Overview

Stanford University is a place of discovery, creativity, innovation and world-class medical care. Dedicated to its founding mission of benefiting society through research and education, Stanford strives to create a sustainable future for all, catalyze discoveries about ourselves and our world, accelerate the societal impact of its research, and educate students as global citizens. More than 7,000 undergraduate and 9,000 graduate students pursue studies at Stanford each year.

The university is located in the San Francisco Bay Area on the ancestral land of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe and first welcomed students in 1891. Covering 8,180 acres, Stanford has one of the largest university campuses in the US, with 18 interdisciplinary research institutes and seven schools: the Graduate School of Business; School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences; Graduate School of Education; School of Engineering; School of Humanities and Sciences; Law School; and School of Medicine.

Stanford University was founded in 1885 by California senator Leland Stanford and his wife, Jane, to “promote the public welfare by exercising an influence in behalf of humanity and civilization”. The couple’s only child had died of typhoid, and their decision to build a university on their farm was intended as a memorial. From the start the university was non-sectarian, co-educational and affordable, teaching both the traditional liberal arts and the technology and engineering that was shaping the new America at the time.

Fast forward more than a century, and Stanford counts 20 Nobel laureates within its community and is regularly ranked among the top three universities in the world. Nicknamed “The Farm” from the days when horses roamed there, Stanford’s campus is now home to a rich and diverse student life, with over 625 organized student groups.

Sport is popular, with students, faculty and staff enjoying state-of-the-art recreational facilities and wellness programs. Stanford offers 36 varsity and 33 club sports, as well as physical education academic classes, fitness and wellness, aquatics, intramurals, and adventure programming. Sports teams are referred to as the “Stanford Cardinal.”

Stanford also has a rich tradition of fostering creativity and the arts: there is a vibrant campus arts district and two world-class museums which host regular exhibitions. Eight dining halls, a teaching kitchen and organic gardens provide the campus community with healthy, sustainable meals.