. Students can apply for MBA programs via the University portal and submit the required documents like statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, resume, official transcripts, and more.
Stanford University MBA Tuition Fees
Stanford University MBA tuition fees range between INR 37 L and INR 1 Cr. Students must pay around INR 76 L for popular programs such as Finance, Business Administration, Accounting, and more. The tuition cost for Management is too high for international students. The tuition cost for popular MBA programs is given below:
|
Stanford University MBA Programs |
Tuition Fees |
|---|---|
|
Business Administration |
INR 76 L |
|
Finance |
INR 76 L |
|
Economics |
INR 37 L |
|
Management |
INR 1 Cr |
|
Policy, Organization, and Leadership |
INR 56 L |
|
Accounting |
INR 76 L |
|
Public Policy |
INR 48L |
Stanford University MBA Entry Requirements
Students from diverse backgrounds must fulfill the basic selection criteria and submit the required documents to take Stanford University MBA admissions. The entry requirements at Stanford for international Management applicants are given below:
- Resume/CV
- Professional Experience
- Two LORs
- Essay
- Personal Statement
- College/University transcripts
- Short answer question (optional)
- GMAT/GRE score
- English language requirements
Commonly asked questions On Highlights
| Top Three Industries | Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Finance | INR 1.74 Cr |
| Consulting | INR 1.56 Cr |
| Technology | INR 1.48 Cr |
Stanford Graduate School of Business is one of the top-ranked MBA programs in the U.S, and graduates here are paid amongst the best globally.
- The median base salary reported by the graduates of 2024 was USD 175,000
- 93% of graduates received job offers within 3 months of graduation, and about 85% of graduates accepted job offers in that time frame
- Top industries were Finance, Technology, and Consulting
Stanford University values the diversity of experience in their student body and welcomes applications from college seniors and recent graduates, as well as those with all levels of work experience. Hence, work experience is not a mandate for admissions to Stanford MBA.
If a candidate has prior experience, they must submit details of the same. However, note that the AdCom focuses on the impact a candidate had in their workplace, instead of the name or stature of the organisation they have worked in. With the help of their professional experience, an applicant must be able to answer the following questions:
- How have you made the most of your professional opportunities?
- Are you cultivating your leadership and team skills?
- What impact are you making?
Stanford MBA and Harvard MBA are one of the best institutes in the world and in the world to do MBA programs at. The Harvard University and Stanford University are on the top MBA universities in the world by QS MBA ranking in 2024. Both provide unqiue curriculum which foster students with great knowledge. Both of them are best ranked universities to study in the USA for international students. They offer the best Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme to students with better placement opportunities. Below is the comparison for Stanford MBA and Hravard MBA:We have compared them below in terms of their MBA fees, ranking, and placements:
| MBA Universities | MBA First-Year Tuition Fees | QS MBA Ranking in the World 2024 | MBA Placement Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard University | INR 18 L - 63 L | #3 | USD 175,000 or INR 1.5 Cr |
| Stanford University | INR 32 L - 1 Cr | #1 | USD 189,010 or INR 1.6 Cr |
Stanford University MBA/PGDMPopular courses
Stanford University MBA Admission Dates
International students can apply for the MBA program at Stanford University in various rounds. The Stanford University MBA application deadline for overseas applicants is given below:
|
Program |
Round 1 |
Round 2 |
Round 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Masters |
closed |
Jan 7, 2026 |
Apr 7, 2026 |
Stanford University MBA Selection Criteria
With a low acceptance rate, students must adhere to the basic selection criteria to get admission to the MBA program at Stanford University. The Stanford University selection criteria for the MBA program are given below:
- Students must have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university or equivalent
- A GPA of 3.5 or above
- Applicants must have strong quantitative and analytical skills
- The university also evaluates criteria such as background, experiences, perspectives, aspirations, values, and accomplishments
Stanford University Graduate Cost of Living
Indian students must have a budget before applying in any program at Stanford. Students budgets must comprise tuition, living expenses, meals, fees, books and supplies, travel and personal expenses. Mentioned below is the cost of living for graduates at Stanford University:
|
Particulars |
Per Quarter |
|---|---|
|
Campus housing/rent |
USD 6,460 (INR 5.5L) |
|
Food |
USD 2,460 (INR 2L) |
|
Personal |
USD 2,955 (INR 2.5L) |
|
Transportation |
USD 630 (INR 53K) |
|
Books/supplies |
USD 185 (INR 15K) |
|
Campus health service fee |
USD 271 (INR 23K) |
|
Cardinal Care Health Insurance |
USD 2,744 (INR 2.3L) |
|
Total |
USD 15,705 (INR 13.44L) |
(USD 1=INR 85.60)
Commonly asked questions On Admissions
Stanford University MBA program is one of the most selective programs by top business schools. The school received more than 6,000 applications and accepted just 431 candidates. Just the test scores won't be enough to secure admission to Stanford MBA.
