Frequently Asked Questions
QuestionCategories:
Applying
to Graduate Study in EE / Application Requirements
Which
degree objective should I select on the application form?
Please select
the degree you ultimately seek to obtain from Stanford. For
example,
if you hold a Bachelor's degree and desire to study for the Ph.D.,
indicate Ph.D. on the application. If you desire a Master's
degree, select the Master's degree option.
What
are the minimum GRE and GPA requirements?
There is no minimum
GRE or GPA requirement. The Admissions Committee reviews each
aspect of
every application before coming to a
decision.
I
am in the first term of my Master's program. Do I need to
send transcripts from my current school?
Yes. We need your academic records from every college or
university you have
attended, including your current program, even if you have not been
there full-time for a full year.
My
University provides only one official copy of a transcript. I
cannot get another copy. What shall I do?
In this case, please
send us a copy of the official transcript in your possession.
Make sure
the copy is in English. It does not have to be certified if
this is
difficult. We will use this working copy to assess your
application.
If you are granted admission and accept the offer, we will need the
official
copy. You may then work out an appropriate solution with the
Office of the
University Registrar.
Does
the 4000 letter restriction on the statement of purpose include spaces
and punctuation?
Yes. Please
reduce the size if the statement does not meet this
requirement.
I
have a few publications and a resume. May I send them via
post?
No.
In an effort to save money, paper and time,
please upload information to a
web site and send EE
Admissions
the
appropriate URL(s).
We will add it/them to your file.
Where
should I send my supporting documents?
Remember that the
department only requires that you send hard copies of your academic
records (i.e., official
transcripts). DO
NOT
SEND ANY OTHER PAPER DOCUMENTS TO THE EE ADMISSIONS OFFICE
(i.e.,
resumes, CV, publications, reports, financial documents, etc)!
Send official transcripts to the following address:
-
Stanford University Department of Electrical Engineering Graduate Admissions Office 350 Serra Mall Stanford University Stanford, CA 94305-9505
I
am applying to the Honors Cooperative Program. Do I need to
submit a
different application?
No. The application process for the Honors Cooperative and
full
time programs is the same. Use the same forms and fill out
the Honors
Cooperative section. As a Honors Cooperative applicant, you
are eligible to
apply for admission to any quarter. Please be cognizant of Application
Deadlines.
See the Honors
Cooperative section of our website for further
information.
May
I waive the application fee?
US citizens and permanent
residents may request a waiver if the fee would cause
significant
hardship. Such a waiver is granted only to applicants who
also possess a
GRE waiver. Decisions are made by Central
Graduate Admissions and not by
the department. Please contact them for further information.
What
is the definition of Technical Grade Point Average I should use on the
Supplemental
Information Form?
All engineering courses (except technical writing),
mathematics, computer science and hard sciences (chemistry,
physics) should count toward overall
technical GPA.
What
if my current institution does not have a grade-point
average? What if
we have
percentile
scores?
In this case, please enter the percentile score only. Do
not type an explanation and do not normalize to a 4.00 scale.
GRE/TOEFL
Do
I need to submit a GRE test score with my application?
Yes, all applicants
to Stanford University must submit a valid GRE General
Test score. This is a University requirement that cannot be
waived
by
the Department. EE
does not require any subject
scores. All three
sections of the general GRE test (verbal,
quantitative and analytical) are required.
What
is the deadline for GRE/TOEFL scores?
The deadline for submitting supplemental admission documents, including
test scores, is the same as the application deadline. You are
responsible for ensuring the scores arrive at Stanford by the relevant
deadline. Be sure to self-report all available
scores on the
application and have the official scores sent immediately to Stanford
University at institution code 4704.
Do
I have my test scores sent to the EE department directly or to Stanford?
Please
have all test scores sent directly to Stanford by
ETS. Stanford's school code is 4704.
You do not need to indicate a department code.
The scores will be electronically routed to the EE
department. If you input a department code, do not
worry, the scores will still be sent to us.
I've
taken the GRE more than once. Which score will be
received/reviewed?
The EE Department will receive all scores from tests taken within the
past 5 years.
All scores will be reviewed.
Does
the EE department require a subject test?
No, we do not. The general test is all we require.
