Applying to Stanford

Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program

Join the dozens of Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences students who gain valuable leadership skills in a multidisciplinary, multicultural community 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 distinguished cohort, participate in up to three years of KHS's leadership program, and receive full funding for up to three years of your studies at Stanford.

Qualifications:

Candidates from any country may apply.
KHS applicants must have earned their first undergraduate degree within the last seven years.
Applicants must apply to both a Stanford graduate program and to KHS. Stanford Ph.D. students may also apply to KHS during their first year of Ph.D. enrollment.

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.

The application for admission for the Academic Year 2026-27 will open on September 15, 2025. Please return to this page throughout the admissions cycle for the most up-to-date information about the admission process and requirements.

Stanford’s Office of Graduate Admissions begins accepting graduate program applications in mid-September for students wishing to be considered for admission to the Economics Ph.D. program the following September. The application deadline for the Economics Ph.D. is December 3, 2025 (11:59pm Pacific Time).

We uphold and advance Stanford's values by maintaining recruitment activities that are accessible and free from discrimination. Learn more about Stanford Values and Commitment to Compliance.

Stanford is committed to fostering intellectual excellence in graduate education by enrolling a diverse student body and creating a vibrant and supportive educational environment. The Department of Economics welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of life experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars. Review of applications is holistic and individualized, considering each applicant’s academic record and accomplishments, letters of recommendation, and admissions essays in order to understand how an applicant’s life experiences have shaped their past and potential contributions to their field.

As a department, we strive to admit applicants with the potential to excel at economic research and/or the potential to apply economics to benefit society, and who themselves contribute to a rich educational environment for our students. At least one and usually multiple faculty members serving on our Ph.D. admissions committee gives an individualized and holistic review to every complete application submitted to our Ph.D. program.

Application Materials

Application forms cannot be downloaded, and materials must be submitted online.
No additional materials will be accepted after the deadline.
The following are required:

Official GRE scores

The Economics Department requires an official GRE score for admission. It will be evaluated holistically with your application. Please be sure to take the GRE early enough to submit your scores by the December application deadline.

Statement of purpose

A statement of purpose, should be a maximum of 250 words.

Enriching the Learning Community

You may submit this optional additional statement but it should be no longer than 250 words.

Three letters of recommendation

Faculty often need time to write these recommendations, so please contact them early in the process so they can submit their letters by the deadline.

Only one letter is advised from your pre-doc employer. Other letters should be from economic academics or researchers who know you, as we find this provides richer information for our admissions process. If you have more than one PreDoc advisor that wants to write a letter we would suggest they co-sign your one letter.

Writing sample

A writing sample of up to 10 pages may be uploaded into the application.

Unofficial transcripts

Please upload scanned (unofficial) copies of transcripts from every college and university you attended for at least one full year as a full-time student.

Do not send official transcripts at this time. Do not send anything by mail; it must all be uploaded to the application online.

Official transcripts should be sent to the central university admissions office (not the Department) at the time you accept an offer of admission.

Proof of Bachelor's degree or equivalent

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. Minimum level of study required of International applicants.

English Proficiency Test TOEFL/IELTS

For applicants whose first language is not English

TOEFL iBT Academic scores are required for applicants whose first language is not English, with some exceptions. You must meet the minimum score for admission consideration.

Coursework spreadsheet

Stanford’s Economics Department also requires that students complete a coursework spreadsheet as part of the online application. This is required because we receive and review transcripts from many schools, and it is extremely helpful for us to review applicants’ economics-related coursework in a standardized format. Stanford's course catalog will likely help determine which Stanford courses are most similar to those you have taken.

Application fee

The non-refundable application fee is $125. Fee waivers are available for individuals needing assistance.

Optional Economics Mentoring Program

The EMP is an independent student-run program whose goal is to help students interested in an economics PhD connect with graduate student mentors.

Economics Mentoring Program

Many students interested in an economics PhD experience disparate degrees of support in the application process. The Economics Mentoring Program (EMP, formerly known as AAMP) aims to mitigate these caps by helping students connect with graduate student mentors in the economics PhD programs at Berkeley, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, or Yale. These mentors can provide:

Advice on graduate school and fellowship applications, including questions about the application process and feedback on application materials.
Information about economics research, life as a PhD student or in an academic career, for students who are deciding whether a PhD in economics is the right choice for them.

The EMP welcomes participation among students at various stages of their economics studies, including undergraduates and college graduates. The EMP is open to students who are curious about the academic economics experience and interested in figuring out if it’s right for them.

Interested participants should fill out the application linked below. We will accept applications until July 22, 2025. Mentorship will begin over the summer and continue through Fall 2025. Mentees who prefer to meet for a single “coffee chat” may indicate their preference on the form. We will do our best to match all interested applicants with a mentor; however, demand may exceed the availability of mentors.

Please note that the EMP is a volunteer-based, student-run program. This program is not considered part of the admissions process for the economics PhD at Berkeley, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, or Yale, nor will any student's participation in the EMP be considered by the graduate admissions committee at any school.

Please direct any questions to economicsmentoring [at] gmail.com (economicsmentoring[at]gmail[dot]com). To join the program, please click the link below to fill out the form. For more information, please visit our website:

Website link: www.economicsmentoringprogram.com

EMP application form link: https://forms.gle/PpdSt3SsekHDc8Gq5

Resources

If you have any questions throughout this process, please contact econ-grad [at] stanford.edu (econ-grad[at]stanford[dot]edu).

Stanford’s Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education provides several resources about life at Stanford.