Undergraduate aid is need-based
Stanford describes undergraduate financial assistance as need-based rather than a broad merit scholarship programme. Aid is evaluated from the family’s financial circumstances and the university’s process. Students should use the official aid estimator and current application forms to determine which documents and deadlines apply. A university aid policy does not mean every admitted student receives the same package; eligibility, demonstrated need and programme details influence the result.
Official references: International Students — Financial Aid; Graduate Aid at Stanford.
International undergraduates must request aid when applying
International first-year applicants who want need-based aid must indicate that request on the admission application. Stanford’s policy says the request is considered in admission review for international applicants. If an international student applies without requesting aid and later enrolls, the ability to request undergraduate aid later is restricted under the stated policy. Therefore, applicants should decide before submitting whether they will seek assistance and read the current policy carefully; this is an important admissions and financing choice, not merely a post-admission form.
Official references: International Students — Financial Aid; Graduate Aid at Stanford.
Graduate funding is school and programme dependent
Graduate funding is commonly organized by school or department. Available sources can include fellowships, research or teaching assistantships, grants and loans, with eligibility and duration varying by degree. Applicants should ask the intended programme what funding is considered automatically with admission, what requires a separate application, whether summer support is included and what conditions apply to renewal. A department’s funding model should not be generalized to all Stanford graduate students.
Official references: International Students — Financial Aid; Graduate Aid at Stanford.
Doctoral support differs from master’s support
Doctoral support and master’s funding are not interchangeable. Stanford’s graduate financial-aid guidance describes continuous funding for PhD and DMA students in good standing up to the first five years, subject to the stated terms; master’s students more often rely on external awards, employment options or loans. Individual departments may provide different packages and timelines. Compare the written offer, including stipend period, tuition coverage, health costs and teaching/research obligations. Do not assume that a graduate admission offer includes a full scholarship.
Official references: International Students — Financial Aid; Graduate Aid at Stanford.
Knight-Hennessy is a separate competitive route
Knight-Hennessy Scholars offers a separate competitive pathway for eligible graduate study. The programme describes funding for up to three years, including tuition and fees, a stipend and travel support under its terms. Applicants must submit the Knight-Hennessy application as well as apply to the Stanford graduate degree programme, and selection is not automatic with admission to either. Review the current cohort timeline, degree eligibility, leadership criteria and funding limitations directly on the programme site.
Official references: International Students — Financial Aid; Graduate Aid at Stanford.
Separate scholarship eligibility from admission
For each potential award, note citizenship or residency limits, degree eligibility, required application, separate deadline, renewal criteria and what costs it covers. Distinguish a scholarship from assistantship compensation and from a loan. For undergraduates, understand the need-based process and documentation. For graduate applicants, contact the specific department about its package and whether the offer is guaranteed for multiple years. Keep funding claims tied to the stated academic year and the award’s own terms.
Official references: International Students — Financial Aid; Graduate Aid at Stanford.
Plan after the award is issued
After receiving an admission decision, compare the aid notice with the billed tuition category, estimated living expenses and any uncovered periods. Check whether external awards reduce institutional aid, whether employment has work-hour limits, and how funding changes during summer or leave. Use written award documents for budgeting. Stanford’s central pages explain policy, but the financial aid office or department is the source for an individual award interpretation.
Official references: International Students — Financial Aid; Graduate Aid at Stanford.
Practical details for planning
Funding research should happen alongside programme selection. For an undergraduate family, estimate need using Stanford’s current calculator and collect tax, income, asset and household records in the format the financial aid office requests. International families should verify which documents are accepted and when translations are needed. Graduate applicants can ask the department whether fellowship consideration is automatic, whether assistantship positions are limited, and whether the stated support covers summer months and health expenses. Read whether funding is contingent on satisfactory progress, teaching assignments or a particular research group. External awards may have their own citizenship, field or return-service conditions and may interact with institutional support. Maintain a decision calendar so that an external scholarship deadline does not arrive after the university offer response date. These steps do not predict an award; they make the financing decision informed and auditable.
Official references: International Students — Financial Aid; Graduate Aid at Stanford.
Applicant planning notes
Students should compare net cost rather than headline scholarship labels. For need-based undergraduate aid, examine the official calculation and required documents; do not assume a family contribution estimate from another institution will match Stanford’s process. For graduate packages, separate fellowship, assistantship wages, tuition support and loans because each has different tax and service implications. Confirm duration, renewal conditions, workload and summer coverage in writing. Knight-Hennessy has its own selection and application timeline, so plan both submissions and verify degree eligibility. External awards can broaden options but may impose conditions or offset other aid. A written term-by-term budget helps identify any unfunded period before the student accepts an offer.
Official references: International Students — Financial Aid; Graduate Aid at Stanford.