Stanford
Materials Science and Engineering

Timelines and Decisions

Application Deadlines

  • Mid-September: Application Opens
  • December 2, 2025: PhD Application Deadline
  • January 15, 2026:  MS Application Deadline

Decisions

Decisions are based on a comprehensive evaluation of each applicant’s file. PhD admission decisions are typically available by the end of January, and MS admission decisions are typically available by early March. All applicants will be notified via email of admissions decisions. Admitted students must respond to our offer of admission by April 15, 2026.

Visit Days

  • February 26 - 28, 2026: PhD Admitted Student Visit Days on Stanford Campus
  • Date To Be Announced, Mid to Late March, 2026: MS Admitted Student Virtual “Visit Day” Session

Decision Feedback

Feedback is not available to applicants denied admission. We recognize that you devote a great deal of time and effort to your application, and may wish to discuss it with a member of our admissions committee or a faculty member. Regrettably, we are unable to provide individual feedback to any applicant.

Deferral Requests

Admitted students are expected to enroll in the program in September of the year they are admitted. Deferral requests from admitted students will be reviewed by the admissions committee on a case-by-case basis. The maximum length of an admissions deferral granted by Stanford is one year. Typically, deferral requests are only approved for military, medical, visa or education-related purposes.