How to Apply to Life Sciences and Pre-Health Study at Stanford University: Apply to the University Rather Than a Major, Declare by the Spring of Sophomore Year, Human Biology and Biology Among the Options, No Pre-Med Major, and the Path for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Stanford University is in California. Its life-science and health-related majors are mainly Human Biology (an interdepartmental program) and the Biology major in the Department of Biology; Bioengineering is in the Department of Bioengineering. Stanford’s website says it has no pre-med, pre-law or business major, and students who want to become doctors or enter other health professions may major in any discipline. Below, using Stanford’s website, are the key points for fall 2027 entry for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Many dates on the pages we read print no year, so confirm they are for fall 2027.

1. Relevant undergraduate majors

• Human Biology (BA or BS): an interdisciplinary program whose Core is a year-long sequence of six courses (HumBio 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B; 30 units), usually begun in the fall of sophomore year. The A-side covers genetics, evolution, ecology, cellular development and physiology; the B-side covers culture, society, environmental and health policy, behavior and development. After the Core, students design their own course of study around an “Area of Concentration.” Its FAQ says Human Biology looks at the human being from biological, behavioral, social and cultural perspectives, while Biology focuses on life from molecules to cells, organisms and ecosystems.
• Biology: offered by the Department of Biology, with a General major and subplans in Biochemistry/Biophysics; Cellular, Molecular and Organismal Biology; Computational and Systems Biology; Ecology, Evolution and Environment; Microbial Sciences; and Neurosciences. The pages we read do not say whether the degree is a BA or a BS; not stated.
• Bioengineering: the department offers BS degrees in Bioengineering and Biomedical Computation (engineering is only mentioned in passing here). It says all entering students, freshmen or transfers, enter undeclared and must declare by the spring quarter of the second year; declared students may apply for an honors program, and there is a 10-week summer research program.
• Others: nursing, public health and kinesiology undergraduate majors are not mentioned on the pages we read. The admissions pages point to an Undergraduate Majors page for the full list, which we did not read; Stanford’s Bulletin is hosted on a third-party platform that we did not access, so check the official site directly. Whether any of these majors is designated STEM is not stated on the pages we read. A combined BS/MD program is likewise not mentioned.

2. How admission works: apply to the university, declare later

• No major on the application: Stanford says you apply to the university as a whole, not to a major, department or school; you are encouraged to list prospective majors and career interests but are not bound by them. Transfer applicants are treated the same way, with no additional requirements for particular majors.
• When to declare: the Bioengineering page says students may declare in their first or second year and must declare by the spring quarter of the second year. Human Biology says you may start the process after two Core courses and are eligible to declare after four. The Biology pages describe the steps but give no term.
• Declaring Human Biology (steps listed on the site): build a course of study in the SFACT planning tool and get a student advisor’s first approval; write a Cornerstone Essay of at least three pages explaining your Area of Concentration and get a second approval; find a Human Biology faculty advisor; apply for the major in Axess and have Student Services check your grades and confirm BA or BS. No GPA threshold or cap is stated; contact the department’s student services.
• Declaring Biology: the department does not assign advisors. You identify two or three eligible faculty members, contact them, complete the Major Declaration Form, meet, declare in Axess, and submit the signed form to Student Services. No GPA threshold or cap is stated on the pages we read.
• BA versus BS in Human Biology: the BA must be predominantly in the social sciences and humanities with a minority in natural sciences; the BS predominantly in natural sciences, mathematics, computer science and engineering with a minority in social sciences.

