Stanford University

Stanford University is one of the oldest private research universities in the USA, established in 1885. The university is ranked at #6 on the QS World University Rankings of 2025, making it one of the top universities in the world. It is also ranked at #3 in National Universities by US News making it the third best university in the USA. Stanford University’s acceptance rate is 5%, indicating a highly selective admission process. Stanford University stands out for several reasons. Starting with its strong entrepreneurial culture, encouraging students to think innovatively and create their own paths. Second, the university boasts an impressive employment rate, 96% of graduates receive job offers within just three months after completing their studies. Third, students earn an average annual salary of approximately $115,000 ( 95.44 lakhs INR).

Established	1885
Founder	Leland and Jane Stanford
University Type	Private research university
University Motto	The wind of freedom blows
Acceptance Rate	5%
Faculty to Student Ratio	6:1
Endowment	$36.5 billion (2023)
Campus Size	8,180 acres
4 Year Graduation Rate	73%
Employment Rate	96%
Contact Details	650-723-2300
Location	Stanford, California, United States

Stanford University Campus

Stanford University is spread over 8,180 acres. in the middle of the San Francisco Peninsula. Stanford is unique in having 7 schools and 18 research institutes co-located on one contiguous campus, and all of them possess exceptional breadth and depth of excellence.

Stanford University has 630 buildings that incorporate about 17.9 million square feet.
The campus has retail stores in the 70-acre Stanford Shopping Center.
150 companies in the 700-acre located in the Stanford Research Park.
Stanford University also has 2,119 rental units for faculty and staff.
There are more than 13,000 bikes, 67 buses, and 41 electric buses in a 23-route system on campus for commuters.

Know More About: Stanford University Admissions

Stanford University Ranking

Stanford University is among the top 5 universities in the world. It is ranked at #5 and #2 in the world, according to QS rankings and THE rankings respectively. Following are the Stanford University rankings:

Ranking Agency	2024 Rank
QS World University Rankings	#5
THE World University Rankings	#2
US News National Rankings	#3

How to Get Into Stanford University?

The admission process for international students and domestic students is the same with a few additional requirements. If you are wondering how to get admission in Stanford University? The following section will discuss the admission requirements and top programs at Stanford University.

Stanford University Courses

Stanford University has 7 schools, offering a variety of degrees to international students. You can choose from 200+ graduate Stanford University degrees in 90+ subject areas. Following are the top programs at Stanford University along with their tuition fees:

Stanford University Graduate Courses & Fees

Programs	Total Annual Fees (USD)	Total Annual Fees (INR)
MBA	82,455	68.90 Lakh
Master of Science, Business	66,880	55.89 Lakh
Master of Science, Design	42,600	35.60 Lakh
Master of Science, Management Science and Engineering	42,600	35.60 Lakh
Master of Science, Computer Science	40,820	34.11 Lakh

Stanford University Undergraduate Courses & Fees

Programs	Total Annual Fees (USD)	Total Annual Fees (INR)
Bachelor of Science, Computer Science	65,286	54.55 Lakh
Bachelor of Science, Management Science and Engineering	65,286	54.55 Lakh
Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering	65,286	54.55 Lakh
Bachelor of Science, Architectural Design	65,286	54.55 Lakh
Bachelor of Science, Computer Science – Artificial Intelligence	65,286	54.55 Lakh

Stanford University Admissions: PG

The minimum admission requirement for masters at Stanford University is to have a minimum GPA of 3.5 in a related subject with a TOEFL score of 89-100. Following are the detailed admission requirements for masters at Stanford University:

Category	Admission Requirements
Application Fee	125 USD (10,405 INR)
Academic Score	3.5 GPA (90%)
TOEFL Score	89-100
Admission Requirement	2 Essay questions (500 words), 3 Letters of Recommendation, Resume, Interview (By invitation)
Standardized Testing	GRE: 161 (Quant) & 162 (Verbal), GMAT: 650+

Stanford University Admissions: UG

The minimum admission requirement for undergraduate programs at Stanford University is to have a minimum GPA of 3.2 in a related subject with a TOEFL score of 100+. Following are the detailed admission requirements for bachelors at Stanford University:

