Stanford
Materials Science and Engineering

Master’s Admissions

The master’s program provides training in solid-state fundamentals and materials engineering through advanced lecture courses and laboratory classes. It is a terminal degree, meaning these students typically do not continue on to our PhD program.

To receive the master’s degree, a student must take 45 units of courses (approximately 15 quarter-long classes). The list of classes that are required is given in the Materials Science and Engineering section of the Stanford Bulletin. Some students take five classes per quarter and graduate in one year, but most take between four and five quarters to graduate. No thesis or research is required, but some master’s students opt to earn 9 to 15 units of credit by doing research with a professor in the lab and writing a master’s report. Students interested in this opportunity should make arrangements with a faculty member to supervise their research and enroll in MSE 200. See the Student Services Manager after the MSE Orientation for details and approval.

Applications for Autumn 2025-2026 will open in mid September 2024 and close on January 14, 2025. Apply Now. 

Review our Frequently Asked Questions BEFORE sending us your questions!

 

Did you just apply to the MS program? We will contact you if we need anything.

The university application is on the Graduate Admissions website. Please read all the information provided before applying (any general graduate admission information given on the Materials Science and Engineering website is subject to revision by the Graduate Admissions Office). TOEFL tests must be taken early enough for us to receive the test scores by the application deadline. No late test scores, recommendation letters, transcripts, or other applicable supporting materials will be accepted.

Again, review our Frequently Asked Questions BEFORE emailing us your questions!

The application consists of the following required materials, all of which must be received by the appropriate deadline for the application to be considered complete:

  1. Online application completed
  2. Statement of purpose 
  3. Unofficial transcript(s)
    1. Please submit your unofficial transcript(s) from all post-secondary institutions you have attended for at least one year. If admitted to the MSE program, you will be asked to provide an official transcript(s). You'll be asked to provide a second official transcript if you get admitted to the program.
  4. A minimum of three (3) letters of recommendation
    1. A minimum of three (3), maximum of six (6) recommendation letters submitted online directly by the recommenders.* These letters can come from a wide range of individuals, such as research and academic advisors, instructors, and workplace supervisors.
  5. Resume
  6. If necessary, Official test scores reported by ETS if necessary (TOEFL only - GRE not required)
    1. Stanford's institution code is 4704; no department code is needed.

In light of the current situation with the ongoing COVID-19 health concern, Stanford reaffirms its commitment to perform an individualized, holistic review of each applicant to its graduate and professional programs. We recognize that students may have faced significant challenges during the period of disruption caused by the pandemic, and we will take such individual circumstances into account during the application review. Importantly, we will respect decisions regarding the adoption of Credit/No Credit and other grading options during this unprecedented period of COVID-19 disruption, whether they are made by institutions or by individual students. Our goal remains to form graduate student cohorts that are excellent and encompass a diversity of perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences that enrich the graduate educational experience.

We urge you to apply early and make every attempt to get your questions answered early. Please refer to Frequently Asked Questions BEFORE submitting your questions. Due to the volume of inquiries that we receive, we have compiled the most asked questions and have summarized the answers. Please refer to our Program Requirements page before submitting your questions about programmatic requirements. Should your question not be answered in our Frequently Asked Questions, please direct your questions to: mseadmissions@stanford.edu. 

Late applications on a space-available-only basis. We may accept late applications only if there is still space in our incoming class. This situation is extremely rare. Please contact the department with specifics of why you were unable to apply by the deadline (e.g. a medical emergency that started before the application opened and lasted until the application closed). 

Reinstatement Application for Reinstatement in Graduate Study: If you are an admitted graduate student who has not maintained continuous registration (or been on an approved leave of absence), you must apply for reinstatement. After completing this form, submit it to your department for approval and then submit it to Graduate Admissions. If approved for reinstatement, you will be billed for the reinstatement fee.

MS Program Specific Q&A

Q: My undergraduate degree is not in an engineering discipline. Am I eligible to apply?

A: Yes, you are eligible to apply. Any engineering discipline or related science discipline (such as physics, chemistry, etc.), or mathematics is a good base for graduate study in materials science and engineering. Please thoroughly review the requirements of the program in the Stanford Bulletin.

Q: Can I change from the MS to the PhD degree program?

A: The MS is a terminal degree and is not intended to prepare students for our PhD program. We do have a petition procedure for students who have done extremely well during their first two quarters in our program and wish to request a transfer to the PhD program. You must have support from two faculty members, including one who is willing to act as your PhD research advisor and provide funding for you. Space is extremely limited.

Q: May I apply to more than one Stanford MS program at the same time?

A: No, you may only apply to one MS program at a time. If you apply to more than one, both applications may be disqualified.

Q: Does your department consider diversity, equity, and inclusion during the admissions process?

A: We invite excellent students from all backgrounds, including those from historically underrepresented groups in engineering, to consider Stanford University for their graduate studies. In making admissions decisions, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering will comply with the requirements of the law as determined by the Supreme Court of the United States, evaluating each applicant based on their "experiences as an individual—not on the basis of race.” We continue to value a diverse student body that benefits the educational experience of our students and our mission of generating knowledge at Stanford University.  

Q: I cannot afford graduate school. How can I apply for a fellowship?

A: The MS program is generally self-funded. MS applications may be reviewed for a limited number of fellowships. These awards are competitively allocated and are based on academic merit. We encourage all applicants to apply for outside fellowships such as the National Science Foundation (NSF). In addition, the School of Engineering's Equity and Inclusion team has compiled a list of resources for funding your MS degree.

Q: Is it possible to get a teaching or research assistantship?

A: It is quite rare for a first-year MS student to secure an assistantship. Most MS students fund their studies with loans and search for assistantships once they have built relationships with faculty in the MSE or other departments. There is no central hiring process within the MSE department. Students must contact faculty members directly to inquire about assistantships.

Q: I want to apply now, but I will not be able to start until next Autumn, September 2026. Should I still apply?

A: If you know you are unable to start until a later quarter, please do not apply. We generally do not offer deferrals to MS students unless there is an urgent, valid medical/family reason.

Q: If I am admitted, can I defer for a quarter or two?

A: The MS program starts the Autumn term following admission. If you need to defer, you will need to request a whole-year deferral. Deferral requests are not always approved. If you know in advance that you cannot start school next Autumn, please wait to apply in a future year.

Q: I do not live in the area. Can I do a part-time MS program completely online?

A: It is not possible to complete an entire MS degree online. Stanford does offer a part-time MS program in MatSci, but there are some caveats – please contact the Stanford Center for Professional Development for more information. The MS program is designed for local students to come on campus on a part-time basis, supplemented by a few classes online.

Q: I accidentally applied for the PhD program, but I meant to apply for the MS program. What should I do?

A: Please send an e-mail to mseadmissions@stanford.edu with the subject line: “Applied to the PhD in error. Please move me to the MS pool.” In the email, please state your full name so we can find you easily.

Q: When will I hear about my Master’s admission status?

A: You can expect an answer by the end of March 2025. We work diligently to finalize the list and get word out as soon as possible. Please DO NOT CALL/EMAIL asking for your status as it slows the process.