3. Major requirements (per the websites)

• Human Biology: beyond the 30-unit Core there are Statistics (3 units from an approved list), three Upper Division HumBio courses numbered 100+ (at least 3 units each), Breadth (20 units related to the concentration, up to 4 research units, with 10 flexible units that may include pre-med units), Depth (five or more upper-level courses from at least three departments, 18 units minimum; students who declared before August 2024 need 20), and a Capstone (Practicum, Synthesis or Honors). Ten or more Breadth units and five or more Depth/Upper Division courses must be in the chosen degree option.
• Biology: built on six 4-unit BIO Foundations courses (81 Ecology, 82 Genetics, 83 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 84 Physiology, 85 Evolutionary Biology, 86 Cell Biology); the General major takes any four, other subplans specify their own. The 80-level courses must be taken for a letter grade. There are inquiry-based lab courses (40-level), Chemistry (1–6 courses), Math (1–3), Physics (2–4), Statistics (1) and Computer Science (1–2), depending on subplan, then upper-level electives, one Writing in the Major course, and a senior capstone to be chosen by the start of spring quarter of junior year. The site contradicts itself: the opening says there are three capstone options, but the text then lists four. Check the current site.
• Research: the Biology page says about 90% of Biology majors do an independent research project; the Biology Summer Undergraduate Research Program (BSURP) is for freshmen and sophomores and pays for 10 weeks. Human Biology has a research exploration program (HB-REX) for rising juniors, open only to majors and minors; its honors program requires a 3.0 GPA in the Core and a 3.2 overall Stanford GPA.

4. The pre-med path

• Stanford’s Academic Advising says Stanford does not have a pre-med major and that for any health profession you may major in any discipline. Pre-health advisors work with current undergraduates and alumni by appointment, at open office hours and in group sessions.
• Coursework: the advising page lists the basic requirements for medical schools and MCAT preparation as two years of chemistry with lab (general, organic, physical and biochemistry exposure), one year of biology with lab and one year of physics with lab; some schools also require math and English. For a specific medical school, check the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR).
• Letters: Stanford does not provide a committee letter. It recommends five letters (two from science faculty, one from a non-science faculty member, two from people who know you well) and explains Dean’s certification.
• Experience: sophomores through seniors may join the Stanford Immersion in Medicine Series (SIMS), shadowing physicians over a quarter; the site also encourages clinical volunteering and research.
• Medical-school acceptance statistics, any separate advice on pre-health advising for international students, and any limits on international students applying to U.S. medical schools are not stated on the pages we read; contact Academic Advising.

5. High-school preparation

• Stanford says there are no required courses for admission. It recommends four years of English (with writing and literature), four years of mathematics including calculus, at least three years of history/social studies, at least three years of science (biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, human anatomy, environmental science), and at least three years of the same world language, with about five academic courses each semester including senior year. These are recommendations, not requirements.
• Stanford says you apply to the university rather than a major; the pages we read state no extra entry course requirement for biology majors, and math or chemistry placement levels are not stated there.
• AP / IB / A-Levels: AP exams are not mandatory, but if you took any, even self-studied, you must self-report all AP scores. IB Diploma students outside the U.S. need predicted IB marks sent by a school official; British-system applicants need GCSE results and predicted A-Levels, usually at least three full A-Levels.
• Credit: the Student Services page says a maximum of 45 quarter units of test or transfer credit may be applied toward the degree; test credit cannot satisfy General Education requirements except the foreign-language requirement (a 4 or higher on a foreign-language AP does). Credit follows the policies of your matriculation year; AP and IB scores are sent to Stanford by the College Board and the IBO, while A-Levels and similar need a help request. Which Stanford courses AP Biology, Chemistry, Calculus or IB scores replace is not stated on the pages we read; see the Registrar’s exam credit charts.