Category	Admission Requirements
Application Fee	90 USD (7,492 INR)
Degree/Certificate	Higher secondary certificate or equivalent
Academic Score	3.2 GPA (86%)
TOEFL Score	100+
Admission Requirement	QnA (50 words each), 3 Essays (100-250 words), 2 LORs from teachers, Counsellor recommendation, Interview (Optional)
Standardized Testing	SAT: 1505 (average), ACT: 34 (average)

Stanford University Student Life

Stanford University has 600+ organized student groups, 81 undergraduate student residences and 14,000+ students living on campus. Nearly all undergraduates and about 72% of graduate students reside in 81 undergraduate student residences and 151 graduate on-campus residences.

Campus Safety

The Stanford University Department of Public Safety (SUDPS) provides law enforcement, security, safety, crime prevention and emergency services on campus 24 hours a day. Comprising sworn officers, non-sworn officers and support staff, SUDPS personnel endeavor to provide high-quality public safety services with an emphasis on service.

Accommodation at Stanford University

All first-year students are retired by Stanford University to live on campus. After accepting Stanford admission offers, students are assigned to one of 8 neighborhoods to live in. Incoming freshmen are promised 12 complete or partial quarters of campus living under Stanford’s residential system.

Stanford University Housing Options: Undergraduate

15 residence halls, 2 apartments and suites, and 3 row houses are available for undergraduate students at Stanford University. The table below demonstrates the flat rate per student for each quarter, for the academic year 2024-25:

Residences	Housing Charge per quarter (USD)	Housing Charge per quarter (INR)
All locations except Mirrielees and co-op houses	4,530	3.78 lakhs
Co-op houses (576 Alvarado, Columbae, Enchanted Broccoli Forest, Hammarskjold, Kairos, Synergy, Terra)	3,946	3.29 lakhs
Mirrielees Apartments	5,066	4.23 lakhs

Stanford University Housing Options: Graduate

Students residing in graduate housing are required to pay the housing charges listed in the charts below. These charges are to be paid through Student Financial Services every quarter.

Housing	Available for	Rent per month (USD)	Rent per month (INR)
Stanford GSB Residence	Single students \| Couples without children	2,175 to 2,225	1.8 to 1.84 lakhs
Escondido Village	Single students \| Couples with/without children	1,080 to 2,412	89,500 to 1.9 lakhs
Munger Graduate Residences	Single students \| Couples without children	2,017 to 3,351	1.6 to 2.7 lakhs
Lyman Graduate Residences	Single students	1,503	1.2 lakhs
Liliore Green Rains Housing	Single students	1,496 to 1,503	1.23 to 1.24 lakhs

Stanford University Scholarships

On average, freshmen who receive need-based financial aid get a total of $70,349 in scholarships and grants. This amount includes $62,898 from Stanford and additional grants from federal, state, and private sources. The table below breaks down the average total scholarships and grants by family income for dependent students living in the United States.

Total (Gross) Family Income	Average Scholarship and Grant	Average Net Cost	% of applicants who qualify for scholarship aid from Stanford
Less than $ 75,000	92,303	4,380	98%
75,001 – 100,000	87,348	5,890	97%
100,001 – 125,000	76,834	13,201	97%
125,001 – 150,000	69,600	19,979	100%
150,001 – 200,000	57,205	31,459	94%
200,001 – 250,000	44,645	45,520	89%
250,001 – 300,000*	34,919	54,748	75%
300,001 – 350,000*	25,347	64,234	57%
350,001 – 400,000*	23,511	65,986	41%
Greater than $400,000*	11,544	78,712	14%
*most who qualify have 2 (or more) children in college

External Scholarships

Following are some external scholarships that an international student can apply to while applying for admissions at Stanford University:

