Admissions
Before you Apply
Students are admitted to our graduate PhD program specifically to work with an individual faculty member (or two, if co-advised); please note that Oceans faculty are based on main campus in Palo Alto or at Hopkins Marine Station in Monterey Bay. Therefore, it is important that you familiarize yourself with the research conducted by departmental faculty (visit Faculty profiles.) It is strongly recommended that you reach out to individual faculty members directly to discuss their recruitment plans for the upcoming year, current research projects and how your background and goals may be a fit for their respective lab.
It is important to note that bringing together diverse opinions, experiences, backgrounds, and skills is an essential aspect of our interdisciplinary, solutions-based education, and research. The department encourages applications from individuals with non-traditional academic training, first-generation college students, international students, and others whose backgrounds and experiences would make significant contributions to a more diverse community.
For additional tips and information on applying to graduate school, please visit the Doerr School's Community Resources and advice from recent graduate students.
More information is available at Graduate Admissions or you can send general inquiries to oceansgradprogram@stanford.edu.
Oceans Virtual Open House
Friday, November 21, 2025 at 2:00 PM until 3:00 PM (PST)
The Department of Oceans is hosting a Graduate Admissions Virtual Open House on November 21, 2025 from 2:00-3:00 PM (PST). This is a great way to meeting faculty, students, and learn about the department and the PhD program.
Application Deadline
Applications to the Oceans graduate program must be received by the deadline of Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at 5:00 pm (PST) in order to be considered for 2026-27 admission cycle. Applications will open in mid-September.
Fee waiver requests are due by Tuesday, November 18, 2025.
Applicants to the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program must apply to that program by Wednesday, October 8, 2025, 1:00pm (PST), and apply separately to the Department of Oceans by December 2, 2025.
Fee Waivers
If you qualify for one of the following, you may request an application fee waiver. Submit your fee waiver request by the deadline and before you submit your online application for graduate study to ensure a timely decision.
| Type | Eligibility | Deadline to Request Waiver |
|---|---|---|
| GRE Fee Reduction Waiver | U.S. citizens or permanent residents who have received a GRE Fee Reduction Voucher from ETS | 10 business days (two weeks) before application deadline* |
| Diversity Program Participation Waiver | Participants in good standing in one of the listed diversity programs | 10 business days (two weeks) before application deadline* |
| School-Based Waiver | Those who meet School eligibility requirements and do not qualify for the GRE Fee Reduction Waiver or the Diversity Program Participation Waiver | 10 business days (two weeks) before application deadline* |
Application Status
Due to the high volume of applications, we cannot respond to individual inquiries about the status of an application or of documents submitted. We will accept letters of recommendation and official test scores after the regular application deadline. Decisions will be made on all applications by the end of March.
For more information about the application process and specific requirements, please visit Graduate Admissions.