Undergraduate Admission

Discover Stanford

Experience the freedom to be the person you want to be, freedom to dive deep into academic discovery, and freedom to pursue your passions. Faculty and staff will spark and support your inquiry, and your peers will challenge you in a dynamic learning environment where listening and respectful discourse are paramount. Stanford will provide you the opportunity of a lifetime.

It isn’t just about the courses or the grades. It’s about the human being behind all of it. The cornerstones of resilience—learning, seeking advice, getting perspective and finding community—offer a way for young people to grow as they embark on the next major step in their lives.

– Richard H. Shaw, Dean of Undergraduate Admission

Dean Shaw

Application Deadlines


OCT15

Restrictive Early Action Application with Arts Portfolio

NOV1

Restrictive Early Action Standard Application

DEC5

Regular Decision with Arts Portfolio

JAN5

Regular Decision Standard Application

MAR15

Transfer Application with or without Arts Portfolio

Two students walking towards Memorial Church on the Quad

A Stanford Education is Possible.

Stanford offers comprehensive, need-based financial aid that makes it possible for all admitted undergraduate students to attend — and we do not expect students to borrow to meet their need. Learn how the program works, then use the net price calculator to get an award estimate based on your family’s financial situation.

Learn more about financial aid at Stanford

News & Announcements

For students affected by natural disasters or other extreme situations

We know that unexpected natural disasters or other extreme situations worldwide can present challenges to meeting Stanford's November 1 Restrictive Early Action deadline.
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We encourage all students to apply at a time when they feel their application will be at its strongest. If there are circumstances that make submitting a Restrictive Early Action application challenging, we encourage students to apply Regular Decision, which has a deadline of January 5. Students can also share more information about their circumstances in the Additional Information section of the application.

Counselors and teachers may also face challenges meeting the November 1 deadline. We have a grace period in place for supporting materials like transcripts and letters of recommendation that extends to November 6. Please know that if the grace period is not enough time for others to submit materials, applicants may change their application to Regular Decision by submitting the form in their Stanford portal on or before December 1.

Important Message

On August 24, 2026, the U.S. government Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control suspended several general licenses allowing services related to Iran and individuals in Iran.
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Specifically, including General License G, which had allowed U.S. colleges and universities to provide certain educational services to people in Iran. Because of this change, Stanford is currently unable to file or process applications, accept application fees or tuition payments, or provide certain educational services to individuals who are currently located in Iran or are outside Iran but ordinarily live in Iran.

Robert E. Hall wins Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences

The professor of economics and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, emeritus, developed models that help governments and central banks respond to economic volatility.

Read the full article about Robert E. Hall in the Stanford Report

Karl Deisseroth awarded 2026 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine

The professor of bioengineering and of psychiatry and behavioral sciences shares the prize with two other researchers for their work in optogenetics.

Read the full article about Karl Deisseroth in the Stanford Report

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