How to Apply

Applications to the Master of Science in Laboratory Animal Science degree program must be made through Graduate Admissions. All supporting materials must be submitted by the deadline for your application to be considered in the review process. In addition to the information below, please review the Graduate Admissions website prior to starting your application.  (The GRE is not required to apply.)

When you are ready to apply, please click here to start your online application.

To be eligible for admission to graduate programs at Stanford, applicants must meet one of the following conditions:

• Applicants must hold, or expect to hold before enrollment at Stanford, a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. college or university accredited by a regional accrediting association.
• Applicants from institutions outside the U.S. must hold the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree from a college or university of recognized standing. See the Office of Graduate Admissions for the minimum level of study required of International applicants.

The statement of purpose should describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the Master of Laboratory Animal Science Program, your preparation for this field of study, research interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests, which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study.

Personal Statements should not exceed two pages in length (single spaced). Make sure to set your computer to Western European or other English-language settings. We cannot guarantee the ability to access your statement if it is submitted in other fonts.

You may submit an optional statement in response to the following prompt:

• 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.

Three letters of recommendation are required. Please be sure that you ask for a recommendation from at least one individual who can address your potential for original and creative research. In most cases, that individual would be the person in charge of or guiding your most recent research activities. It is very important that you contact your recommenders before submitting their information in the online application. You must choose whether or not you waive your right to see a recommendation before you submit the recommender’s information. It may be that a recommender will not submit a recommendation if you have not waived the right to see it. This should be discussed in advance.

All recommendations must be submitted using the online application system. As part of the online application, you will be required to register the names and contact information, including email addresses, of your recommenders. Recommenders will then receive an email with directions on how to proceed. Letters of recommendation cannot be mailed, emailed, or faxed.

The application fee is $125, is non-refundable, and must be received by the application deadline. Acceptable form of payment is by credit/debit card (Visa or MasterCard only).  If you do not have a credit card, then you should make arrangements with a family member or friend to use theirs. Electronic check payments or checks by mail are not accepted.

The Department of Comparative Medicine applications opens in September and closes in January for the following academic year.

All application materials are required by these stated deadlines. Late applications will not be accepted.

The Department of Comparative Medicine faculty will be looking to see that you are prepared to succeed in graduate level coursework.  For this reason, all applicants are expected to have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. 

Complete coterminal master's applications should include the following:

• Completed Coterminal Online Application.
• Statement of Purpose (1-2 pages) explaining why you wish to enter the program and what you plan to accomplish while in the program. The statements should also supply information about your science capabilities if your undergraduate academic record does not accurately reflect them. For example, if your GPA is low, you should explain any changes that may indicate improvement in coursework.
• Three letters of recommendation from Stanford faculty members (Academic Council members).
• Unofficial Stanford transcript showing coursework.
• Preliminary Program Proposal.
• Resume/CV.

Applicants will be notified of the admission decision in writing, typically 2-3 weeks after the application deadline. If a student is approved for admission into the coterminal program, the student must respond to the department within the same quarter the offer of admission was made.

For more information regarding acceptance deadlines, please contact
compmed-mlas-info@stanford.edu.

 How to Apply:

1. Thoroughly review the information in the Graduate Academic Policies and Procedures handbook about adding/changing degree programs at Stanford.
2. Submit all the "Required Application Materials" listed above by completing the Current Graduate Student Online Application Form.

Petitions must be submitted electronically no later than the last day of classes for the quarter in which the change is requested. Petitions after the deadline must be submitted for the subsequent quarter if applicable. A service fee for the handling of the petition will be added automatically to the student's university bill, regardless of outcome.

Students pursuing a PhD at Stanford are eligible to count up to 45 units from the Master’s degree towards the PhD requirements (135 residency units). The policy can be found via Stanford's Student Services site. Note that PhD students who have received Graduate Residency Transfer credit for a master's degree from another institution are not eligible to count the Laboratory Animal Science units also.

Per University policy, students can apply and complete multiple Master’s degrees concurrently. Current Master students may count previously completed MLAS courses towards the MLAS program requirements, even if those courses were taken before matriculating into the MLAS program. However those MLAS course units cannot count towards both Master degrees (i.e. no double counting).

The MLAS Program works with each of its students to help define and outline a suitable MLAS course plan.