How to Apply

All applications must be submitted through the Stanford Graduate Admissions portal.
 

Application Deadline

• Deadline: Tuesday, February 3, 2026 (11:59 p.m. PST)

• All supporting documents, including recommendation letters, must be received by the deadline.

• Note: Current Stanford MDs and MD students are strongly encouraged to submit their applications by the stated deadline to ensure full consideration. Late applications may be considered under exceptional circumstances and require prior approval from the program directors, Dr. Victor Henderson and Dr. Rita Popat. Please contact the Education Program Manager, Rachel Pham (rcpham@stanford.edu), in advance if you anticipate needing an exception.

  Required Supporting Documents

• Submit all documents via the Stanford Graduate Admissions application:

• Statement of Purpose (include research areas of interest)
• Three Letters of Recommendation
• Official GRE General Test Scores (optional)
  • If you choose to use MCAT or other test scores instead of GRE scores in your application, please list your test, year, and score in the "additional test scores" section of the application.
• Official TOEFL or IELTS Scores (if applicable)
• Transcripts from all institutions where coursework was completed toward an undergraduate or graduate degree

• Curriculum Vitae (CV) with research and work experience

• Transcript Guidance

• Upload an unofficial transcript from each institution attended.
• For U.S. institutions: If admitted, you must provide official transcripts sent directly from the institution to Stanford Graduate Admissions.
  For institutions outside the U.S.: Stanford requires a credential evaluation from World Education Service certifying the equivalency of your academic credentials to a U.S. bachelor's degree or higher.
• Offers of admission are contingent upon verification of official transcripts.
• Stanford does not consider WES evaluations as official transcripts.
• Current Stanford students do not need to send official transcripts. Unofficial transcripts from all previous institutions are still required for review. 

• See Graduate Admissions transcript requirements for full guidance.

Test Score Submission

• GRE and TOEFL scores must be sent directly from ETS to Stanford.
• University code: 4704 (department code not required).
• You may self-report scores or indicate the date of a future test in your application. Self-reported scores are not official until verified by ETS.
   

English Proficiency Requirements

To be eligible for graduate study at Stanford, you must demonstrate sufficient proficiency to read English with ease, understand rapid idiomatic English as used in lectures and group discussions, and express thoughts quickly and clearly in spoken and written English. You are not required to submit English proficiency test scores if you meet one or more of the following criteria:

• U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• First language is English
• Degree from a university where all instruction is in English (U.S. or international equivalent)
• Two or more consecutive years of full-time professional or educational experience in English (within the past 10 years)
   

If you do not meet any of the criteria listed above, then at the time of application, you are required to submit an official test score from the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT) or the International English Language Testing System Academic Test (IELTS Academic) that meets the university’s minimum score for admission consideration. See Stanford Graduate Admissions English Proficiency for details and waiver information.
 

Admissions Expectations

Competitive applicants typically demonstrate:

• Strong academic record
• Strong letters of recommendation
• Clear and well-focused statement of purpose
• High GRE scores (optional) or other relevant test scores

Admissions Timeline

Mid-September: Applications open through Stanford Graduate Admissions

February 3, 2026: Applications Due

October 8, 2025: Knight-Hennessy Scholars applications due. Applicants who apply for the Knight-Hennessy Scholars fellowship must submit the admission application by December 1

Mid-April: Admission decision communications

Application Status Inquiries:

All applicants can check the status of applications (receipt of letters of recommendation, official transcripts, test scores) by logging into the application account Status Page. 

The selection of students admitted to the Department of Epidemiology & Population Health is based on an individualized, holistic review of each application, including (but not limited to) the applicant's academic record, letters of recommendation, General GRE (Graduate Record Examination) score, statement of purpose, personal qualities and characteristics, and past accomplishments.
 

Tuition:

Stanford tuition and fees can be found online. Eight to ten units/quarter is considered full-time graduate status at Stanford University. Most MS Epidemiology & Clinical Research students complete the program in five to six quarters.

Knight-Hennessy Scholars Applications:

Join dozens of Stanford Medicine students who receive up to three years of funding and valuable leadership skills as Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS).

KHS admits up to 100 applicants each year from across Stanford’s seven graduate schools, and delivers engaging experiences that prepare them to be visionary, courageous, and collaborative leaders ready to address complex global challenges. As a scholar, you join a multidisciplinary and multicultural cohort, participate in up to three years of KHS's leadership program, and receive full funding for up to three years of your graduate studies at Stanford.

Candidates of any country may apply. KHS applicants must have earned their first undergraduate degree within the last seven years, and must apply to both a Stanford graduate program and to KHS.

If you aspire to be a leader in your field, we invite you to apply. The KHS application deadline is October 8, 2025. Learn more about KHS admission.
 

Transitioning to Stanford:

The Department of Epidemiology and Population Health has established an ambassador program to support current and prospective students in their transition to Stanford. Ambassadors are current MS and PhD students within the department who have volunteered their time to help answer questions about programs, the department, and life at Stanford. Ambassadors do not review or help with the individual student applications but serve as an additional resource to help students navigate the transition to Stanford. Learn more.
 

Contact

For questions about the application process:
epidadmissions@stanford.edu