Graduate Application Process

You are eligible for admission to graduate programs at Stanford as long as you have either completed a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. college or university accredited by a regional accrediting association; or completed an international degree that is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree from a college or university of recognized standing.

No, applications will be submitted during autumn quarter for matriculation in the following autumn quarter/in the following academic year (e.g. apply in autumn for matriculation in autumn of the following academic year).

You may apply to only one degree program per academic year; however, you may only apply concurrently to one departmental program and to a professional school program (law, medicine or business). Please refer to https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/apply/faq.

The Department of Anthropology does not offer this option. Students should apply directly to the PhD degree program in Anthropology. Current PhD students, either in the Department of Anthropology or at another PhD program within Stanford, can request to fulfill the M.A. degree requirements on the way to the PhD degree. The Department of Anthropology does not offer a terminal M.A. to non-Stanford students.

Stanford University offers several fee reduction programs. For additional information on this University policy, please see https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/apply/application-fee.

The Department of Anthropology does not offer a fee waiver.

Applicants are welcome to tour the department and to make an appointment to meet with the Student Services Officer.

Those applicants who wish to tour the campus to learn more about the University should contact the Visitor’s Center https://visit.stanford.edu/basics/visitor_center.html.

Yes, please upload all application articles directly to the online application.

Please upload all application articles directly to the online application. 

Please review the information detailed on the department webpages

The department’s offer of admission is based on the student’s representation of accurate information in the graduate application. A degree in process and pending completion must be completed by the graduate applicant. The Registrar office of Graduate Admission policy on representation and authenticity is listed at the Stanford Right of Verification policy located at https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/applying/submit-your-application.

Applications are reviewed holistically to assess their promise for teaching and research careers. Greater emphasis may be placed on the statement of purpose and letters of recommendation. Faculty from the Department of Anthropology represent the department’s Graduate Admissions Committee each year – usually about six faculty, with two faculty from each of the department tracks.

Decisions and notifications are usually made by mid-March and sent electronically via an email prompt by way of the ApplyYourself applicant profile. Please do not call the Department of Anthropology to inquire about the status of your application. The application status for materials received can be checked via the applicant’s web-based account.

Each year, the Department of Anthropology receives many competitive applications to the PhD program for very few funded openings. As with the PhD program, the department also receives many competitive applications to the Coterminal MA program for very few non-funded openings.

You may (re)apply to a particular degree program in a subsequent application season. Regardless of a first-time application or a (re) application, the prospective applicant is required to submit an on-line application by the published deadline and pay the application fee for each application submitted.

The department is not able to provide specific information related to individual applications. The admissions decisions have been based on an assessment of the qualifications of the applicant relative to the unique applicant pool in a given admissions season.

No, the department does not allow deferral of admission.