Stanford University
Stanford, CA
Stanford University, founded in 1891, is a private, comprehensive, research-intensive university, where teaching, learning and research are part of a single enterprise. Stanford's enterprising character draws from its Western location and from the legacy of Jane and Leland Stanford. Its areas of excellence range from the humanities to the social sciences, engineering and the sciences. The layout and character of Stanford's Quadrangle were developed by Frederick Olmsted, designer of New York's Central Park. The 8,180-acre campus includes Moorish Spanish and French Romanesque architecture. It is located in Stanford, adjacent to Palo Alto, 30 miles south of San Francisco.
Website: www.stanford.edu/
Admission
- Entrance Difficulty
- Most difficult
- Overall Admission Rate
- 5% of 43,997 applicants were admitted
- Early Action Offered
- Yes
- Early Decision Offered
- No
- Regular Admission Deadline
- January 2
Qualifications of Enrolled Freshmen
- Average GPA
- 3.94
- SAT Math
- Not reported
- SAT EBRW
- Not reported
- ACT Composite
- 31-35 range of middle 50%
Money Matters
- Cost of Attendance
- $68,572
- Tuition and Fees
- $51,354
- Room and Board
- $15,763
- Average Percent of Need Met
- 100%
- Average Freshman Award
- $55,999
- Average Indebtedness of 2018 Graduates
- $21,348
Academics
- Academic Calendar System
- Quarter
- General Education/Core Curriculum
- Required for most or all students
- Full-Time Faculty Teaching Undergraduates
- 1,613
- Regular Class Size
- 2-9 students: 38% of classes
10-19 students: 32% of classes
20-29 students: 10% of classes
30-39 students: 5% of classes
40-49 students: 3% of classes
50-99 students: 8% of classes
Over 100 students: 4% of classes
Campus Life
- Stanford Population
- 13,809
- Nearest Metropolitan Area
- San Francisco, San Jose
- Freshman Housing Guarantee
- Freshmen are guaranteed housing
- Students in College Housing
- 93% of all students
- Athletic Conferences
- NCAA Division I, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
- Mascot
- Tree
- Sororities
- 25% of women participate
- Fraternities
- 19% of men participate
Students
- Ethnicity of Students from U.S.
- 1.2% American Indian/Alaskan Native
22.7% Asian
7.0% Black/African-American
17.5% Hispanic/Latino
11.0% Multi-race (not Hispanic/Latino)
0.4% Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander
39.8% White
0.4% Unknown - International Students
- 9.1% from 76 countries
- First-Year Students Returning
- 98.0%
- Students Graduating Within 4 Years
- 74.9%
- Graduates Offered Full-Time Employment Within 6 Months
- 50%
- Graduates Pursuing Advanced Study Directly
- Not reported
Freshman Admission Requirements
Entrance Difficulty
Most Difficult: More than 75% of freshmen were in the top 10% of their high school class and scored over 1310 on the SAT I or over 29 on the ACT; about 30% or fewer of all applicants accepted.
High School Preparation
- High School Graduation
- High school diploma required and GED is accepted
- High School Program
- College preparatory program is recommended
High School Units Required or Recommended
Subject | Required Units | Recommended Units |
---|---|---|
English | 4 | |
Mathematics | 4 | |
Science | 3 | |
Foreign Language | 3 | |
Social Studies | 3 | |
History | 3 | |
Academic Electives |
Examinations
Exam | Required Units | Scores Due in Admissions Office |
---|---|---|
SAT or ACT | Required | January 15 |
SAT Only | ||
ACT Only | ||
SAT and SAT Subject Tests, or ACT | ||
SAT Subject Tests Only | Recommended | |
SAT Essay Component Policy | Essay component required | |
ACT Writing Test Policy | Writing component required | |
ACT Writing Test Policy | SAT: Used for admission ACT: Used for admission |
Applying for Admission
Admissions Office
- Address
- 450 Serra Mall
- City, State, Zip
- Stanford, CA 94305-2004
- Phone
- (650) 723-2091
- Fax
- (650) 725-2846
- admission@stanford.edu
Application Dates and Fees
- Regular Admisson Deadline
- January 2
- Application Fee
- $90
- Application Fee Waiver
- Available
- Regular Admission Notification
- April 1
- Accept Offer of Admission
- May 1
- Waiting List Used
- Yes
- Defer Admission
- Student can defer admission
- Transfer Admission
- Transfer applications accepted
Early Admission
- Early Decision Offered
- No
- Early Decision Deadline
- Early Decision Notification
- Early Action Offered
- Yes
- Early Action Deadline
- November 1
- Early Action Notification
- December 15
Application Form
