Stanford Medicine seeks candidates who want to move the fields of medicine and biomedical sciences forward, whose past accomplishments show evidence for originality, creativity and a capacity for independent, critical thinking, who are academically ready to succeed at Stanford and whose personal qualities will serve them well in our profession.

The following resources and application materials are required as part of the admissions process for the entering class of 2019. Please refer to the timeline for details regarding notification of different admissions decisions.

Application to Stanford Medicine must be made through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS).

The AMCAS application deadline is September 29. The 2018 AMCAS Application will open for submission in early June. Extensions are not granted.  

Please do not send transcripts or letters of recommendation to our office.

A. Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)

Your test scores are sent automatically to the medical schools that you have designated. The MCAT must be taken within a four-year period, measured from the time you take the test to the point of intended matriculation.

In order for your application to be considered for the 2018-2019 Admissions cycle, at least 1 MCAT result after August 1, 2015  and before September 9, 2018 should be included in your application. While all of your MCAT scores within the AAMC database are viewed, the oldest MCAT accepted for your application to be considered is August 1, 2015. If your only available MCAT results are prior to that date, your application will not be accepted for this season. If you have further questions regarding this policy, please contact mdadmissions@stanford.edu.

You must inform us through your online AMCAS application if you are taking the MCAT at any time during the period of June-September 2018. Your application will be processed and made available for review after the new test score is received.  Failure to do so will result in your application being processed and reviewed with the most recent MCAT scores available.

B. Letters of Recommendation

All letters of recommendation must be submitted through the AMCAS Letters Service.

All letters of recommendation must have an official letterhead and signature. We request at least three but no more than six complete letters of recommendation from persons who know you well enough to evaluate your scholarly potential and promise as a physician and describe your personal qualities. Professors, instructors, thesis advisors or supervisors of special projects, clinical, volunteer or employment activities usually provide the most informative evaluations. These letters may be accompanied by an undergraduate school's premedical committee evaluation.

Once we receive your AMCAS application, you will receive an e-mail from the Office of MD Admissions inviting you to submit a Stanford Supplemental Application.  Avoid using a Hotmail email account for our application check your spam/junk folders as well.  All applicants will be invited to submit a Stanford Supplemental Application.

Invitations will be accompanied by directions for completing the Supplemental Application. We strongly suggest that you complete it as soon as possible.

A. Supplemental Deadline

The deadline for Supplemental Stanford Application is October 22, 2018 (11:59 p.m. PST). It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all materials arrive on time. Applicants can check the Stanford MD Application website to see if materials for their supplemental application have been received.

B. Application Fees

An application fee must be paid (via credit card) at the time the Stanford Supplemental Application is submitted. Exceptions are made only for those applicants who apply for and receive a fee waiver by the AAMC Fee Assistance Program. Application fees for the Supplemental Application are non-refundable.

C. Personal Essays

The Stanford Supplemental Application requests additional information, including essay questions about your personal background and professional interests.

D. Application Updates

Updates to an application will be accepted only after an applicant has been invited to interview. Interview decisions are made based on information submitted in the AMCAS application, Stanford Supplemental Application, and letters of recommendation.

It is important that we maintain a consistent and equitable standard for all applications to be considered with the same basis of information. If applicable, additional information can be submitted after the day of your interview.

When submitting additional information, please indicate that you have been interviewed or we may not include updates with your file. Acceptable updates include any significant developments in scholarly endeavors or projects, or additional letters of recommendation. Please do not send additional coursework or transcripts unless we have specifically requested such information from you.

All applications will be reviewed for consideration of an interview. The earliest notifications regarding an interview invitation will be sent in July and continue on a rolling basis. The Office of MD Admissions will inform each candidate whether or not an interview will be granted.

Each candidate invited to interview will be notified by e-mail and will use our online scheduling system to select a date that is mutually agreeable. Interviews are in-person and will be held between September and March. 

Decisions will be released three times between January and March.

Admitted applicants are required to submit an enrollment deposit of $100 by April 30 to reserve a place in the fall entering class.  After April 30, the deposit is not refundable.  For candidates who eventually matriculate with the entering class the deposit is applied toward tuition and/or fees.  MSTP matriculates are required to pay the deposit as a MD requirement.  For MSTP matriculates, the deposit is NOT refunded, but applied toward fees that are not covered by the MSTP, e.g. the Stanford University matriculation fee.

Admitted applicants may petition, in writing, for deferral of matriculation. Deferrals may be approved for up to two years for reasons related to the personal and professional circumstances of the admitted applicant and the furtherance of her/his educational plans. The request for deferral should provide an appropriate degree of detail. The final decision is at the discretion of the Committee on Admissions.