The average undergraduate GPA for the class of 2025 was 3.77
The GMAT score required was 738
Work experience of 5 years
Read: MBA Colleges in USA
For the academic year 2025-26, Stanford MBA cost is around INR 1.18 Cr or USD 135,771. Stanford MBA tuition fee is around INR 75 lakh or USD 85,755.
Particulars | Fees |
|---|---|
Living expenses | USD 19,464 (Around INR 17 L) |
Housing | USD 21,507 (Around INR 18.7 L) |
Medical insurance | USD 8,232 (Around INR 7.17 L) |
Health fee | USD 813 (Around INR 71k) |
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
MBA program at Stanford University is 2-year program. MBA at Stanford offers students skills to sharpen their management and design and prototype solutions. Program is offered in 2 curriculums where 1st curriculum focuses on building foundation and toolkit and 2nd allows students to select elective for themselves based on their future career goals.
Stanford University MBA/PGDMExplore Other Courses
Stanford University MBA/PGDM FAQs
Stanford University MBA Admission FAQs
Q. How can I get admission to MBA at Stanford?
A. Students must meet the below-given Stanford University MBA requirements:
- A bachelor’s degree. For Indian applicants, a two-year master’s degree following the three-year bachelor’s degree is preferred but not needed
- GMAT / GRE test score
- English language proficiency test score
- A resume (if applicable)
- Essays
- Optional short answer question
- Two letters of recommendation preferable from individuals who have supervised the work of the applicants
Q. Is GMAT required for MBA at Stanford?
A. Yes, GMAT is required for Stanford MBA. In place of GMAT, the applicants can submit GRE score too. As such, the GMAT score has not been mentioned but, the average GMAT score is 737 for the entering MBA class of 2024.
Q. How much does it cost to study MBA at Stanford?
A. Stanford University cost of attendance for an MBA for a single student for 2023-24 is USD 126,465. Out of which, the tuition fee for MBA course is USD 79,860. This amount is slightly above 65 lakh. Apart from the tuition fee, the rest amount will be for living expenses. Check the cost of living for Stanford MBA from the table given below:
|
Particulars |
Expenses for a Single Student |
|---|---|
|
Living expenses |
USD 18,453 |
|
Housing |
USD 20,271 |
|
Medical insurance |
USD 7,128 |
|
Health fee |
USD 753 |
Q. Is Stanford MBA hard to get into?
A. Getting into Stanford MBA program is a highly competitive process. To take admission to Stanford MBA, the applicants must have a strong academic profile, demonstrate leadership potential and a clear vision for future goals and submit compelling essays and letters of recommendation. Apart from these things, to get into MBA, students must also submit standardized test scores. For the Stanford MBA entering class of 2024, there were a total of 6,152 applicants and 424 new students got admitted.
Q. Is Stanford MBA better than Harvard?
A. Both Stanford University and Harvard University are the top universities to study abroad for MBA. However, the decision to choose a particular university for the studies is dependent on the student. But, in terms of QS Global MBA Rankings for 2023, Stanford University is placed better. In 2023, Stanford University is placed at #1, whereas, Harvard University is placed at #2 position in the QS Global MBA Rankings. To have an idea about what it takes to be admitted to the top-ranked MBA Universities of the world, the data for the entering class profile is given below:
|
Particulars |
MBA Entering Class of 2024 of Stanford University |
MBA Entering Class of 2024 Harvard University |
|---|---|---|
|
Average GPA |
3.76 |
3.70 |
|
Work experience |
4.9 years |
5 years |
|
Average GMAT score |
737 |
730 |
|
Percentage of international students |
37% |
38% |
Stanford GBS is ranked #2 by US World and News ranking, which makes this B-school quite popular among students worldwide. Stanford MBA requirements can be seen as selective as school wants to recruit best talent form the world. Acceptance rate of this school is 5.8%.
