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Financing Your Master’s Degree
A master’s degree is a significant investment in your future, and financing your education is a critical factor to consider. GSE master's programs are largely self-funded. Most master’s students at Stanford GSE require financial support, funding their program with a variety of sources including personal savings, loans, external fellowships, family funds, and funding from governments. Below you’ll find information about financing your master’s program.
Cost of Attendance
Tuition varies among master’s programs and depends on the units taken by the student.
In addition to tuition expenses, a master’s program involves other living expenses such as rent, food, and transportation. The sum of tuition and non-tuition expenses constitute the standard cost of attendance. As you consider applying to graduate school, you can use the charts below—plus any additional expenses you might have—to create your financial plan.
Estimated Cost of Attendance 2025-2026**
The tuition and non-tuition expenses of the cost of attendance are set by the university on an annual basis.
**Please note this is the standard estimated cost for a single student living on campus. Parts of the below cost of attendance are fixed, and others are variable. For example, cardinal care may be waived and if you are commuting from around the bay area, you can spend more or less than these estimates. The fixed parts of our cost of attendance are tuition and the health service fee.
Tuition
| Quarter | Tuition plan A | Tuition plan B |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn | 11 - 18 units | $21,180 | 11 - 18 units | $21,180 |
| Winter | 11 - 18 units | $21,180 | 11 - 18 units | $21,180 |
| Spring | 11 - 18 units | $21,180 | 8 - 10 units | $13,770 |
| Summer 2025 | 3 units exactly | $4,131 | 6 units exactly | $8,262 |
| Total tuition | 48 units | $67,671 | 48 units | $64,392 |
Non-tuition expenses
| Estimated standard on-campus budget | 12 months | 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $24,480 | $24,480 |
| Food | $9,840 | $9,840 |
| Personal | $11,820 | $11,820 |
| Estimated total living expenses (rent/food/personal) | $46,140 | $46,140 |
| Transportation | $2,520 | $2,520 |
| Books & supplies | $740 | $740 |
| Health services fee | $1,084 | $1,084 |
| Cardinal Care health insurance | $8,232 | $8,232 |
| Estimated total non-tuition expenses | $58,716 | $58,716 |
| Estimated total cost of attendance | Tuition plan A $126,387 | Tuition plan B $123,108 |
Tuition
| Quarter | Tuition plan A | Tuition plan B |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn | 11 - 18 units | $21,180 | 11 - 18 units | $21,180 |
| Winter | 11 - 18 units | $21,180 | 11 - 18 units | $21,180 |
| Spring | 11 - 18 units | $21,180 | 8 - 10 units | $13,770 |
| Summer 2025 | 6 units exactly | $8,262 | 6 units exactly | $8,262 |
| Total tuition | 45 units | $71,802 | 45 units | $64,392 |
Non-Tuition Expenses
| Estimated standard on-campus budget | 12 months | 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $24,480 | $24,480 |
| Food | $9,840 | $9,840 |
| Personal | $11,820 | $11,820 |
| Estimated total living expenses (rent/food/personal) | $46,140 | $46,140 |
| Transportation | $2,520 | $2,520 |
| Books & supplies | $740 | $740 |
| Health services fee | $1,084 | $1,084 |
| Cardinal Care health insurance | $8,232 | $8,232 |
| Estimated total non-tuition expenses | $58,716 | $58,716 |
| Estimated total cost of attendance | Tuition plan A $130,518 | Tuition plan B $123,108 |
LDT students in the Honors Cooperative Program are charged tuition at the SCPD rates.
