Applications & Financial Aid
Requirements for Admission
Welcome to the Department of Communication. Thank you for your interest in the Stanford Graduate Program in Journalism.
Please read the following information carefully. We have made a great effort to provide detailed and thorough information regarding the application process and hope that it will provide answers to your questions.
If you have further questions, please contact Professor Ann Grimes, Director of the Graduate Program in Journalism, at agrimes@stanford.edu, or her assistant Kathryn Roethel at kroethel@stanford.edu.
Applying to the Graduate Program in Journalism requires:
- One written statement of purpose explaining the nature of interest in journalism and the reasons for pursuing the degree at Stanford University.
- Three samples of journalistic work. Each submission should demonstrate an appreciation for the basic standards of good journalism and an exceptional aptitude for advanced writing and reporting. In addition to writing samples, submissions may include samples of multimedia work. Submissions will not be returned.
- Three letters of recommendation that are specific and precise in their assessment of the accomplishments and promise of the applicant.
To justify admission to a program that begins with no preliminary courses in writing or reporting, applicants must substantiate journalism experience through their previous involvement with campus publications, media internships, freelance writing, and possible associations with news agencies and broadcasting organizations.
The Admissions Committee examines individual applications for evidence of probable success in an academically demanding program designed to cultivate the breadth of knowledge and critical judgment skill-set needed to excel in a journalism career. This criterion must be demonstrated throughout the application. Official GRE general test scores are also required of all applicants and TOEFL scores of those whose first language is not standard English, along with two copies of official transcripts of undergraduate and graduate study.
Journalism typically accepts 15 students annually. All are expected to complete the degree requirements in one academic year. Part-time students are not admitted. To maintain credible academic standing, students must earn a grade point average of "B" or better and graduation requires a cumulative minimum of the same GPA. Formal applications to the Journalism program are accepted at the Office of Graduate Admissions.
General Graduate Admission Requirements
IMPORTANT: Once you have begun an application to our department, any correspondence from us will be via email, such as status updates, notifications to applicant groups, and final decisions. Therefore, it is essential that your email settings allow for the receipt of our emails so they do not go into your junk mail.
Deadline to Apply
The deadline for all graduate application forms to be submitted online for the Department of Communication for matriculation in Autumn 2012 is Tuesday, December 6, 2011. The online application fee is $125 for all applicants, both domestic and international.
Deadline to Submit Supplemental Materials
Supplemental materials must be received (not postmarked, but actually in our office) by Tuesday, January 3, 2012. Supplemental materials include the following: samples of work, self-reported test scores, hard copies of official transcripts, online letters of recommendation.
What do I need to submit?
Application Form
You can access the online application and all accompanying information beginning mid-September. Any problems that you encounter while completing or submitting the application must be addressed by contacting the support desk as indicated on the application website. The Stanford application software is not Stanford-based and therefore we cannot help with technical issues.
Statement of Purpose
This should explain the nature of the applicant's interest in the Graduate Program in Journalism and reasons for wanting to study it at Stanford. In the first sentence of your statement of purpose should indicate that you are applying to the Graduate Program in Journalism. Include details about your preparation for this field of study, your future career plans, and any other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study. Please ensure that your full name is on each page of your statement of purpose. Note that once your application has been submitted we cannot accept any revised statements of purpose or resumes.
Do not upload academic papers, theses, or dissertations as part of your statement of purpose. These items are not required. If you wish to submit them, please do so separately by uploading them in the additional information section of the application. We do not accept materials submitted via email.
Transcripts
As part of the online application, applicants are required to upload scanned official transcripts from all postsecondary institutions attended for one academic year or longer. Multiple page uploads are allowed for all transcripts. In addition, two print copies of official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate studies must be submitted directly to our department. These may be sent either directly from the school, or by the applicant, providing that the envelope containing the transcripts is sealed and signed/stamped across the sealed area. Applicants currently in school should send the most recent versions available (even if no grades are listed) until complete versions can be submitted. GPAs of at least 3.5 are strongly recommended.
Applicants who do not have a bachelor's degree from the United States should review the information for international students at the Graduate Admissions office to determine their eligibility to apply to graduate school at Stanford.
Official GRE test scores
Applicants must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). This is a University requirement and cannot be waived. The Communication Department does not require any GRE subject tests. Both the old and new formats of the general GRE are considered equally acceptable by our department. All score reports must be sent electronically by ETS to Stanford University. Our institution code number for ETS reporting is 4704, no department number is required. Test scores may be no older than five years, dating back from December 1, 2011.GRE Revised General Test
Starting August 1, 2011 ETS will launch the revised general test. As ETS states, if you take the GRE Revised General Test in August through September 2011 then Stanford will receive the scores by mid-November, 2011. Please note that our admissions committees begin meeting in mid-January 2012, and therefore applicant files that are not complete at this time cannot be guaranteed full consideration.