- Common Application
- Accepted
- Universal College Application
- Not accepted
- Electronic Application
- Available
Other Application Requirements
- Interview
- Not Required
- Essay or Personal Statement
- Required for all freshmen
- Letters of Recommendation
- 2 required for all freshmen
- Other
- Financial Need
- Financial need is not a consideration in the admissions process
Selection of Students
Factor | Very Important | Important | Considered | Not Considered |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rigor of Secondary School Record | X | |||
Academic GPA | X | |||
Standardized Tests | X | |||
Class Rank | X | |||
Recommendations | X | |||
Essay | X | |||
Interview | X | |||
Level of Applicant's Interest | X | |||
Extracurricular Activities | X | |||
Volunteer Work | X | |||
Particular Talent/Ability | X | |||
Character/Personal Qualities | X | |||
First Generation to Attend College | X | |||
State Residency | X | |||
Geographic Residence | X | |||
Relation with Alumnus | X | |||
Religious Affiliation/Commitment | X | |||
Ethnicity | X | |||
Work Experience | X |
Profile of Fall Admission
- Overall Admission Rate
- 5% of 43,997 applicants were admitted
- Women
- 5% of 20,992 applicants were admitted
- Men
- 4% of 23,005 applicants were admitted
- Students Enrolled
- 1,795 (85%) of 2,118 admitted students enrolled
- Women
- 912 (84%) of 1,087 admitted students enrolled
- Men
- 883 (86%) of 1,031 admitted students enrolled
- Early Decision Admission Rate
- Early Action Admission Rate
- Not reported
- Students Offered Wait List
- 1,569
- Students Accepting Wait List Position
- 1,044
- Students Admitted From Wait List
- 55
Grade Point Average of Enrolled Freshmen (4.0 scale)
- Average GPA
- 3.94
- 3.75 and Above
- 94%
- 3.50 - 3.74
- 5%
- 3.25 - 3.49
- 1%
- 3.00 - 3.24
- 2.50 - 2.99
- 2.00 - 2.49
SAT Scores of Enrolled Freshmen
- SAT Math
- Not reported
- Score of 700 - 800
- Not reported
- Score of 600 - 700
- Not reported
- Score of 500 - 600
- Not reported
- Score of 400 - 500
- Not reported
- Score of 300 - 400
- Not reported
- Score of 200 - 300
- Not reported
- SAT EBRW
- Not reported
- Score of 700 - 800
- Not reported
- Score of 600 - 700
- Not reported
- Score of 500 - 600
- Not reported
- Score of 400 - 500
- Not reported
- Score of 300 - 400
- Not reported
- Score of 200 - 300
- Not reported
ACT Scores of Enrolled Freshmen
- ACT Composite
- 31-35 range of middle 50%
- Score of 30 - 36
- 87%
- Score of 24 - 29
- 12%
- Score of 18 - 23
- 1%
- Score of 12 - 17
- 0%
- Score of 6 - 11
- 0%
- Score of 5 or Below
- 0%
Other Qualifications of Enrolled Freshmen
- High School Class Rank
- Top tenth: 95%
Top quarter: 99%
Top half: 100% - National Merit Scholar
- Not reported
- Valedictorian
- Not reported
- Class President
- Not reported
- Student Government Officer
- Not reported
Tuition and Expenses
- Cost of Attendance
- $68,572
- Tuition and Fees
- $51,354
- Room and Board
- $15,763
- Books and Supplies
- $1,455
- Other Expenses
- Not reported
- Payment Plans
- Installment plan
Applying for Financial Aid
Financial Aid Office
- financialaid@stanford.edu
- Web Site
- Financial Aid Web Site
- Net Price Calculator URL
- Net Price Calculator URL
Application Process
- Application Deadline
- Priority deadline February 15
- Award Notification
- On a rolling basis beginning April 1
- Methodology for Awarding Institutional Aid
- Federal and Institutional Methodologies
Forms Required | Cost to File |
---|---|
FAFSA Code is 001305 |
Free |
CSS/Financial Aid Profile | $25 for first college, $16 each additional |
Noncustodial (Divorced/Separated) Parent's Statement |
Profile of 2018 - 19 Financial Aid
Freshman
- Financial Aid Applicants
- 1,051 (58.2%) of freshmen
- Found to Have Financial Need
- 865 (79.8%) of applicants
- Received Financial Aid
- 846 (98.3%) of applicants with financial need
- Need Fully Met
- 806 (94.8%) of aid recipients
- Average Percent of Need Met
- 100%
- Average Award
- $55,999
- Need-Based Gift
- Received by 828 (97.7%) of aid recipients, average amount $52,453
- Need-Based Self-Help
- Received by 542 (65.6%) of aid recipients, average amount $2,410
- Merit-Based Gift
- Received by 24 (2.9%) of aid recipients
- Merit-Based Gift
- Received by .1% of freshmen had no financial need and received merit aid
All Undergraduates
- Financial Aid Applicants
- 3,762 (53.8%) of undergraduates
- Found to Have Financial Need
- 3,434 (91.3%) of applicants
- Received Financial Aid
