Learn more about the additional application requirements for international applicants.
English Proficiency
We require scores from a valid TOEFL or IELTS exam for all applicants whose first language is not English.
TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for two years after the date of the exam. For questions about the validity of TOEFL scores, contact the Educational Testing Service. For questions about the validity of IELTS scores, contact IELTS.
Exemptions
Applicants are exempt from submitting TOEFL or IELTS scores if they have earned a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from an accredited college or university in which English was the only language of instruction.
We will verify exemptions and may require you to provide documentation from your institution confirming that English was the only language of instruction for your degree.
International Academic Credentials
You must hold, or expect to hold before enrollment at Stanford, a U.S. bachelor’s degree or its international equivalent from a college or university of recognized standing.
For applicants who earned their qualifying degree outside the United States: If you are unsure whether your international degree is considered equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree, we recommend using the degree equivalency tool offered by World Education Services (WES).
Academic Records from Foreign Institutions
Academic records should give detailed information on the content and quality of your performance, courses taken each year, and grades received. Degrees must be verified by official copies of diplomas or conferral statements on academic records.
If the institution does not issue records in English, original-language records must be submitted with translations. All translations must be literal and complete versions of the original records. All supporting material must be in English.
The university reserves the right to require additional academic documents. If we are unable to verify the nature or authenticity of your academic documents, you may be asked to obtain an evaluation from a foreign credential evaluation service.