While we have not established any particular GRE score necessary for admission, our experience over the past decade has been that consideration as a finalist typically requires GRE scores no lower than 650 for the verbal and quantitative sections of the old format GRE. Due to the lack of current data for the new format GRE we cannot offer precise numerical recommendations during this admissions season.
The GMAT is not considered an acceptable substitute for the GRE.
As noted above, we will process applications using the self-reported test scores. If you submit your on-line application before you have taken the test, you can email your verbal and quantitative scores to us as soon as you have done so. The analytical section takes longer to be processed and is not necessary in order for us to deem your application complete, although offers of admission are contingent on receipt of the official scores from all three sections.
Official TOEFL test scores
The TOEFL is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). All score reports must be sent electronically by ETS to Stanford University (our institution code number for ETS reporting is 4704, no department number is required). Test scores may be no older than two years, dating back from December 1, 2011.
Adequate command of spoken and written English is required for admission. Scores are required for all applicants whose first language is not English. Exceptions are granted for applicants who have earned a U.S. bachelors or masters degree from a college or university accredited by a regional accrediting association in the United States, or the equivalent of either degree from a non-U.S. college or university of recognized standing where all instruction is provided in English. This exception does not apply, if the courses were completed in a country where English is spoken but not all courses were provided in English.
Being a citizen of the United States does not automatically exempt an applicant from taking the TOEFL; if the applicant's first language is not English, the applicant must meet the exception above or submit TOEFL scores. Alternate English language tests such as IELTS are not accepted in lieu of the TOEFL. Any applicant whose category of study does not meet these requirements exactly should contact the Graduate Admissions Office (GradAdmissions@stanford.edu) at least one month prior to December 6, 2011 to explain their situation. Favorable responses from the GAO should be forwarded to us as a record of this decision. The TOEFL requirement is a central University issue and not a decision made by individual departments. Requests for a waiver should include information about any previously taken TOEFL tests and the relevant scores.
A minimum TOEFL score of 600 (or 250 on the computerized test) is required for admission to all of our graduate programs, though a minimum score of 650 on the paper-based TOEFL or 280 on the computer-based TOEFL is highly recommended. Until Stanford establishes its policy on the Internet based iBT, it offers the ETS comparison score of a minimum of 100 as a guide for applicants. A score of 115 is highly recommended.
As noted above, we will process applications using the self-reported test scores. If you submit your on-line application before you have taken the test you can email your scores to us as soon as you have taken it. Offers of admission are contingent on receipt of the official scores.
Although we will accept self-reported TOEFL scores until January 3, we strongly recommend that you take the appropriate tests no later than mid October 2011 for candidates outside of the U.S. and early November 2011 for those within the U.S. Please note that our admissions committees begin meeting in mid-January 2012 and therefore, applicant files that are not complete at this time cannot be guaranteed full consideration.
Letters of recommendation
We require three letters of recommendation. It is unnecessary to submit more than three. Recommendations must be submitted online. As part of the online application, applicants will be required to register the contact information and email addresses of their recommenders. Recommenders will then receive an email with directions on how to proceed. At least one evaluation and letter should be from a faculty member at the last school you attended as a full-time student (unless you have been out of school for more than five years). Substitutions for faculty recommendations may include work associates or others who can comment on your academic potential for graduate work.
Samples of writing
Upload three samples of journalistic writing in the 'additional information' section of the application. Each submission should demonstrate an appreciation for the basic standards of good journalism and an exceptional aptitude for advanced writing and reporting. Applicants are also encouraged to submit two digital media samples, in any multimedia format (audio, video, blog, photography). Please submit these samples on a CD via regular or express mail. Submissions will not be returned.
Other optional papers
You may upload additional papers such as samples of your academic or published works in the 'additional information' section of the application. They will be included in your application file, though there is no guarantee that they will be reviewed by the admissions committee. With the exception of transcripts, do not send any duplicates of materials that you have submitted online. They will not be added to your file.
In order to expedite and facilitate the completion of your applicant file, we recommend that any hard copy supplemental materials be sent in one package whenever possible.
All hard copy supplemental materials should be mailed to:
Student Services Administrator
(Admissions Materials)
Department of Communication
Building 120, Room 110A
450 Serra Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-2050
Financial Aid
Thanks to the continual generosity of friends and alumni of the Graduate Program in Journalism, the Department of Communication awards several partial or full tuition scholarships each year to qualified journalism students. Additional resources available at Stanford's Financial Aid Office.
Please note that requesting financial aid on the application form will not affect your chances of being admitted to one of our graduate programs. All prospective students should review the estimated expenses associated with graduate study.
We look forward to receiving your Stanford Graduate Program in Journalism Application.