Prospective Students

The School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences (Stanford Earth) offers a range of graduate and undergraduate degrees, which includes: Geological Sciences (GS), Geophysics (GP), Earth System Science (ESS), Energy Resources Engineering (ERE), Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources (E-IPER), and Computational Geoscience Program (CompGeo).  Please visit the Stanford Earth Website to learn more about the School, its faculty and history, and also find application deadlines for each department at the Stanford Earth Prospective Students webpage.  DEI works with department administrators to provide you with the most up-to-date information and we encourage you to contact the designated department, as well as DEI, if you have any questions about graduate programs.

At DEI we also offer strategies and tips for applying to graduate school. Prepare the best application package for graduate school by checking out these resources below on timelines, personal statements, and fee waivers.  Also, feel free to email at streamsurge@stanford.edu if you'd like to receive more specific advice regarding your application. While gaining admission to graduate school may be competitive, you can increase your chances through the right preparation. 

• Graduate Application Timeline
• Graduate School Application Guide
• Applying to PhD Programs
• Behind the Curtain: Presentation on Applying to Grad School
• Writing a Strong Personal Statement
• Apply for an Application Fee Waiver
• Graduate Diversity at Stanford
• Apply to the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program

Fee Waiver

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is providing a set number of fee waivers to students who would like to apply to graduate programs in the School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences and are in financial need.

You should only request a School-based waiver if you do not qualify for the GRE or Diversity Program Participation fee waivers. All fee waiver applications must be completed 10 business days prior to your department deadline. Please note that a limited number of application fee waivers are available and applications will be reviewed on a first-come basis. Acceptance or denial of your application for a fee waiver does not affect your likelihood of admission into a graduate program. 

See more information on fee waivers.

• Stanford Earth Dean’s Graduate Scholars Program
• Diversifying Academia, Recruiting Excellence (DARE)
• Diversity Dissertation Research Opportunity Fund
• Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (EDGE-STEM)
• GRAD Day: Graduate Recruitment and Diversity Day is a chance for admitted students and promising applicants from diverse backgrounds who have already applied to Stanford to visit campus and learn more about our university. 
• Graduate Fellowships for STEM Diversity (GFSD)
• Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program
• Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellowship (SIGF)
• Stanford WISE Ventures
• Student Projects for Intellectual Community Enhancement (SPICE)

One of the main factors determining admission into graduate school is research experience. Students need to demonstrate the ability to investigate and carry out a research project, while exhibiting knowledge about a specific field. If you're an undergraduate searching for a research experience, we recommend you consider these summer research opportunities:

• Stanford's Summer Undergraduate Research in Geoscience and Engineering Program (SURGE).  SURGE is Stanford Earth's premier summer undergraduate research program for students from diverse backgrounds.
• The Leadership Alliance is a national consortium of more than 30 leading research and teaching colleges, universities, and private industry that offers research and graduate school training opportunities to undergraduate students.