Tuition
| Quarter | Tuition plan |
|---|---|
| Autumn | 11 - 18 units | $21,180 |
| Winter | 11 - 18 units | $21,180 |
| Spring | 11 - 18 units | $21,180 |
| Total tuition | 45 units | $63,540 |
Non-Tuition Expenses
| Estimated standard on-campus budget | 9 Month |
|---|---|
| Rent | $19,380 |
| Food | $7,380 |
| Personal | $8,865 |
| Estimated total living expenses (rent/food/personal) | $35,625 |
| Transportation | $1,890 |
| Books & supplies | $555 |
| Health services fee | $813 |
| Cardinal Care health insurance | $8,232 |
| Total non-tuition expenses | $47,115 |
| Estimated cost of attendance | $110,655 |
Tuition
| Quarter | Year 1 (2025 - 26) | Year 2 (2026 - 27)** | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn | 8 - 10 units | $13,770 | 8 - 10 units | $14,321 | $28,091 |
| Winter | 8 - 10 units | $13,770 | 8 - 10 units | $14,321 | $28,091 |
| Spring | 8 - 10 units | $13,770 | 8 - 10 units | $14,321 | $28,091 |
| Total tuition | 25 - 31 units | $41,310 | 24 - 30 units | $42,963 | $84,273 |
Non-tuition expenses
| Estimated standard on-campus budget | Year 1 (12 months) | Year 2 (9 months)** | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | $24,480 | $20,155 | $44,635 |
| Food | $9,840 | $7,675 | $17,497 |
| Personal | $11,820 | $9,220 | $21,040 |
Estimated total living expenses (rent/food/personal) | $46,140 | $37,050 | $83,190 |
| Transportation | $2,520 | $1,966 | $4,486 |
| Books & supplies | $740 | $577 | $1,317 |
| Health services fee | $1,084 | $846 | $1,930 |
| Cardinal Care health insurance | $8,232 | $8,561 | $16,793 |
| Estimated total non-tuition expenses | $58,716 | $49,000 | $107,716 |
| Estimated total cost of attendance | Year 1 $101,403 | Year 2** $91,963 | Total** $193,366 |
**EDS Year 2 (2026 - 27) amounts are estimates based on the annual 4% increase on average. Actual figures will be available in May 2026.
For information on tuition for STEP please visit this STEP tuition page on Stanford Financial Aid website.
For information on STEP Financial Aid visit STEP page.
For information on tuition for the joint master’s programs, please follow these links:
Joint MA/MPP
Tuition for the MA/MPP joint master’s is the same as that for POLS, but over two years.
Financial aid from the GSE
Dean’s fellowships for master’s students are prestigious awards that recognize a student’s excellent academic record and whose life experiences and background would contribute distinctively to the community of scholars at the GSE and the field of education. No service is expected in return for a fellowship nor do fellowships need to be repaid. Dean’s fellowships are awarded along with the offer of admission. If an offer letter does not include fellowship information, a fellowship has not been awarded. Fellowship offers are final and non-negotiable.
To be considered: All applicants, including both U.S. domestic and international applicants, are automatically considered for Dean's fellowships as a part of the application process. No additional action is required.
Additional GSE funding options are awarded to specific populations at the GSE. Consideration for these awards is communicated with the offer of admission.
Claudio X. González Graduate Student Aid Fund provides fellowships to selected ICE/IEPA admitted students who are citizens of Mexico.
Lemann Foundation awards full tuition and the majority of living expenses for selected ICE/IEPA, LDT, and joint MA/MBA admitted students from Brazil.
To be considered for these fellowships: Applications for these fellowships are not required. Applicants who are eligible for these fellowships will be contacted if admitted to their program of interest.
Financial aid from Stanford University
At the graduate level, university financial aid typically refers to student loans offered by Stanford’s central financial aid office. Most of our master’s students take out loans as part of their financial plan.
Federal Direct Loans are direct subsidized and direct unsubsidized loans based on eligibility, with borrowing limits in place.
Federal Direct PLUS Loans allow students to borrow any loan amount up to the total student budget determined by Stanford, less any other resources.
Private (non-federal) loans, sometimes called alternative loans, are offered by many banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions. Private loan programs may offer interest rates and terms that are competitive with those of federal loans.