- 3,434 (98.6%) of applicants with financial need
- Need Fully Met
- 3,097 (91.9%) of aid recipients
- Average Percent of Need Met
- 100%
- Average Award
- $54,210
- Need-Based Gift
- Received by 3,295 (98.1%) of aid recipients, average amount $50,542
- Need-Based Self-Help
- Received by 2,511 (74.6%) of aid recipients, average amount $2,550
- Merit-Based Gift
- Received by 117 (3.8%) of aid recipients
- Merit-Based Gift
- 17 (.3%) of undergraduates had no financial need and received merit aid, average amount $13,252
Borrowing
- 2018 Graduates Who Took Out Loans
- 19%
- Average Indebtedness of 2018 Graduates
- $21,348
- Parents of Students Receiving Aid
- 2.0%
- Parents of Students Not Receiving Aid
- Not reported
Financial Aid Programs
Loans
- Federal Loans
- Direct subsidized Stafford loans, direct unsubsidized Stafford loans, direct PLUS loans, Federal Perkins loans
- State Loans
- Other Loans
Scholarships and Grants
- Need-Based Available
- Federal Pell grants, SEOG, State scholarships, Institutional scholarships, Private scholarships
- Non-Need–Based Available
- None
Non-Need Awards
- Academic Interest/Achievement Award Areas
- Not reported
- Number of Awards
- Not reported
- Top Areas (By Money Awarded)
- Creative Arts/Performance Award Areas
- Not reported
- Number of Awards
- Not reported
- Top Areas (By Money Awarded)
- Special Achievements/Activities Award Areas
- Not reported
- Number of Awards
- Not reported
- Top Areas (By Money Awarded)
- Special Characteristics Award Areas
- Not reported
- Number of Awards
- Not reported
- Top Areas (By Money Awarded)
Employment
- Work-Study Programs
- Federal work study available, other work study available
- Average Earnings from On-Campus Employment
- $2,405
- Academic Calendar System
- Quarter
- Summer Session
- Offered
- General Catalog/Bulletin
- Online Catalog
Undergraduate Education
Undergraduate Majors
- Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical/Space Engineering
- African-American/Black Studies
- American Indian/Native American Studies
- American/United States Studies/Civilization
- Ancient/Classical Greek Language and Literature
- Anthropology
- Archeology
- Area Studies, Other
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation
- Art/Art Studies, General
- Asian-American Studies
- Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General
- Biometry/Biometrics
- Chemical Engineering
- Chemistry, General
- Chinese Language and Literature
- Cinematography and Film/Video Production
- Civil Engineering, General
- Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General
- Communication and Media Studies, Other
- Comparative Literature
- Computer Science
- Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
- East Asian Studies
- Economics, General
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering
- Engineering, General
- Engineering/Industrial Management
- English Language and Literature, General
- Environmental Studies
- Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
- Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other
- Film/Cinema/Video Studies
- Fine/Studio Arts, General
- Foreign Languages and Literatures, General
- French Language and Literature
- Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other
- Geology/Earth Science, General
- Geophysics and Seismology
- German Studies
- Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies
- History, General
- Industrial Engineering
- Industrial and Product Design
- International Relations and Affairs
- Italian Language and Literature
- Japanese Language and Literature
- Latin American Studies
- Linguistics
- Materials Science
- Mathematics and Computer Science
- Mathematics, General
- Mechanical Engineering
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
- Music, General
- Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Other
- Petroleum Engineering
- Philosophy
- Physics, General
- Political Science and Government, General
- Psychology, General
- Public Policy Analysis, General
- Religion/Religious Studies
- Science, Technology and Society
- Slavic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General
- Sociology
- Spanish Language and Literature
- Systems Engineering
- Systems Science and Theory
- Urban Studies/Affairs
- Women's Studies
- Most Popular Disciplines
- Engineering, Interdisciplinary studies, Computer and information sciences
- Combined Liberal Arts/Professional Degree Programs
- None
- Special Programs
