Stanford University Courses and Fees 2026

Stanford University fees for Indian students range from $67,731 (INR 57.98 Lakhs) per year for undergraduate programmes to between $65,447 and $89,187 (INR 56.03 to 76.34 Lakhs) for postgraduate degrees, with MS Computer Science, MS Electrical Engineering, and the Stanford MBA drawing the largest Indian cohorts.

Applications for the Fall 2027 intake open in autumn 2026 and close between November 2026 and January 2027 across schools. Stanford runs a single primary intake in September each year, so the intake after Fall 2027 is Fall 2028. Realistic entry from India for anyone researching now is Fall 2027, since the F-1 visa (Confirmation of admission on Form I-20 is required before booking a visa interview) typically takes 4 to 8 weeks to process after the I-20 is issued.

• Undergraduate tuition (2026/27, frozen at 2025/26 rate): $67,731 (INR 57.98 Lakhs) per year
• MS General Graduate tuition (11-18 units): $65,447 (INR 56.03 Lakhs) per year
• MS Engineering tuition (11-18 units): $69,717 (INR 59.68 Lakhs) per year
• Stanford MBA tuition (Class of 2029): $89,187 (INR 76.34 Lakhs) per year
• Full MBA cost of attendance: $140,940 (INR 1.21 Crore) for a single academic year

The Knight-Hennessy Scholars programme, which fully funds any Stanford graduate degree, closes 6 October 2026 for Fall 2027 entry, giving Indian applicants roughly 11 weeks from mid-July to submit. Inlaks, JN Tata Endowment, and KC Mahindra scholarships open between November 2026 and April 2027 for students who have confirmed admission to Stanford.

Stanford bills tuition by quarter: Autumn quarter falls due around mid-September, Winter around early January, and Spring around late March. Graduate admits confirm enrolment via the I-20 process rather than a separate tuition deposit, while MBA admits pay a $1,000 (INR 85,600) non-refundable enrolment deposit within roughly 2 weeks of admission that is later credited to tuition. International wires through Flywire typically clear in 2 to 3 business days, so start the transfer at least a week before each quarterly deadline.

An MS at Stanford totals approximately INR 1.35 Crore across 2 years including tuition, Bay Area living, insurance, and travel. A four-year undergraduate degree runs approximately INR 3.4 Crore before financial aid, though Stanford meets 100% of demonstrated need for admitted international students and grants routinely cover 60 to 80% of the cost for Indian undergraduates who qualify.

Exchange Rate as per 24 July 2026: USD 1 = INR 85.60.

Read More: Stanford University Admissions 2026-27

Stanford University Tuition Fees by Programme

Stanford University charges the same headline undergraduate tuition to Indian and US students: $67,731 (INR 57.98 Lakhs) for 2026/27, frozen at the 2025/26 level. Graduate tuition is billed by quarter and varies by school; MS Engineering runs about 6% higher than the general graduate rate, and the MBA sits in a separate professional band roughly 30% above general graduate tuition.

Stanford University Undergraduate Tuition Fees: Fall 2027

Undergraduate tuition covers a standard 3-quarter academic year (Autumn, Winter, Spring). No application fee applies to the tuition itself; the $90 (INR 7,704) admissions application fee is waived for most international applicants who request it.

Source: Stanford Student Services, 2026/27 undergraduate tuition rates.

Stanford University Postgraduate Tuition Fees: Fall 2027

Graduate tuition is quoted per quarter for the 11-18 unit range that most full-time Master’s students take. Three quarters constitute an academic year. MS candidates in Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and Management Science & Engineering all bill under the Engineering schedule.

Source: Stanford Student Services, 2026/27 graduate and professional tuition rates; Stanford GSB tuition and financial aid.

Read More: Stanford University Rankings

Stanford University Fee Trend by Year

Stanford undergraduate tuition rose an average of 4.4% per year between 2021/22 and 2024/25, then flattened. The 2026/27 freeze is the second consecutive year at $67,731 (INR 57.98 Lakhs), an unusual pause the Provost attributed to the completed decade-long capital campaign and stable financial-aid endowment returns.

Source: Stanford Student Services past tuition rates archive; Stanford Report tuition announcements.

Stanford University Cost of Living for Indian Students

The Bay Area is one of the most expensive student rentals in the world; Stanford’s own estimate for a graduate student living on-campus in 2026/27 is $34,776 (INR 29.77 Lakhs) for a 12-month year. Undergraduates in Stanford housing pay a flat room and board rate of $22,944 (INR 19.64 Lakhs) for the 9-month academic calendar.

Source: Stanford Student Services cost of attendance estimates 2026/27; Stanford R&DE housing rate card.