To be considered for student loans: While any student may apply for private loans, federal loans are only available to U.S. domestic students and are not available to international students. Students seeking federal loans must apply through the central Stanford University Financial Aid Office by completing both a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the Stanford University Graduate Loan Application. Admitted Master's students who wish to receive a financial aid award letter before April 15 must apply by the priority deadline, typically in early-to-mid-March.
The Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS) program aims to prepare the next generation of global leaders to address the increasingly complex challenges facing the world. The program selects up to 100 students each year and provides financial support for the full cost of attendance for master’s studies at Stanford.
To be considered for KHS: Eligible applicants must submit two separate applications: the KHS application for the scholarship and leadership program in October 2023, and the GSE application for your PhD or Master's program-of-interest in November 2023. Exact deadlines have yet to be set.
External fellowships
There are many funding opportunities offered outside of Stanford. The GSE admissions team has compiled an external fellowships and grants document for you to explore, though you should plan to do your own research into external funding as well. International students can find additional sources of funding on the Institute of International Education’s (IIE) Funding for U.S. Study website.
U.S. veterans
Stanford is committed to providing benefits through the Yellow Ribbon Provision of the Post 9/11 GI Bill® to students in degree-seeking programs. GSE students who qualify for Chapter 33 benefits at the 100% level, may be eligible for additional funding through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Please note that for GSE students receiving tuition fellowship funding, the Yellow Ribbon match may reduce and in some cases replace institutional grants and scholarships. Instructions for activating Veteran’s Affairs educational benefits for enrollment at Stanford are on the Office for Military-Affiliated Communities web page, Activate VA Education Benefits at Stanford.
International students
To meet immigration regulations, international students must show proof of adequate financial support to cover the length of time of their graduate program. While international students are not eligible for U.S. federal loan programs, they may qualify for private/alternative loans. Many lenders, however, require that a U.S. citizen or permanent resident co-sign the loan. You can find information and tools to help you choose private loan programs most frequently used by Stanford students here. A comprehensive list of private loan programs is available at FinAid.org.
Of all the funding and financial aid options listed above, international students are eligible for:
- Dean's fellowships
- Other GSE funding options
- Private (non-federal) loans
- Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS) program
- External fellowships
Resources for enrolled students
The GSE and Stanford University offer various forms of financial support to enrolled students.
GSE resources
Once master’s students matriculate, there are a variety of resources available to support academic work and unanticipated needs.
Travel fellowships are awarded for travel associated with paper presentations at conferences during a GSE master’s student’s academic program.
GSE Student Emergency Fund assists graduate students who experience a financial emergency or unanticipated expenses causing financial hardship. This fund is meant to support those who cannot reasonably resolve their financial difficulty through fellowships, loans, or personal resources.
ICE/IEPA MA Fund supports academic and professional development (e.g., MA paper research, conferences) in the field of international comparative education.
Stanford University resources
Cardinal Care subsidy: The university’s Cardinal Care student health insurance plan is managed by the Vaden Health Center. The Financial Aid Office administers an automatic university-wide subsidy program for graduate students.
Graduate Student Aid Fund: The Financial Aid Office assists a limited number of graduate students with university fees such as the Campus Health Service Fee and Cardinal Care Insurance when those fees cause significant hardship.
Emergency Grant-In-Aid Fund assists graduate students who experience a financial emergency or unanticipated expenses (e.g., medical or dental) causing financial hardship.
Graduate Family Grant provides need-based funding for graduate students with dependent children. Funds may be used flexibly to cover expenses such as childcare, healthcare, insurance and rent.
Graduate housing loan offers temporary financial support to graduate students for off-campus housing move-in costs, such as first and last month's rent and security deposit.
Paid internships: Internships may be for pay or course credit, but not both for the same work. Programs that require students to complete an internship may provide paid opportunities. Approval from your program director is required.
Additional hourly work: Students may work for pay as "casual labor" at Stanford for up to eight hours a week, provided work does not adversely impact the academic program. Approval from your program director is required.