- Student-designed major, Distance learning, Double major, English as a second language, Honors program, Independent study, Internships, Study abroad, Summer session
- Study Abroad
- Offered
- Online Degrees
- Not reported
Curriculum and Graduation Requirements
- General Education/Core Curriculum
- Required for most or all students
- Computer
- Students not required to own/lease a computer
- Foreign Language
- Required
- Math/Science
- Required for all students
Faculty and Instruction
- Full-Time Faculty
- 1,613
- Part-Time Faculty
- 24
- Full-Time Faculty with Ph.D./Terminal Degree
- 98%
- Regular Class Size
- 2-9 students: 38% of classes
10-19 students: 32% of classes
20-29 students: 10% of classes
30-39 students: 5% of classes
40-49 students: 3% of classes
50-99 students: 8% of classes
Over 100 students: 4% of classes - Discussion Section/Lab Class Size
- 2-9 students: 52% of discussion sections/labs
10-19 students: 42% of discussion sections/labs
20-29 students: 6% of discussion sections/labs
30-39 students: 0% of discussion sections/labs
50-59 students: 0% of discussion sections/labs
Advanced Placement
- International Baccalaureate
- Accepted
- Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations
- Accepted for placement and credit
- Sophomore Standing
- Available through AP examinations
Academic Resources
- Library Available on Campus
- Yes
- Holdings
- 11,077,000
- Computer Ownership
- Students not required to own/lease a computer
- Computers Available on Campus
- 1000
- Internet/E-mail Access
- Not reported
Academic Support Services
- Remedial Instruction
- Not Offered
- Tutoring
- Available
- Services for Learning Disabled Students
- Available
- Services for Physically Disabled Students
- Hearing impaired services, speech disorders services, visually impaired services, wheelchair access
Graduate/Professional School Education
Master's Degrees Offered
Master of the Science of Law, Master of Laws, Master of Arts, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Science in Engineering, Master of Business Administration, Master of Science, Master of Arts in Education, Master of Legal Studies
Master's Programs of Study
- Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering
- Applied Arts and Design--General
- Art/Fine Arts
- Asian Languages
- Asian Studies
- Biomedical Engineering
- Business Administration and Management--General
- Chinese
- Clinical Research
- Computer Science
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Elementary Education
- Energy and Power Engineering
- Engineering Design
- Environmental Law
- Environmental Sciences
- Epidemiology
- Film, Television, and Video Production
- Geophysics
- History
- Japanese
- Law
- Legal and Justice Studies
- Mechanical Engineering
- Political Science
- Secondary Education
- Spanish
Doctoral Degrees Offered
Doctor of Musical Arts, Juris Doctor, Doctor of the Science of Law, Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Medicine
Doctoral Programs of Study
- Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering
- Allopathic Medicine
- Applied Arts and Design--General
- Art/Fine Arts
- Asian Languages
- Biochemistry
- Biomedical Engineering
- Business Administration and Management--General
- Chemistry
- Chinese
- Clinical Research
- Computer Science
- Energy and Power Engineering
- Environmental Law
- Environmental Sciences
- Epidemiology
- Film, Television, and Video Production
- Genetics
- Geophysics
- History
- Japanese
- Law
- Legal and Justice Studies
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Physiology
- Political Science
- Psychology--General
- Sociology
- Spanish
- Structural Biology
- Systems Biology
- Theater
Location and Setting
- Stanford Population
- 13,809
- Nearest Metropolitan Area
- San Francisco, San Jose
- Campus Size
- 8,180 acres
Weather
- Temperature
- 45.8 average low in January, 68.7 average high in September
- Rain
- 68 rainy days per year
Getting Around
- Campus Map
- Map
- Nearest Bus Station
- 1 mile(s) from campus in Palo Alto
- Nearest Train Station
- 25 mile(s) from campus in San Jose
Housing
- College Housing
- College offers housing to students
- Types of Housing
- Women only housing, coed housing, cooperative housing, disabled student housing
- Students in College Housing
- 93% of all students
- Housing Requirements
- Freshmen are required to live on campus
- Freshman Housing Guarantee
- Freshmen are guaranteed housing
- Students Living Off Campus/Commuting
- 1%
- Off-Campus Housing Assistance