Off-campus rentals in Palo Alto and Menlo Park average $2,600 to $3,200 (INR 2.23 to 2.74 Lakhs) per month for a shared apartment, meaningfully higher than the on-campus rate. Most Indian graduate students prioritise a first-year on-campus assignment and then move to Redwood City or Mountain View from year two.

Stanford University Total Cost of Attendance

Total first-year cost at Stanford ranges from INR 88 Lakhs for an on-campus MS in Statistics to INR 1.21 Crore for a first-year MBA, before scholarships or teaching assistantship offsets.

Source: Stanford Student Services cost of attendance calculator, F-1 visa fee schedule (US Department of State), Cardinal Care 2026/27 premium.

Across a full two-year MS, expect approximately INR 2.10 Crore before financial aid. Across a full four-year undergraduate degree, approximately INR 3.4 Crore. An Indian student funding an MS entirely via a INR 1.5 Crore education loan at 10.5% for 10 years pays roughly INR 2.03 Lakhs per month in EMI after the moratorium period; the same figure for a INR 2 Crore loan is roughly INR 2.70 Lakhs per month.

Also Check: Stanford University Scholarships for Indian Students

Stanford University Scholarships for Indian Students

Stanford is one of the few US universities that meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for admitted international undergraduates through non-repayable grants, with an average award of $70,349 (INR 60.22 Lakhs) per year. Graduate students access funding primarily through fellowships and assistantships rather than merit scholarships.

Source: Stanford Financial Aid Office, Knight-Hennessy Scholars, Stanford GSB Financial Aid.

External Indian scholarships remain open for the Fall 2027 intake between November 2026 and April 2027. Apply only after receiving your Stanford I-20; most Indian trusts release funds against a confirmed admission letter and I-20.

Source: Inlaks Foundation, JN Tata Endowment, KC Mahindra Education Trust, Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation, Aga Khan Foundation India.

Stanford University Hidden Costs for Indian Students

Time-sensitive for the Fall 2027 intake: book your F-1 visa interview slot at the US Consulate in Mumbai or Delhi within a week of receiving your I-20, since April to August 2027 slots fill fast for the September start.

• F-1 visa costs: SEVIS I-901 fee $350 (INR 29,960) + DS-160 visa application $185 (INR 15,836) = $535 (INR 45,796), paid before the visa interview.
• Cardinal Care health insurance: $7,800 (INR 6.68 Lakhs) per year, billed with Autumn quarter tuition and mandatory unless a waiver is granted.
• Initial setup: Winter clothing, bedding, kitchen basics, and a US SIM run approximately $1,200 (INR 1.03 Lakhs) in the first month.
• Standardised test costs: GRE $220 (INR 18,832) or GMAT $275 (INR 23,540), TOEFL iBT $210 (INR 17,976); assume one retake at INR 18,000-24,000.
• Bank transfer fees: Flywire and bank wires cost $15-$40 (INR 1,284-3,424) per transfer; multiplied across quarterly payments this reaches INR 12,000-15,000 across a two-year MS.
• Return flight to India: $1,000-$1,400 (INR 85,600-1.20 Lakhs) for a return economy ticket during winter or summer break.

Budget approximately INR 8-9 Lakhs for first-year hidden costs beyond tuition and living expenses.

Also Check: Stanford University Accommodation Facility 

Stanford University Fee Saving Strategies for Indian Students

The most urgent saving lever for the Fall 2027 intake is the Knight-Hennessy application closing 6 October 2026; missing it forfeits the largest single funding pool available to Indian graduate applicants.

• Apply for a Teaching or Research Assistantship after arrival: Standard TA/RA appointments cover tuition plus a stipend of $14,000-$18,000 (INR 11.98-15.41 Lakhs) per quarter; every hour of teaching offsets roughly INR 6,500 of tuition liability.
• Choose on-campus grad housing over Palo Alto private rentals: The rent difference is roughly $800 (INR 68,480) per month, or INR 8.20 Lakhs per year.
• Section 80E benefit on Indian education loan: All interest paid on an Indian education loan is fully deductible for eight years under Section 80E, worth roughly INR 4-5 Lakhs in tax savings across the loan life for a working parent in the 30% slab.
• Curricular Practical Training (CPT) internship in summer: Master’s students on F-1 can work full-time in a summer internship after two quarters; Bay Area tech internships pay $8,000-$12,000 (INR 6.85-10.27 Lakhs) per month, enough to fund the next academic year’s living costs.
• Optional Practical Training (OPT) after graduation: Indian STEM Master’s graduates get 12 months of OPT plus a 24-month STEM extension, totalling three years of US work authorisation to repay the education loan before returning to India or transitioning to an H-1B visa.