• Application Form
  
• Application Fee
  
• Statement of Purpose
  
• Three (3) Letters of Recommendation
  
• College and University Transcripts
  
• Test Scores
  
• Additional Requirements for STEP Applicants only (MA + Teaching Credential):
• Supplemental Form
• STEP Statement of Purpose
• CBEST (California Basic Educational Skills Test)
• Subject Matter Competence
• Transcript Summary
• Fellowship Application
  

Please mail all supporting documents to:

Stanford University School of Education
Academic Services - Admissions
485 Lasuen Mall
Stanford, CA 94305-3096

STEP applicants should mail their supporting documents to:

Stanford University School of Education
Academic Services - STEP Admissions
485 Lasuen Mall
Stanford, CA 94305-3096

All supporting documents must be postmarked by the deadline in order for your application to be considered in the review process.

Application Form

Complete and submit Stanford’s graduate online application. We strongly prefer that you use Stanford’s online application. When you use the online application, your information enters our database directly, making the admissions process smoother and faster. If you are unable to apply online, you may request, by mail, a paper application from the central Office of Graduate Admissions. For more information, visit http://gradadmissions.stanford.edu.

Current Stanford students should not apply online. A paper application is required. Click here for the application materials.

Application Fee

The application fee is $105. Application fees are non-refundable and must be received by the application deadline. Visit http://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/information/faq.html for information on fee waiver eligibility and process.


Statement of Purpose

Your statement of purpose should be typed, single-spaced and no longer than two pages. Describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program, your preparation for this field of study and why our program is a good fit for you, your future career plans, and other aspects of your background as well as interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study. You may indicate potential faculty mentors as part of your study and research interests. Be sure to keep a copy for your records.

STEP requires an additional statement of purpose. Please see our Additional Requirements for STEP Applicants section.


Three (3) Letters of Recommendation

Applicants are required to submit three letters of recommendation with their application. We strongly encourage you to ask your recommenders to submit their letters online via the online evaluation form. Alternatively, hard copies and the recommender form may be forwarded to the applicant or SUSE's Admissions Office in sealed envelopes, signed across the back. You can obtain the recommender form from the Graduate Admissions website at http://gradadmissions.stanford.edu/information/publications.html.

Recommendations should be written by people who have supervised you in either an academic, employment, or community service setting. If possible, at least one should be from a university professor familiar with your academic work. Your recommendations should directly address your suitability for admission to a graduate program at SUSE.


College and University Transcripts

We require two official and sealed copies from all previous colleges or universities attended for one year or more full time. The institution should send you your transcripts in a sealed envelope. Transcripts received opened are not considered official. Some institutions do not release transcripts directly to students. In such cases, we will accept transcripts sent directly from the institution to the School of Education.

Concerning course work completed in a study abroad program: If the course work and grades are reflected on the transcript of your home institution, you do not need to submit original transcripts from the study abroad institution.

Concerning foreign institutions: If your institution provides a transcript in a language other than English, we require that you submit a translation of the transcript that is either provided by the institution or a certified translator.

Test Scores

GRE: All applicants are required to take the GRE General Test. GRE Subject test scores are not required. Scores must be from an examination taken within the last five years. Be sure to take the test in time for your scores to be received at Stanford by the application deadline.

Stanford Institution code: 4704 (no department code is required)
GRE website: http://www.gre.org

Current Stanford undergraduate students who apply to a coterminal program at the School of Education and Stanford Undergraduate Honors Program applicants are not required to submit GRE scores.

TOEFL: Stanford University requires the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) from all applicants whose native language is not English. The Test of Written English (TWE) portion of the TOEFL is not required.

Applicants who have completed a four-year bachelor's degree or a two-year master's program (or its equivalent) in the U.S. or at an institution where English is the main language of instruction are not required to take the TOEFL. For more information on TOEFL requirements, please see the “Review Requirements” section on the Graduate Admissions website.

The School of Education requires a minimum TOEFL score of 250 for the computer-based test, 600 for the paper-based test or 100 for the internet-based test in order to be considered for admission. Applications with scores below the minimum score requirement will not be reviewed.

The test may be taken no earlier than 18 months prior to the application deadline. Be sure to take the test in time for your scores to be received at Stanford by the application deadline.

Stanford Institution code: 4704 (no department code is required)
TOEFL website: http://www.toefl.org

Additional Requirements for STEP Applicants only (MA + Teaching Credential)  

Supplemental Form

Only applicants to STEP need to complete the Supplemental Form. On the online application, click on the button under supplemental form for "Education - STEP".

