M.S. Admissions Frequently Asked Questions

The information below adresses common questions about both the Statistics M.S. degree and the Data Science degree.

My mathematics background isn't that strong. Should I still apply?

A strong mathematics background, especially in probability, statistics and linear algebra, is important in the admission process. However, it is not the only factor that determines which applicants are admitted.  You may consider strengthening your math background and applying later, or just hope that factors such as breadth or research exprience will compensate for a relatively weak math background.

Are there any prerequisite courses?

No, there are no specific prerequisite courses to complete before applying. See the answer to the question above concerning a strong mathematics background and the types of courses one should excel at.

What are the minimum degree requirements of International students?

Academic credentials can be verified on the graduate admissions webpages: https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/applying/international-applicants

Do you offer pre-application assessment?

No, we do not evaluate your qualifications until we receive your application for admission. We look at your overall strengths and weaknesses and compare your profile against the larger applicant pool.

What is the difference between the Data Science track in ICME and Statistics?

The Data Science program curriculum requirements are exactly the same. The Data Science program in Statistics is intended as a terminal degree. Please refer to ICME M.S. Degree program page for department specifications (School of Engineering). Applicants can only apply to one program.

How do I apply for the Statistics Data Science track?

The application is the same as that of the Statistics Masters application process. Applicants should indicate their interest in the Data Science track by selecting Data Science from the "Specialization" section.

Program Selection:

Program Name: Statistics MS

Term: Autumn 2016-2017

next page

Departmental Specialization:

Only applicants who intend to pursue the Data Science subplan should select the specialization from the drop down menu.

[Data Science (STATSMS2) ]

Can I apply for the Data Science track as a coterm?

No, the Data Science track is not offered as a coterm degree. Students must apply through graduate admissions application system.

Do you offer an online degree?

No. The Department of Statistics does not offer an online M.S. degree. The department offers a few Statistics courses online through SCPD, mostly in summer, but the majority of courses must be completed on campus during normal business hours. Courses offered online are those listed on the SCPD website. The majority of required courses are NOT offered online, therefore it is not possible to complete the degree online.

Can I complete the Master's degree part-time?

SCPD offers what is known as the Honors Cooperative Program (HCP) for students to complete the Statistics Master's degree part-time (minimum 3 units per quarter). Students must be sponsored by an employer. Admitted (Stats MS) students can enroll as an HCP student, which allows a student to finish the degree within 5 years - taking courses part-time (http://gap.stanford.edu/5-2.html). This does not equate to an online degree program. The majority of courses are only offered on-campus. Students must apply through the normal graduate admissions process, and compete with all other applicants for admission to the program - NOT through SCPD. Please see: http://scpd.stanford.edu/programs/corporate-education/corporate-graduate-program

How do I apply for the Honors Co-op degree program in Statistics?

Students must apply through the normal graduate admissions process, and compete with all other applicants for admission to the program - NOT through SCPD. Please indicate in the Application Options section that you are interested in HCP and include your employer's information. See SCPD's website regarding the HCP degree program: http://scpd.stanford.edu/programs/corporate-education/corporate-graduate-program.

Is the Data Science track offered as a part-time degree (HCP)?

No, the Statistics Data Science track is not offered as a part-time degree (HCP). Only the Statistics Master's degree is offered as an HCP degree.

What are the deadlines?

Please refer to the appropriate section for either Internal or External applicants.

Where do I mail official transcripts?

Please mail your official transcripts to:

Statistics MS Graduate Admissions
Statistics Department, Sequoia Hall
390 Serra Mall, Room 127
Stanford University
Stanford, CA  94305

Official transcripts must be submitted to the department using an approved electronic method or by mailing hard copies. If possible, applicants are encouraged to use one of the electronic methods, as these options are eco-friendly and provide the same level of authenticity as official paper transcripts.

Electronic Transcript Submission

• Stanford accepts electronic transcripts that are digitally signed and certified by the institution. If your institution offers this service, transcripts (1) should be sent from the institution to stat-admissions-ms@lists.stanford.edu
• Students that have attended an institution(s) in China are encouraged to submit CHESICC verified credentials electronically. To initiate a request, go to your ApplyWeb Activity page.

The Department does not accept transcripts via FAX.

What is CHESICC?

