Coterm Application Process

Stanford is committed to creating an inclusive, accessible, diverse, and equitable university for all of our community members. In this section, we invite you to share biographical and demographic information that may provide the admission committee with a more holistic view of your lived experiences.

In this section, you indicate your intended coterm program, entry term, and specialization (if applicable).

You may apply to one coterm program at a time, and you may not apply to another coterm program until the admissions process for the initial application has been completed, including your response to the offer of admission (if admitted). Departments may adopt local policies that are more restrictive.

In this section, you must provide your unofficial Stanford transcript, as well as the unofficial transcript for any post-secondary institution where you were previously enrolled in a degree program.

View instructions to download your unofficial Stanford transcript.

You must also respond to the following questions:

• Have you ever been suspended, dismissed, or placed on enforced leave from any college, university, or post-secondary institution or been the subject of disciplinary action by such an institution?
• Have you ever been placed on academic probation by any college or university?

Each coterm program sets its own policy on GRE General Test scores — required, optional, or not considered. Refer to the Explore Coterm Programs page to view each program’s testing policy.

If GRE scores are required by your program, you must report your official scores directly to Stanford from ETS. Stanford’s ETS institutional code is 4704. Individual department code numbers are not necessary. As long as you select the institutional code of 4704, the score is electronically delivered to Stanford.

Any scores you self-report on the application are considered unofficial but sufficient for the initial review process.

This sections provides you an opportunity to provide information about any relevant experience in the following categories:

• Research experience
• Publications/presentations/posters
• Awards & honors
• Work experience

In addition, you have the option to upload your resume/CV. Resume requirements and guidelines vary by program.

You are required to list two or three Stanford faculty who know you well and are qualified to evaluate your potential for graduate study. Refer to the Explore Coterm Programs page to view the number of recommendations required by each program. Visit your coterm program’s website to check whether it offers specific guidance on choosing your recommenders.

Register your recommenders in the online application as early as possible to ensure their letters are received by the application deadline.

• After you enter your recommender’s information, the application system sends a personalized link to that individual to submit the recommendation online.
• After your recommender submits the recommendation letter, you will receive an email notification.
• You may manage your recommenders on the same Recommendations page where you registered them. This includes sending reminder emails and changing recommenders. You continue to have access to this page after you submit your application.

In this section, you are required to submit a Statement of Purpose in response to the following prompt:

Describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program at Stanford, your preparation for this field of study, research interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the admission committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study. The maximum recommended length is 1,000 words.

The exact prompt you see on the application (including recommended length) may differ depending on the coterm program you select. Refer to your coterm program’s website to check whether it offers specific guidance on the Statement of Purpose.

In addition, you may submit an optional statement in response to the following prompt:

Enriching the Learning Community

Stanford University welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of experiences, interests, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars. We invite you to share the lived experiences, demonstrated values, perspectives, and/or activities that shape you as a scholar and would help you to make a distinctive contribution to Stanford University.

Your statement should not exceed 500 words in length.

The questions in this section are tailored to the coterm program you selected. You may be asked to provide your academic interests, faculty interests, writing samples, or supplemental essays. Refer to your coterm program’s website for program-specific requirements.

The coterm preliminary program proposal is a list of all Stanford courses you have taken previously or plan to take in the future to fulfill degree requirements for the master’s program.

Each coterm program sets its own policy on whether the preliminary program proposal is required, optional, or not considered during the admission process. Refer to the Explore Coterm Programs page to view each program’s policy.

In this section, you have the option to upload a supplemental document if you wish to share additional information that was not covered by the questions in the application.