STEP Statement of Purpose

To complete your application to STEP, you are required to write a STEP-specific essay responding to the prompt below. You can choose to write a single essay incorporating both the prompt on the online application and the STEP-specific prompt. One or both essays can be submitted electronically with your online application.

STEP ESSAY: In 750-1250 words, please describe your educational background, your experience working with youth, and your interest in teaching.  Please specific your interest in teaching a particular subject matter area at the secondary level (STEP Secondary, single subject program) or your interest in teaching at the elementary level (STEP Elementary, multiple subject program).  In addition, explain your views on the role of education in society and your reasons for wanting to enter the teaching profession.  Indicate how your talents, skills, and experiences might contribute to the STEP community.

CBEST (California Basic Educational Skills Test)

California residents must take the CBEST by the application deadline and must receive passing scores prior to the start of the program in June.

Out-of-state candidates will need to take and pass the test no later than the end of their first quarter. All STEP students must have a passing score on the CBEST before they can assume daily teaching responsibility in their placements.

If you have previously passed the exam, include a score report with your application.

Visit the CBEST website for test dates and registration information: http://www.cbest.nesinc.com/

Stanford reporting code: 327

Subject Matter Competence

Only STEP teacher candidates who have demonstrated satisfactory subject matter competence may assume daily classroom student teaching and/or internship responsibility. You must demonstrate subject matter competence in one of the following two ways:

I. California Subject Exam for Teachers (CSET) : The CSET is the primary way to verify your subject knowledge. We urge applicants to take the CSET before applying to STEP. Applications will be reviewed if candidates have not taken the exams or have not received their results by the application deadline. To begin the program in June, applicants must pass a minimum of one half of the CSET subtests in their intended teaching subject. Multiple subject applicants will be expected to take the CSET Multiple subject exam and pass 2 of the three subtests before the program begins in June. Candidates must ultimately pass all subtests to begin independent student teaching and be credentialed upon completion of the program.

Please note that students admitted to STEP can not take the CSET exam scheduled in May. Results will not reach Stanford before the program begins in June.

Please visit http://www.cset.nesinc.com for information on California test date locations, registering for the exam and test preparation materials.

Note for out-of-state applicants: STEP will be having an open house, for admitted STEP students only, on March 14, 2008, the Friday before the CSET exam. If you are admitted to the STEP program, you will need to take the exam on March 15, 2008 in California.

Out-of-state applicants who are admitted and enroll in STEP will be eligible to receive $400 towards their Stanford tuition to offset travel expenses to California to take the CSET before or on March 15, 2008.  Eligibility for this travel fellowship is need-based.  Applicants must register by February 15, 2008 if they wish to take the test on March 15, 2008. Late registration deadline is March 4, 2008.  

If you have previously passed any of the exams, include a score report with your application.

CSET Stanford reporting code: 582

II. Subject Matter Program: Please note this option is only available for applicants applying to the secondary program. Certain California institutions have been approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) to offer subject matter programs (essentially, specialized majors) that meet state requirements for subject matter competence, in lieu of the approved exams. This program verifies that you have completed the course work (undergraduate or graduate level) that that university feels is critical to a solid subject matter understanding. If you are completing/have completed one of these approved subject matter programs, contact the teacher education department at your institution for an evaluation of your course work.

For those who attended an out of state institution, if you majored in the subject you intend to teach verification through a subject matter program may be an option for you. Please visit http://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/CAW-resources.html for schools that have approved subject matter program in your content area. Contact the Credential Analyst in the teacher education department at that university for information on how to get your transcript evaluated.

Please note that most universities in California prefer to evaluate transcripts for students from their own institutions. Stanford does not provide transcript evaluations.

Transcript Summary

On a separate sheet of paper, summarize all of your college course work following the format below. Include any courses in which you are currently enrolled or plan to take before enrolling in STEP.

This summary does not replace your official transcripts. Group courses under the following headings:

1. English
2. Fine Arts (art, drama, music, etc.)
3. Foreign Languages, grouped by language
4. Humanities (philosophy, religion, speech, etc.)
5. Mathematics
   
6. Natural Sciences (biological and physical sciences)
7. Social Science (history, economics, political science, sociology, psychology, anthropology, geography)
   
8. Other (business, education, physical education, etc.)

Example:
Social Science

STEP Fellowship Application

All STEP applicants who are interested in receiving fellowships should file a separate STEP fellowship application. Download (the fellowship application form will be available in September 2007) and email the completed application before January 8, 2008 to Kristen Babineau at kbabineau@stanford.edu.