Stanford GSB asks for the students to be academically, personally and professionally inclined. Below mentioned are some average scores of the accepted students (MBA class 2026):
Parameters | Data of Stanford GSB Class of 2026 |
|---|---|
Average GMAT Score | 738 |
Average GRE Quant Score | 164 |
Average GRE Verbal Score | 163 |
Average GPA | 3.75 on a scale of 4.0 |
Average TOEFL Score | 113 |
Stanford University and Harvard University are among the top MBA universities in the USA. If we talk about the Stanford University and Harvard University placements, then Stanford offers better placement opportunities to their MBA graduates. We have compared them below in terms of MBA placement rate and average salary-
| Universities | MBA Placement Rate | MBA Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | 81% | USD 185,010 or INR 1.68 Cr |
| Harvard University | 84% | USD 175,000 or INR 1.59 Cr |
Placement rate at Stanford University for MBA graduates is 81% in three months of graduation. MBA graduates of university get placements in some top companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, NVIDIA, World Economic Forum, and more.
Stanford University offers MBA in Finance and MBA in Accounting with MBA program offered at Graduate School of Business at Stanford University. Annual tuition fee for MBA program is around INR 68.94 L. MBA program offered at university offers international students with scholarships to help students financially. Business and Management Studies has received a rank of #4 in 2024 according to top-ranking publishers.
Harvard Business School of Harvard University as well as the Stanford Graduate Business School of the Stanford University are one of the top three business schools in the world and thus getting a degree from either of these is equally prestigious. In terms of rankings, the Stanford Graduate Business School has an upper hand.
| Particulars | Harvard Business School | Stanford Graduate Business School |
|---|---|---|
| QS Global MBA Ranking 2024 | #3 | #1 |
| Acceptance Rate | 3.4% | 3.6% |
| Average Package | Median Base Salary: USD 175,000 (INR 1.45 Cr) Median Signing Bonus: USD 30,000 (INR 25 L) |
Median Annual Base Salary: USD 182,500 (INR 1.52 Cr) Median Signing Bonus: USD 30,000 (INR 25 L)
|
| First-year Tuition Fees | INR 18 L - 62 L | INR 32 L - 1 Cr |
Conversion Rate: 1 USD = INR 83.53
The median base salary of the MBA graduates at Stanford University is around USD 185,000 (INR 1.68 Cr) and around USD 43,000 (INR 39.15 L) as the median performance bonus. The Stanford University MBA package 2025 across multiple industries in which the graduates of the university are employed is listed below:
Industries | 2025 |
|---|---|
Finance | USD 200,000 |
Technology | USD 185,000 |
Consulting | USD 192,000 |
Stanford Business School placement rate stands at 97.2% within the three months of graduation form this B-School.
The table below shows the top companies hiring the MBA graduates from Stanford GSB :
Top Companies Hiring Stanford GSB MBA Graduates |
|---|
· Ab Bernstein |
· Activision Blizzard |
· Adobe Inc. |
· Alixpartners |
· Alpine Investors |
· Alvarez & Marsal |
· Amazon |
· Apple |
· Arctos Sports Partners |
· Bain & Company |
Stanford MBA and Yale MBA are one of the best institutes in the world and in the world to do MBA programs at. The Harvard University and Stanford University are on the top MBA universities in the world by QS MBA ranking in 2024. Both provide unqiue curriculum which foster students with great knowledge. Both of them are best ranked universities to study in the USA for international students. They offer the best Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme to students with better placement opportunities. Below is the comparison for Stanford MBA and Yale MBA:We have compared them below in terms of their MBA fees, ranking, and placements:
| MBA Universities | MBA First-Year Tuition Fees | QS MBA Ranking in the World 2024 | MBA Placement Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yale | INR 39 L - 69 L | #18 | INR 1.45 Cr |
| Stanford University | INR 32 L - 1 Cr | #1 | USD 189,010 or INR 1.6 Cr |
Stanford University and Harvard University are among the top MBA universities in the USA on the other hand IIM Ahmedabad is among the top IIMs in India to study MBA program. They all offers the best MBA programs to students and also provide better career oppurtunities to thier graduates. We have compared them below in terms of MBA fees and placements:
| Universities | MBA First Year Fees | MBA Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | INR 32 L - 1 Cr | USD 189,010 or INR 1.6 Cr |
| Harvard University | INR 18 L - 62 L | USD 175,000 or INR 1.5 Cr |
| IIM Ahmedabad | INR 12 L - INR 32 L (complete fees) | INR 36 L |
Stanford University offers full-time 5-year MBA PhD program. Curriculum offered requires students to pass examination at end of second year. Students will also undertake research papers, along with working closely with faculty and developing skills required for research. Dissertation is final requirement for MBA PhD program offered at Stanford University. Studying an MBA PhD at Stanford University can be considered a good option.