- Assistance in locating off-campus housing is available
Security
- 24-Hour Emergency Phone/Alarm Devices
- Available
- 24-Hour Security Patrols
- Available
- Late-Night Transport/Escort Services
- Available
- Electronically Operated Housing Entrances
- Available
- Other
Personal Support Services
- Health Service
- Offered
- Personal Counseling
- Offered
- Child Care
- Offered
Sports and Recreation
Intercollegiate Athletics
- Athletic Conferences
- NCAA Division I, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
- Mascot
- Tree
- School Colors
- Cardinal and white
Intercollegiate Sports Offered
Sports | Women | Men | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Offered | Scholarships | Offered | Scholarships | |
Baseball | x | x | ||
Basketball | x | x | x | x |
Crew | x | x | x | x |
Cross-Country Running | x | x | x | x |
Fencing | x | x | x | x |
Field Hockey | x | x | ||
Football | x | x | ||
Golf | x | x | x | x |
Gymnastics | x | x | x | x |
Lacrosse | x | x | ||
Rowing | x | x | x | x |
Sailing | x | x | ||
Sand Volleyball | x | |||
Soccer | x | x | x | x |
Softball | x | x | ||
Squash | x | x | ||
Swimming And Diving | x | x | x | x |
Tennis | x | x | x | x |
Track And Field | x | x | x | x |
Volleyball | x | x | x | x |
Water Polo | x | x | x | x |
Wrestling | x | x |
Women's Sports | Offered | Scholarships |
---|---|---|
Baseball | ||
Basketball | x | x |
Crew | x | x |
Cross-Country Running | x | x |
Fencing | x | x |
Field Hockey | x | x |
Football | ||
Golf | x | x |
Gymnastics | x | x |
Lacrosse | x | x |
Rowing | x | x |
Sailing | x | |
Sand Volleyball | x | |
Soccer | x | x |
Softball | x | x |
Squash | x | x |
Swimming And Diving | x | x |
Tennis | x | x |
Track And Field | x | x |
Volleyball | x | x |
Water Polo | x | x |
Wrestling |
Mens's Sports | Offered | Scholarships |
---|---|---|
Baseball | x | x |
Basketball | x | x |
Crew | x | x |
Cross-Country Running | x | x |
Fencing | x | x |
Field Hockey | ||
Football | x | x |
Golf | x | x |
Gymnastics | x | x |
Lacrosse | ||
Rowing | x | x |
Sailing | x | |
Sand Volleyball | ||
Soccer | x | x |
Softball | ||
Squash | ||
Swimming And Diving | x | x |
Tennis | x | x |
Track And Field | x | x |
Volleyball | x | x |
Water Polo | x | x |
Wrestling | x | x |
- Women's Club Sports
- archery, badminton, cheerleading, equestrian sports, racquetball, rock climbing, rugby, skiing (downhill), triathlon, ultimate Frisbee
- Men's Club Sports
- archery, badminton, cheerleading, equestrian sports, ice hockey, lacrosse, racquetball, rock climbing, rugby, skiing (downhill), squash, triathlon, ultimate Frisbee
Recreational Sports
- Intramural Sports
- badminton, bowling, football, racquetball, rock climbing, sand volleyball, softball, track and field, ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, water polo
Student Activities
- Activities and Organizations
- choral groups, marching band, drama theatre, radio station, student newspaper, television station, national fraternities, national sororities, ram's head (theatre club), axe committee (athletic support), business association of stanford entrepreneurial students, asian-american student association, stanford daily
- Sororities
- 25% of women participate
- Fraternities
- 19% of men participate
- ROTC
- Army ROTC is offered off campus, Navy ROTC is offered off campus, Air Force ROTC offered off campus
Student Body
- Coeducational
- Yes
- All Undergraduates
- 7,034
- Women
- 3,413 (48.5%)
- Men
- 3,621 (51.5%)
- Full-Time Undergraduates
- 7,034
- Ethnicity of Students from U.S.
- 1.2% American Indian/Alaskan Native
22.7% Asian
7.0% Black/African-American
17.5% Hispanic/Latino
11.0% Multi-race (not Hispanic/Latino)
0.4% Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander
39.8% White
0.4% Unknown - International Students.
- 9.1% from 76 countries
- Average Age
- 20
- All Graduate Students
- 9,880
Undergraduate Retention and Graduation
- First-Year Students Returning
- 98.0%
- Students Graduating Within 4 Years
- 74.9%
- Students Graduating Within 5 Years
- 88.6%
- Students Graduating Within 6 Years
- 94.0%
After Graduation
- Graduates Offered Full-Time Employment Within 6 Months
- 50%
- Average Starting Salary
- 50%
- Graduates Pursuing Advanced Study Directly
- Not reported
- Disciplines Pursued
- Not reported
A portion of the College Profile data is provided under license by:
Peterson's Undergraduate and Undergraduate Financial Aid Databases, copyright © 2019 Peterson's, a Nelnet company. All rights reserved."