Scholarship Name	Level of Study	Scholarship Eligibility	Scholarship Benefits
JN Tata Endowment Scholarship	Masters program	Below 40 years \| At least 60% in UG \| Indian Student	1 to 10 lakhs INR
Aga Khan Foundation Scholarship	Masters program	Below 30 years of age \| Belong to an AKF-eligible country \| Enrolling in AKF-relevant field	Full program fees \| 50% award & 50% loan
Fulbright Scholarship	Masters and research program	International student \| Enrolled in an eligible academic field	Varies
OPEC Fund for International Development Scholarship	Bachelor and masters program	Belong to a developing country like India \| Enrolling in a relevant field of development	Full academic fees and partial living expenses
KC Mahindra Trust Scholarship	Masters program	Indian students \| Above 65% of undergraduate	Varies \| Interest-free loan scholarship

Stanford University Placements

Stanford University is ranked at #2 in the world in QS Graduate Employability Rankings. The average annual salary of Stanford University graduates is 112,000 USD per annum (91.93 lakhs INR). Top employers of Stanford University graduates include Apple, Google, Meta, Amazon, McKinsey, HSBC, and American Express among others.

Parameter	Description
Job Placement Rate	Over 89% of MBAs placed within 3 months (Class of 2023).
Average Salary	$189,010 USD for MBAs (Class of 2023).
Top Industries	Finance, Tech, Consulting, Healthcare (MBA).
Top Recruiters	Google, Apple, Amazon, etc. (examples).
Support Services	Personalized guidance, industry centers, alumni network, entrepreneurial support, and online platform.
Post-Grad Options	Traditional jobs (high-powered, industry-specific, research), entrepreneurship, advanced degrees, or alternative paths.

Stanford University Alumni

Stanford’s alumni network is made up of many successful and influential people. Among its graduates are 30 living billionaires and 17 astronauts. The university is ranked #1 for having 122 Rhodes Scholars, 94 Marshall Award winners, and 65 Truman Scholars. The Stanford Alumni Association has over 220,000 members in 150 countries worldwide.

Stanford University Notable Alumni

Alumni Name	Profession
Sundar Pichai	CEO of Alphabet
Mukesh Ambani	Chairman of Reliance Industries
Sandra Day O’Connor	Former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Reed Hastings	Co-founder of Netflix
Azim Premji	Founder of Wipro
Parag Agarwal	Former CEO of Twitter
Rishi Sunak	Former Prime Minister of the UK

Location of Stanford University

Frequently asked questions

Is Stanford good for Indian students?

Since 2018, Stanford University rankings have stayed among the top 10 universities in the world. Stanford is popular among international students for its Technology and Business disciplines among others. The university boasts an impressive employment rate, 96% of graduates receive job offers within just three months after completing their studies.

Is it hard to get into Stanford University?

Stanford University has an acceptance rate of 4% making it one of the most highly selective universities. To apply for Stanford University admissions, you need a bachelor’s degree with 3.5/4.0 (85%) for graduate programs. International applicants are encouraged to target a GPA between 3.7-3.9% (93-99%) for better chances of securing graduate admissions at Stanford University.

How many Indians go to Stanford every year?

Every year, almost 500 Indian students are enrolled across all seven schools at Stanford University, covering a wide range of fields of study.

How do I get admission to Stanford University?

To apply for Stanford University admissions, you need a bachelor’s degree with 3.5/4.0 (85%) for graduate programs. International applicants are encouraged to target a GPA between 3.7-3.9% (93-99%).

How much is Stanford tuition?

The tuition fees for Stanford University for international students is:

Degree	Tuition Fees (USD)	Tuition Fees (INR)
Masters	55,000	45 lakhs
Bachelors	61,731	51 lakhs

What are the top industries that recruit Stanford graduates?

Top industries recruiting Stanford graduates include:

Technology- Google, Apple, Meta (Facebook)
Consulting- McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group
Finance- Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase
Healthcare- Top medical institutions and pharmaceutical companies
Engineering- Leading aerospace, automotive, and renewable energy companies

How much do Stanford dorms cost?

The cost of Stanford University dorms depends on the type of housing. Here is an overview of the housing costs.

Stanford University dorms for undergraduates cost around 3,946 USD to USD 5,066 (3.29 lakhs to 4.23 lakhs INR) per quarter.
For graduate students, the monthly rent ranges from 1,080 USD to 2,412 USD (89,500 to 1.9 lakhs INR).