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Graduate Application Information Session

Application for Fall 2026

Civil and Environmental Engineering Department

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• Nan Hwa Aoki, Director of Student and Academic Services, CEE
• Tina Wu, Assistant Director for Recruitment and University Partnership
• Kate Shcherbakova, Admissions Officer, CEE

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Graduate CEE Programs

• Atmosphere/ Energy (MS)
• Environmental Engineering (MS)
• Structural Engineering (MS)
• Mechanics and Computation (MS)
• Sustainable Design and Construction (MS)
• Sustainable Engineered Systems (MS), available exclusively in a hybrid online/on-campus format
• Engineer degree (ENG - SDC)
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

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Timeline and Deadlines

Application is now open!

Deadline for all CEE graduate applications: Dec 2, 2025 (11:59 PM, PST)

No late applications are allowed. Make sure to submit on time!

Application timeline

Access online application

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for an application fee waiver?

• Apply directly through the application.
• Most common reason fee waivers are denied is students don’t answer the prompts. Make sure you read the questions carefully.
• Submit fee waivers early! Don’t wait until the last minute.
• The deadline to receive your fee waiver request is 10 business days (two weeks) before your intended graduate program’s application deadline. How to apply

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I am eligible for an application fee waiver?

• To qualify for the GRE Fee Reduction Waiver, applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents who have received a GRE Fee Reduction Voucher from ETS.
• School-based Fee Waiver (School of Engineering) – select only if you do not qualify for Program Participation Waiver.
• There are limited number of fee waivers to applicants experiencing financial hardship. Preference is given to low-income, first-generation domestic applicants. International students who are low-income and first generation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• International students who are low-income and first generation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• Whether approved or denied, it does not affect the likelihood of your admission into a graduate program.

How to apply

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the department require official transcripts, or will unofficial versions suffice?

• Official documents are required only after you accept the offer of admission, not during the application process. Do not arrange for any official transcripts to be sent to the department or Stanford graduate admissions until that time.
• Upload copies of your transcripts/academic records (including any legends/keys) directly into the online application. Your scans must be legible since the Admissions Committee will use them in their review process.

Official transcripts and degree conferral documents

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I accidentally uploaded an old document, can I send you updated documents over email?

• We cannot accept application materials over email, in person, or anything other than the official application platform. Please double check your work before submitting. You will not be able to add any application materials once you submit, even if it’s before the deadline (December 2^nd, 2025).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do students fund themselves while they are in the CEE graduate programs?

• CEE PhD students making good academic progress are funded throughout the duration of their academic program.
• CEE MS and CEE Engineer degrees are self funded programs, so students pay out of pocket, take out loans, apply for financial aid and look for jobs on campus.

More information about graduate funding

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a WES evaluation mandatory or would a transcript from a country where English is the primary language suffice?

Institutions in China: We require your transcript and degree certificate to be verified by the China Credentials Verification agency (CSSD). All verification reports and any academic records should be issued in the English language.

All other institutions outside the United States: We require a credential evaluation from World Education Services.

Official transcripts and degree conferral documents

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the department waive the TOEFL/ IELTS requirement for international applicants who have studied in English-medium institutions?

Effective for applicants starting graduate study in 2026 Stanford will accept IELTS Academic test scores. You are not required to submit English proficiency test scores if you meet one or more of the following criteria:

• You are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• Your first language is English.
• You earned a U.S. bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, or international equivalent from a university where all instruction was conducted in English.
• You have two or more consecutive years of full-time professional or educational experience in English, in the past 10 years.

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English Proficiency Test

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How do I prove that I am eligible for a TOEFL/ IELTS Waiver?�

You will not be required to submit English proficiency test scores in the application if your responses on the Personal Background page reflect that you meet the above criteria; no additional documentation is required at the time of application. If you are offered admission and accept the offer, you may be required to submit supporting documentation as a condition of admission.

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If you do not meet any of the criteria listed above, then at the time of application you are required to submit an official test score TOEFL (iBT) or IELTS Academic. Stanford considers English proficiency test scores to be valid for two years (earliest valid test day Sept 1, 2023). English Proficiency Test

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the minimum requirements of TOEFL, GPA and GRE for applying for a graduate degree at Civil and Environmental Engineering Department?