I've
already taken the GRE/TOEFL. Is my test still valid?
GRE scores are
valid for 5 years. TOEFL scores are valid for 18
months. In order to ensure your scores have not expired,
please contact the Education
Testing Service.
We receive official scores
from them. They will have the answer.
When
should I take the GRE/TOEFL?
We strongly recommend taking
all exams early in the fall. This will ensure scores arrive
in a timely
fashion. Stanford receives scores directly from the Education Testing
Service. Inquiries
regarding transmission timelines must be directed to
them. However, you are responsible for having the score(s)
submitted by the application
deadline. Stanford's school code is 4704.
I
took the GRE and have informed
ETS to forward my scores to Stanford University.
Could you
please confirm that my scores were received?
Once
you have submitted an application, your GRE scores will be
sent electronically
by ETS. In order to ensure scores are
received, please use the same name and birthday as
entered on the application to Stanford. Be patient as
test score delivery can take up to 3
weeks. Due to
the large volume of
applications our office receives, we are unable to personally answer
inquiries
regarding the status of your test scores. For a status of
your application, please go
the following
web site: http://ee-admissions.stanford.edu/forms/apply-status.php.
Follow the instructions and
you
will receive a status report via email.
Do
I need to submit a TOEFL test score with my application?
Adequate command of spoken and written English is required for
admission. TOEFL
scores are
required of all applicants whose first language is not English.
Exceptions are granted for: 1) applicants who have earned a U.S.
Bachelor's or Master's degree from a college or university accredited
by a regional accrediting association in the United States or 2) the
equivalent or either degree from a non-US college or university of
recognized standing where all instruction is provided in English.
This exception does not apply if the courses were completed
in a country where English is spoken but not all courses were provided
in English. Being a US citizen does not automatically exempt
an applicant from taking the TOEFL; if the applicant's first language
is not English, the applicant must meet the exception above or submit
TOEFL scores.
This is a
University requirement and cannot be waived by the
department.
What
if my unique circumstance may warrant an exemption from the TOEFL test?
If the case, in your assessment, warrants an exception not mentioned in
the question above, please contact the EE
Admissions Office.
Do
I need to take the TSE exam?
No. We do not require the TSE exam. The TOEFL is
sufficient.
My
goal is to complete a Master's degree by the time I would enroll at
Stanford. Do I still need to take the TOEFL?
If the Master's
degree meets the proper criteria (mentioned above) and the degree is
completed by the time you would enroll at
Stanford,
you do not need to take the TOEFL.
Updating
Application and Checking Status
IN ORDER TO UPDATE THE APPLICATION AND/OR CHECK YOUR STATUS, YOU MUST FIRST SUBMIT STANFORD'S ONLINE APPLICATION. PLEASE WAIT 48 HOURS AND THEN PROCEED.
How
may I
check my application status?
In order to see the status of your application,
go to the following website:
http://ee-admissions.stanford.edu/forms/apply-status.php
USE THE EMAIL ADDRESS LISTED IN THE APPLICATION YOU SUBMITTED. Follow the instructions carefully. You will immediately receive an email with status information.
How
may I add new grades or change my Statement of Purpose?
In order
to add grades or send a new Statement of Purpose, go to the following
web
site:
http://ee-admissions.stanford.edu/forms/apply-status.php
Follow the instructions carefully. You will immediately receive an email with your status information. Follow the links in this email to update a transcript or statement of purpose. WE CANNOT UPDATE INDIVIDUAL GRADES; YOU MUST SUBMIT A TRANSCRIPT. Remember both the transcript and statement have size limitations. If you cannot perform the above, please send an email to the EE Admissions Office right away.
How
many times may I check my status or update my application?
During the application submission period, you may
check your application status as many times as you want.
Please
remember the
Admissions Office requires 48 hours to update any
information you upload. You may
also update grades and your statement as many times as you
wish.
However,
please remember the Admissions Office monitors these submissions and
reserves
the right to deny your request. NO REQUESTS WILL BE
ACCEPTED ONCE THE APPLICATION REVIEW BEGINS.
Will
official transcript(s) receipt be reflected in the stutus check?
What items are reflected in the status check?