Official transcripts from Chinese university's will now be processed via CHESICC and routed through graduate admissions application system. Students will still need to upload transcripts in the application, but will request processing of transcripts within the application via CHESICC. When your CHESICC electronic documents are processed and received by Stanford, studens will not need to send paper transcripts to the department.

For further details, please visit: https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/applying/starting-your-application/required-application-documents/transcripts-academic-records

Do transcripts have to be translated into English?

If the institution does not issue records in English, original language records must be submitted with official English translations. We accept translations issued by the institution or a professional translating service. Translations must be literal and complete versions of the original records. https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/applying/international-applicants/transcripts-academic-records

Applicants must submit official transcripts to the department. Stanford University's Graduate Admissions office does not accept third-party transcript credential service (WES, etc.).

Do I need to send my transcripts that reflect my grades for the current quarter/semester?

Please submit the most current version of your transcripts available at the time of application, even if your fall grades are not yet available. You do not need to submit an updated version of your transcript after the application deadline has passed.

Do I need to submit transcripts from my study abroad program or transferred courses?

If the course work and grades are reflected on the transcript of your home institution, you do not need to submit transcripts from the study abroad/transfer institution.

What is the Statistics department code for test score reporting?

Stanford's institution code for the GRE and TOEFL is 4704. No department code is required. You may leave that field blank.

How many applicants do you accept each year?

We receive upwards of 500 MS applications each year, and admit approximately 30 applicants for the Statistics M.S. program and 8 for the Data Science program each year.

Is there a minimum GPA/GRE test score in order to be considered for admission?

The Statistics Department does not have a minimum GPA or GRE score requirement. The evaluation of each applicant is based on all the materials in the file and is not exclusively based on test scores.

What are the average GRE and TOEFL scores of admitted applicants?

• Average General GRE scores (in percentiles) of admitted applicants:
  Verbal 83%, Quantitative 91%, Analytical Writing 52%
• Average Math Subject GRE score (percentile) of admitted applicants:
  (Ph.D. only) 82%
• Average TOEFL scores of admitted applicants:
  • 109 Total, Internet-Based
  • 28 Listening
  • 30 Reading
  • 25 Speaking
  • 27 Writing

Do I need to take the Gradaute Record Examination (GRE)?

All applicants to departmental graduate programs at Stanford must take the GRE, including applicants who have previously attended graduate school. The Statistics M.S. degree application only requires the general GRE and not the subject GRE.

My GRE/TOEFL scores are not recent. Will you accept them?

• GRE scores reported must be from tests taken within five years of your application submission date (if you took the GRE on October 1, 2011, you would need to submit the application and send scores to Stanford by October 1, 2016). Please make sure to have your electronic scores sent to Stanford prior to their expiration date.  ETS may be unable to send scores after they have expired.
• TOEFL scores submitted to Stanford must be from a test taken within the last 18 months. No scores are valid beyond the date ETS will send or resend them to schools. Tests must be taken prior to application submission and the program application deadline.
  

  The minimum TOEFL score required in order to be considered for admission is: 250 for the computer-based test, 600 for the paper-based test and 100 for the internet-based test. (https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/applying/starting-your-application/required-exams)

Can the GMAT score replace the GRE?

No, it cannot.

Can the department waive my TOEFL exam?

If you wish to verify that you do not have to take the TOEFL, please see Graduate Admissions Required Exams webpage: https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/applying/starting-your-application/required-exams.

Applicants with degrees from institutions in countries other than those listed in the above link and in which English was the only language of instruction must submit the TOEFL Waiver Request form in order to be evaluated for a waiver to the TOEFL requirement.

Once you have received confirmation from the Graduate Admissions Office that your TOEFL waiver request has been approved, you must forward this notification to stat-admissions-ms@lists.stanford.edu. Note: To bypass the entry of TOEFL scores in the application, enter a future test date. You can add in the additional information section of the application that you have received a waiver from Graduate Admissions.

• https://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/about/frequently-asked-questions/gre-and-toefl

We do not accept IELTS scores in lieu of the TOEFL.

I submitted my ETS scores and mailed my transcripts, yet the status of my application is still incomplete.

An incomplete status may be due to several reasons.

• Your ETS scores may not have been reconciled with your application yet. This process can take up to three weeks after the application has been submitted. The Statistics department does not facilitate this process in any way.
• Your transcript have not yet arrived to the department.
• Your transcripts have not yet been manually entered into your checklist by dept admin. Please realize that if you only recently submitted your application, we have not yet had time to enter your transcripts as received in your checklist. Please allow us 3-5 business days to attend to this.