6. Rounds, deadlines and materials

• Restrictive Early Action (non-binding): Common App due 1 November; decisions by mid-December; reply date 1 May. An optional arts portfolio requires the Common App by 15 October. REA applicants may not apply to any other private college’s Early Action, Restrictive Early Action, Early Decision or Early Notification, nor to a public university’s binding early plan; they may apply to others Regular Decision, and may apply to Early Decision II elsewhere if denied or deferred. Exceptions include non-binding public early plans, rolling admission, non-U.S. universities and military academies; the site gives USC as an example of an allowed exception because merit consideration requires early application, and MIT Early Action as not allowed. REA outcomes are admit, deny (final; you cannot reapply Regular Decision) or defer to Regular Decision.
• Regular Decision: Common App due 5 January; decisions by early April; reply date 1 May; 5 December if you submit an optional arts portfolio.
• Materials: Common Application, a $100 non-refundable fee (fee waivers accepted for U.S. and non-U.S. students), ACT or SAT scores, School Report and counselor letter, official transcripts, two letters from academic teachers, and a midyear transcript by 15 February. REA applicants may submit transcripts, School Report and letters by 1 November, RD applicants by 5 January. Students are limited to three applications to Stanford in total, first-year and transfer combined.
• Testing: the SAT or ACT is required; self-report your highest scores and send official scores only if you enroll. There is no minimum score and none that guarantees admission. For the Class of 2029, among students who submitted scores the middle 50% were 34–36 on the ACT and 1520–1570 on the SAT, and testing was optional that year; English tests cannot substitute. Latest ACT sitting is the end of September for REA and the end of December for RD; for the SAT, the end of October and the end of December.
• Essays: besides the Common App essay, the Stanford Questions are five short questions (3–50 words; for example “What is the most significant challenge that society faces today?” and “List five things that are important to you”) and three short essays (100–250 words; an idea or experience that excites you about learning, a note to your future roommate, and what in your life and character would make a distinctive contribution).

7. U.S. applicants

• In-state versus out-of-state tuition: Stanford is private and its student budget lists a single tuition figure; the pages we read describe no in-state/out-of-state difference or home-state preference.
• Costs (2026-27 standard budget): tuition $67,731; housing and food $22,944; student fees allowance $2,610; books and supplies $855; personal expenses $3,405; travel varies; total $97,545. New students also pay a one-time $525 orientation fee and $250 document fee. The site says most students do not pay the full cost. No extra fee for biology or health majors is mentioned on the pages we read.
• Aid: admission is need-blind for U.S. citizens, permanent residents, undocumented students and eligible noncitizens. For parents with income below $100,000 (and typical assets) there is no expected parent contribution; below $150,000 the expected contribution is low enough that tuition is covered when living on campus; these levels reflect typical U.S. cost of living. Need-based aid recipients in the Class of 2028 received an average of $74,310 in scholarship and grant, including an average $66,259 from Stanford. Stanford does not offer merit scholarships beyond a limited number of athletic scholarships. About two-thirds of students receive some aid; 46% receive Stanford need-based scholarships and pay an average of about $20,000.

8. International applicants

• Same requirements: the application requirements are the same for all citizenships. Applications are read in the context of your school and country, and there is no need to convert marks to a U.S. GPA. There are no required courses or minimum scores; Stanford recommends completing the coursework needed for a bachelor’s program in your home or current country, and you need a secondary diploma or equivalent by enrollment (not at application).
• Documents: internal and external marks and predictions must come directly from your school; transcripts and teacher recommendations must be translated into English by someone other than you (an English teacher or school official is suggested), with originals also submitted. If your school has no counselor, a principal or teacher can submit that letter.
• English: no English proficiency exam is required; you may self-report one if you wish. Fluency in English is a prerequisite for admission. English tests cannot replace the SAT/ACT.
• Aid and admission: if you are not a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or other eligible noncitizen and you request aid, the request is a factor in admission evaluation, which makes the process more selective. Stanford meets the full demonstrated need of admitted students regardless of citizenship, but says aid resources for international citizens are limited and does not offer merit scholarships. International students who do not request aid when they apply are not eligible to apply for aid at any time in their four years (unless their status changes). Receiving Stanford scholarship funds requires an SSN or ITIN, though not for the aid application. Use the CSS Profile; if you cannot afford its fee or your country cannot process payment, the ISAFA is allowed. In the student budget, international students are assumed to take Cardinal Care health coverage, and travel is estimated at one round trip a year.
• Other: no exchange programs for undergraduates; Stanford does not work with paid agents or credentialing services; the Bechtel International Center supports visas and immigration.
• Limits on international students in labs or clinical placements are not stated on the pages we read.

9. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the pages we read do not explain how the Gaokao is used. Not stated; contact the admission office through the contact page.
• Transcripts and translation: Stanford gives no China-specific rule on the pages we read. The general rule for international applicants is that official documents come directly from your school and that transcripts and teacher recommendations are translated into English by someone other than you (see section 8). Whether a credential evaluation service is needed is not stated.
• Testing and English: the SAT or ACT is required; English tests are not required.
• Math and science expectations for the Chinese curriculum, and how school-leaving exam records are used, are not addressed separately on the pages we read.

10. Transfer

• Deadline: Common App and required materials by 15 March (the page prints no year, so confirm it is for fall 2027); missing-document notices in April, decisions by mid-May, reply date 1 June. Entry is fall only.
• Eligibility: anyone who has taken college-credit courses at an accredited degree-granting institution since high school applies as a transfer; vocational, technical, performance and professional programs are not counted; those with a bachelor’s degree cannot apply for undergraduate admission. There is no minimum number of credits or years, but the most competitive applicants usually have the equivalent of two years of college work by entry, typically applying in their second year.
• Prerequisites and majors: no required courses; because you apply to the university there are no additional requirements for a major, though applicants with more than one year of college are expected to have begun focusing on a field. Stanford says it cannot advise on course selection. Specific biology, chemistry or calculus sequence requirements for these majors are not stated on the pages we read.
• Credit: awarded by the Registrar under Faculty Senate policy; Stanford has no articulation agreements. A course generally transfers if it is from an accredited institution, substantially similar to a Stanford course, completed with C- or Pass (equivalent to C- or above), not duplicate or overlapping, and not used for high-school graduation. At most 90 quarter units transfer (about two years), but you must complete at least two years of full-time enrollment at Stanford to earn the degree. Transferability of specific courses is decided only after admission. Some departments and General Education requirements accept no online courses.
• Department rules: Biology advises submitting transfer credit petitions before taking a course, with a course description and syllabus. Human Biology says the Core is generally not transferable (a transfer student entering as a junior with a year or more of introductory biology may submit syllabi for review of the A-side Core), Breadth allows up to four courses and 15 quarter units, Depth 1–2 courses and 6 units, and Upper Division and Capstone allow no transfer units.
• Materials: Common App for transfer, $100 fee, SAT or ACT (latest ACT sitting end of February, latest SAT December), the high-school transcript and transcripts from every college attended, a College Report, two letters from academic instructors, a personal statement on your reasons for transferring (250–650 words) and the Stanford Questions.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• REA 1 November or RD 5 January; SAT or ACT required; two academic teacher letters
• If family income is under $150,000, look at the tuition coverage policy; Stanford has no pre-med major, so plan chemistry, biology and physics with labs

International applicants (including China):

• Request aid on the application itself or you cannot apply later; have school documents sent directly and translated into English
• No English test required; confirm with the admission office how the Gaokao is used

Transfer students:

• 15 March deadline; at most 90 quarter units; at least two years of full-time study at Stanford

Sources: Stanford University, First-year requirements and deadlines; Preparing for Stanford academics; Standardized testing; Application and essays; Application fee; Regular Decision and Restrictive Early Action; International applicants; Transfer requirements and deadlines; Transfer eligibility; Transfer preparation and credit; Transfer application and essays; Transfer testing; Student budget; How aid works; Parent contribution; International students and aid; Human Biology major requirements; Declaring Human Biology; Human Biology FAQs; Human Biology transfer policies; Human Biology honors research; Biology undergraduate program; The Biology major; Declaring Biology; Biology transfer credit; Biology research; Planning for medical school; Curricular recommendations; Information for applicants; Resources for pre-health students; Bioengineering undergraduate; External test credit; Adding credit by exam to your record. Most deadline pages print no year, so confirm the dates are for fall 2027 entry; costs are 2026-27. Check Stanford’s website for the latest.