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Applying for Aid

You should not apply for financial aid until you are admitted to Stanford GSB. However, here is a look at the process.

Once you are admitted, you will have access to information and support to help you apply for aid. You will need to apply for financial aid each academic year that you are enrolled.

Required Application Materials

Student Materials to Submit
Domestic
  • FAFSA
  • CSS Profile
  • Prior year’s federal tax return, including all forms, schedules, W-2’s, and confirmation of tax filing status
International
  • CSS Profile
  • Most recent tax statement from any and all countries with which you worked

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

All U.S. citizens or permanent resident aid applicants must complete the FASFA. There is no processing fee and the FAFSA is required for all federal student aid eligibility. Although it is not necessary, we recommend completing prior year’s tax return before completing the FAFSA.

CSS Profile Application

All U.S. citizens and permanent residents who wish to be considered for a Stanford GSB fellowship, and all international students who wish to apply for any form of financial aid including loans, must complete the CSS Profile Application online. There is a $25 processing fee. You are expected to provide information for yourself and, if applicable, your spouse (or prospective spouse, if you are marrying on or before January 15). Parental information is not required. We recommend completing your prior year’s tax return before completing your CSS Profile.

Copies of Your Country’s Tax Return

If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you will provide signed copies of your most recent completed U.S. federal tax return to the Financial Aid Office, including copies of all schedules and copies of your W-2 forms. If applicable, you will submit copies of your spouse’s information (or prospective spouse as well, if you are marrying on or before January 15).

If you are an international student, provide copies of your most recent tax statement from any and all countries in which you worked to the Financial Aid Office.

More details about submitting your tax forms will be available once you are admitted to Stanford GSB.

Additional Financial Aid Documents

You may be notified by our office to submit additional forms in order to complete the financial aid application process.

Advice About Consumer Debt and Educational Loans

We strongly suggest that you do your best to repay consumer debt before attending Stanford. Federal Law specifically states that we cannot include consumer debts (i.e., credit cards, consumer loans, car loans) in the student budget. Therefore, we are unable to increase your cost of attendance to demonstrate additional financial aid eligibility to assist you in making payments for such debt. Moreover, we will not be able to decrease the value of your assets by the amount of consumer debt.

We encourage you to try to repay prior educational loans which cannot be deferred while attending Stanford GSB before entering the program. Though most U.S. government educational loans have deferment options for students enrolled at Stanford GSB, some educational loans may not. Therefore, we will not consider this a debt against your assets.