What is the tuition rate for the M.S. program?

Tuition rates for the current academic year can be found in the Stanford bulletin: https://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/registrar/students/tuition-fees_15-16 You can expect the tuition rates for the following year (the year for which you are applying) will increase a few percentage points each year. Minimum enrollment for graduate students is 8 units. Most students take 10 units per quarter (8-10 unit rate is the same) and finish in 4-5 quarters.

Note:Estimated living costs while attending Stanford: http://financialaid.stanford.edu/grad/budget/index.html

Is there a different tuition rate for international students?

No

Is financial aid available for Statistics Masters students?

Please see Financing the Degree section here.

Is funding offered to M.S. students?

There is no financial support available through the Statistics department to support students in the master's program; therefore, students are expected to fund their course of study at Stanford in its entirety. If you have a grant or fellowship from an outside source, however, you are welcome to apply that toward the tuition cost of the program.

It may be possible to obtain an RA or TAship in another department, but these must be arranged individually by the student and should not be anticipated as a significant source of funding. Positions as graders within the Statistics and Mathematics departments occasionally become available. They are announced if the need arises during the academic year and again, should not be anticipated as a significant source of funding.

Can I send more than the required number of letters of recommendation? Will this enhance my chances of being offered admission to the Ph.D. or M.S. programs in Statistics at Stanford?

The department only requires three letters of recommendation. You may include one additional, if you wish (though we prefer that you submit only three letters). If you submit more than four letters of recommendation, we will only review the first four letters that were submitted.

Can I submit LOR's via a letter service?

We prefer that the letter writer upload their recommendation letter via the CollegeNet portal. If they report technical difficulties an cannot access the system, please have them email  CollegeNet at help@collegenet.com.

We can accommodate letters submitted by your university's letter service. You will still need to enter information for each recommender in the online application, including e-mail addresses. This causes an automatic email to be sent to each recommender requesting a letter. You will need to contact them to let them know to disregard this email and to use their university's letter service. Letters should be sent to:

stat-admissions-ms@lists.stanford.edu

Do you have rolling admissions?

No. External applications are accepted only once a year on the posted deadlines for autumn quarter start. Please refer to the Internal or External deadline pages.

Can I apply to more than one graduate program at Stanford?

No, you may apply to only one degree program per academic year. An exception is within the Biosciences, in which you may apply to up to three Ph.D. programs within your one application. You may apply concurrently to one departmental program and to a professional school program (law, medicine or business).

If I am accepted, may I defer admission?

No. We do not allow deferral of admission. Students who are accepted but cannot enroll may reapply for a future year when they are available to begin their studies.

Am I eligible to apply if I have already earned a graduate degree?

Applicants who have already earned a graduate degree are advised to write a compelling statement of purpose describing your motivation for graduate study, future career plans and other relevant aspects of your background and interests. Ordinarily, the committee does not admit those who already hold graduate degrees, especially those in related fields.

Will completing the M.S. increase my chances of admission to the Ph.D. in Statistics at Stanford?

Students with a strong mathematical background who wish to go on to a Ph.D. in Statistics should consider applying directly to the Ph.D. program. Completing the M.S. in Statistics does not help one's chances of admission to the Ph.D. program.

Are Statistics courses offered in the summer?

Some courses, such as the core statistics classes Stats 116, Stats 200 and Stats 217 are offered in the summer.

Where can I find information about graduate housing at Stanford?

Please visit Student Housing for information about campus housing at Stanford, including information on eligibility, application process, and deadlines.

Where can I find information about the estimated cost of living at Stanford?

Please visit Estimated Expense Budget for information about the estimated cost of living on-campus as a graduate student (this is only an estimate; your actual expenses may differ).

What types of jobs do the Statistics Masters students find after graduation?

• Many students find jobs as data scientists and research analysts (among other things) at companies such as, Guardian Analytics; Quantcast; Google; Microsoft; Broadcom Corp; Accenture; RPX Corp; Adobe Systems; Goldman Sachs; Federal Reserve Bank of New York; Citigroup in New York; J.P. Morgan; Samsung; DRW Trading; Asterdata Systems; Two Sigma Investments; Aviir; Square, Inc