• A minimum GPA is not required for graduate admissions at CEE.
• GRE scores are not considered.
• Minimum TOEFL score requirements are: CEE PhD - 100; CEE MS – 89
• Minimum IELTS score requirements are: CEE PhD – 7.5; CEE MS - 7

If you score below 109 on the TOEFL and 8 on IELTS and you are admitted, you will likely be required to complete additional English placement testing prior to the start of classes.

Grad program application eligibility requirements

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it mandatory to secure a faculty advisor prior to applying?

No, you do not have to reach out to a faculty member prior to applying. In your statement of purpose, you should succinctly describe your reasons for applying to the CEE Graduate Program you are interested in, which may include:

• Your reasons for applying to the proposed program at Stanford, preparation for this field of study, research interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests that may aid the admission committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study.
• For PhD program applicants:
• Include faculty member’s research that is of specific interest to you
• List any faculty you are interested in working with (may list up to 3)

How to apply

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my recommenders submit their LORs after the application deadline?

Please note that we cannot guarantee the review of materials, including letters of recommendation, received after the deadline.

How to apply

Office of Access, Belonging & Community

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The Office of Access, Belonging & Community at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability advances recruitment and retention initiatives to attract and foster broad talent across our student, staff, and faculty populations.

We aim to accomplish three main goals for the school:

• ACCESS – Plant pathways and opportunities in the field of Sustainability
• BELONGING – Cultivate our talent while nurturing a strong sense of belonging
• COMMUNITY – Grow a flourishing SDSS community by embracing our rich tapestry of perspectives and backgrounds

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Lupe Carrillo, PhD

Assistant Dean for Access, Belonging & Community

lupec@stanford.edu

Tina Wu, PhD

Assistant Director for Recruitment & Partnerships

ktinawu@stanford.edu

José Rubio-Zepeda, MSCRP, MA

Assistant Director for Belonging

jdrubiozep@stanford.edu

Describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program at Stanford, your preparation for this field of study, research interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the admission committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study. The maximum recommended length is 1,000 words.

Tuesday November 5, 2024 | Department of Geophysics Graduate Admission Webinar 17

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Statement of purpose

Stanford University welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of experiences, interests, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars. We invite you to share the lived experiences, demonstrated values, perspectives, and/or activities that shape you as a scholar and would help you to make a distinctive contribution to Stanford University.

Tuesday November 5, 2024 | Department of Geophysics Graduate Admission Webinar 18

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Enriching the learning community statement

Established in 2021, this award supports outstanding incoming graduate students who have demonstrated academic excellence and leadership in building community and inclusion and show the potential to continue this work in their admitted programs.

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Student can talk about this leadership in the Enriching the Learning Community Statement (optional) in their application.

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Program elements:

• Salary and tuition support for the first year of graduate studies at the Doerr School of Sustainability
• Cohort-based community building and professional development
• Annual lunch with the Dean
• Up to $3000 for professional development, research needs, and attendance to professional conferences
• Students do not need to apply separately. Faculty will nominate based on your application and the Enriching the Learning Community Statement

Dean’s Graduate Scholars Award

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1. ETS GRE Fee Reduction Waiver

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Eligibility: U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents who obtain GRE fee reduction code

Deadline: At least 10 business days before application deadline

Necessary: GRE Fee Reduction Code (PDF File Upload of Email Received)

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2. Program Participation Fee Waiver

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Eligibility: Applicants who are participants in good standing in one of the programs listed online

Deadline: At least 10 business days before application deadline

Necessary: Program Participation Verification Form

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3. School-Based Fee Waiver

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Applicants who do not qualify for the GRE or Program Participation waivers may request an application fee waiver directly from the school they'll be applying to. You should only request a School-Based waiver if you do not qualify for the GRE or Program Participation waivers.

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Deadline: At least 10 business days before application deadline

Necessary: Short responses to short supplemental questions

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For more information, visit: https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/apply/application-fee

Fee waiver options

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Other resources

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• Doerr School of Sustainability Graduate Programs
• Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Office of Access, Belonging & Community Resources for Prospective Students
• Meet a Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Community Member
• Stanford Humanities & Sciences Guide on Getting into Grad School

More Useful Links

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1. Graduate Admissions: FAQ
2. CEE Graduate Admissions: FAQ
3. CEE Graduate Degrees
4. Graduate Residency Transfer Credit
5. Eligibility

Questions?

Please email CEE Admissions at �cee-admissions@stanford.edu

Thank you!