Stanford University and Harvard University offer a full-time two-year Master in Business Administration program. The Shiksha grading system has allotted grades for the MBA program offered at the universities. MBA offered at Stanford University and Harvard University has received a rank of A++ by the Shiksha Study Abroad grading system. The tuition fee for an MBA offered at the universities is mentioned below:
University Name | MBA Tuition Fee |
Stanford University | INR 68.94 L |
Harvard University | INR 62.63 L |
The Stanford MBA programs is a two-year, full-time, general management programs that helps students to develop their vision and the skills to achieve it.
Stanford doesn't require a professional work experience, although the average work experience for the MBA class 2026 was 4.9 years.
According to ranking data by the US World and News 2025, while Stanford Graduate School of Business ranks #2 among best B-schools of world, Harvard Business School ranks #6 which is bit lower. Stanford GSB MBA 2026 acceptance rate is 5.8%, which is lower than Harvard Business School, meaning it is easier for student to get offer letter at Harvard MBA than Stanford MBA.
Criteria | Harvard Business School | Stanford GSB |
|---|---|---|
Location | Boston, Massachusetts | Silicon Valley, California |
Average Starting Salary | USD 175,000 (INR 1.55 Cr) | USD 182,500 (INR 1.61 Cr) |
Acceptance Rate (Class 2026) | 9.43% | 5.8% |
Tuition (MBA) | USD 76,410 (INR 67.73 L) | USD 82,455 (INR 73.09 L) |
Ranking (US World and News 2024) | #6 | #1 |
Placement Rate (MBA Class 2023) | 86% | 89% |
(USD 1 = INR 88.65)
While the business schools like Harvard, Stanford GSB, and Wharton are among the top schools to pursue Business and Management, Wharton is the least selective of all three.
Wharton's larger class size (866 in MBA Class 2026) is the main reason for its accessibility. Wharton seeks students with strong quantitative and diverse professional backgrounds, which makes it more accessible than Harvard and Stanford.
Mentioned below are the offer rates to the most prestigious b schools in the world:
| School | MBA Acceptance Rate (2025) | Class Size (Approx.) | Number of Applicants (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wharton | 20.5% - 24.8% | 866 | 7,300 |
| Harvard Business School (HBS) | 9.1% - 13.2% | 930 | 9,000 |
| Stanford GSB | 7.0% - 8.4% | 420 | 5,000 |
Stanford University's Graduate School of Business is quite difficult as its acceptance rate is between 6% - 7%. Even Forbes has listed that the Graduate School of Business acceptance rate is 6%. This indicates that the university's course of the School of Business are very selective. As such, the university has not mentioned the average GPA for MBA admission.
Stanford University
Student Forum
Answered 5 days ago
GMAT scores are one of the crucial criteria during admission and are submitted by students to improve their profiles. 58% class submitted GMAT scores, and 42% submitted GRE scores. There is no ideal score provided by students to get into the Stanford MA. According to the university student profile 2
N
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 5 days ago
Yes, Stanford University offers 1-2 year MA programme to international students. Some popular programs are Philosophy, Psychology, International Education, Art History, Asian Studies, German Studies, History, and more. The programme is of 1-2 year and tuition fees is between INR 26L and INR 72L.
J
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 5 days ago
As per a ranking body, Stanford is popular for many programs like International Education, Art History, Asian Studies, German Studies, History, and more. Students can check some popular MA programs at Stanford along with the tuition fees:
Stanford University MA Programs | Tuition Fees |
|---|---|
Philosophy | INR 35L |
Psychology | INR 31L |
International Comparative Education | INR 72L |
Art History | INR 31L |
East Asian Studies | INR 35L |
German Studies | INR 31L |
History | INR 35L |
International Policy | INR 37L |
M
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 5 days ago
Students who have scored high in their UG degree and have some job experience or done some internship in the similar subjects should think of taking admission at Stanford for MA. Philosophy, Psychology, International Education, Art History, Asian Studies, German Studies, History, and more, are some
R
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a week ago
Yes portfolio is important requirement that you must provide Stanford University if you need admission in Design course. You should have already mastered some basic skills that you can bring for the program such as quick idea sketching, product rendering, prototype building, etc.
K
Contributor-Level 10
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