Application Resources

"Two of the most important factors for a happy and productive graduate student experience include the student's fit with their potential advisor, and the physical location of where they will be spending the next 5+ years. Other factors are malleable, but these are usually fixed, and incredibly important!"
                                                                                                                                           --Advice from a current PhD student

Applying to graduate school can be both an exciting and a frustrating experience. In the Oceans Department, we are committed to making the application process both transparent and inclusive. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact: Raksha Doddabele (rakshad@stanford.edu), Prerana Gawde (preranag@stanford.edu), Will Johnson (willmjoh@stanford.edu) or Jayde Meng (jayde@stanford.edu).

Oceans Applicant Resource (OAR) Mentor Program

The Oceans graduate students seek to encourage applicants who are new to the academic pipeline or from backgrounds who would contribute to the diversity of perspectives in the oceans sciences by mentoring prospective applicants to the Oceans PhD Program. The OAR program is particularly suited for students who hail from non-traditional backgrounds in the ocean sciences, including international students, or those who have faced significant hardship in their journey to graduate school. 

If you are interested in being paired with a current PhD student mentor, please sign up with this form before the application deadline of December 2, 2026. Our goal is to help answer questions about applying to graduate school, a process that can seem overwhelming. As a mentee in the OAR program, you will be paired with a graduate student mentor to receive advice over email or Zoom on our specific PhD program or general ocean sciences, including but not limited to:

  • Preparation of application materials
  • Communicating with prospective faculty mentors
  • The Oceans curriculum and graduate learning environment at Stanford
  • Living in Palo Alto and/or Monterey 

Participation in the OAR mentorship program has no effect on admissions decisions. The program is voluntarily run by current graduate students who are not involved with the admission process.

Oceans Graduate Admissions Virtual Open House

October 15, 2026 | 2-3:00 PM

We hope you will join us to learn more about the Oceans department at Stanford!  RSVP here.

Event Agenda: 

  • Overview of the Oceans Department
  • Faculty Lightening Talks
  • Q&A with Oceans faculty
  • Q&A session with Oceans graduate students

Requirements

  • U.S. Bachelor's degree or its foreign equivalent
  • Stanford Graduate application
  • Non-refundable application fee of $125 (or fee waiver found here)
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Three Letters of Recommendation (a maximum of four letters will be accepted)
  • Transcripts - Unofficial transcripts from all universities and colleges you've attended for one year or more must be uploaded to the online application.  Graduate Admissions only requires admitted applicants who accept the offer of admission to submit official transcripts that shows their degree conferral. Please do not send or have sent any official transcripts to us at this time.
  • English Proficiency Test (TOEFL/IELTS) (required for non-native English speakers)
  • A current Curriculum Vitae/Resume

Application Status

To check your application status, click here to Visit Your Status Page.