The status check feature does not reflect receipt of official
transcripts. If these are missing, the EE Admissions Office
will notify you via email. The items reflected on the status
check are the
following: GRE and TOEFL scores, uploaded PDFs of unofficial
transcripts, uploaded text version of statement of purpose and letters
of recommendation.
May
I check admission decisions using the status inquiry?
No. Admissions decisions will not be communicated via the
status
inquiry page. You will be contacted directly by the
EE Admissions
Office via email. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT
THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE ASKING
ABOUT
ADMISSION
DECISIONS.
I
am an Honors Cooperative Program applicant. Can I check the
status of my application?
Yes.
In order to see the status of your application,
go to the following website:
http://ee-admissions.stanford.edu/forms/apply-status.php
USE THE EMAIL ADDRESS LISTED IN THE APPLICATION YOU SUBMITTED. Follow the instructions carefully. You will immediately receive an email with status information.
Transfer
of Credits
How
many courses may I transfer
toward my degree at Stanford?
No credit toward the Master's degree may be
transferred. A maximum of 45 units may be transferred toward
the
Engineer or Ph.D. degrees. For detailed information, please
see the
Office
of the Registrar.
How
many NDO units may count toward the HCP graduate degree?
A maximum of 18 units may be transferred toward the HCP
graduate degree. These units must meet
departmental
requirements.
Deferral
of Admission
I
was admitted to graduate study in the EE department.
May I defer my admission to a later quarter?
EE
department policy is not to allow deferrals. We have,
however, permitted
deferrals of one quarter. Further deferral is most
difficult. If
you feel your circumstance warrants a deferral, please send an email to
the
EE
Admissions
Office detailing your
reason(s). Please allow a few weeks for a
decision.
Housing
Where
can I find out information on graduate student housing on
campus?
You can find information on housing on their website at
http://www.stanford.edu/dept/hds/shs/index.html.
I
was granted a deferral, do I need to reapply for on Campus housing?
Yes.
You will be sent a new student information packet, including the
housing application, shortly before the new quarter.
Non Degree Option/Honors Cooperative Program Student Concerns
My
company has given me a leave of
absence in order to finish my degree. May I change my status
from
part-time to full-time study?
Yes. Please contact the Stanford
Center for Professional Development
for the appropriate form. They
will route the form to the EE department for approval. You
will receive a formal notice from the SCPD office when the process is
complete.
What
should I do if a class is not offered though the Stanford Center for
Professional Development?
Contact the professor
teaching the course in question, explain your concern and discuss your
academic and professional background. The Professor can best
evaluate whether you are sufficiently prepared to pursue the course.
I
am not sure if my background or previous course work meets a course
pre-requisite.
How may I find out?
Please visit the EE
Course
Advisor website.
Here you will find a pre-requisite chart. If this does not
help, send
the course advisor an email.
I
want to apply for Autumn quarter start but the online application does
not
have it listed? What should I do?
In this case, please apply to any
available quarter. After submitting the application,
immediately
email the EE
Admissions
Office indicating interest in the Autumn quarter.
Please send us this information along with your full name as it appears
on the application.
I
want to apply to a quarter that is not listed on the online
application? What should I do?
In this case, please apply to any
available term. After submitting the application, immediately
email the EE
Admissions
Office indicating the quarter you wish to be considered
for. Please send us this information along with your
full name as it appears on the application.
How
many NDO units may count toward the HCP graduate degree?
Stanford
will permit a maximum of 18 units. These units must meet
departmental
requirements.
In June, the online application link becomes inactive due to preparation for the coming application season. Apply using a paper application. Read instructions on this site's Application and Admission Information page.
I have taken Non Degree Option courses. Must I incoporate these into my Honors Cooperative Program application?
Yes. List the courses in the supplemental information form and supply EE with an official transcript.
Commonly
Requested Forms
If you are applying from outside Stanford University, please
consult the
Procedures section of this web
site for instructions. Non-Stanford applicants
must submit an online application.
Contact Information
Graduate Admissions Office
Department of Electrical Engineering
350 Serra Mall
Stanford University
Stanford CA 94305-9505
Email: mailto:admissions@ee.stanford.edu
Telephone:
650-723-4114
Fax: 650-723-1882
