PhD Admissions
2024-2025 Application Cycle
The application portal for the 2024-2025 Ph.D. Graduate Admissions cycle will be open in September 2023. All applications must be submitted through Stanford University's Graduate Admissions portal: Stanford Graduate Admissions
E-IPER welcomes applications for fall matriculation only. If you have any questions about the application, please contact our Assistant Director of Student Services, Ai Tran.
Preparation: Ph.D. Admissions Timeline
Thank you for your interest in applying to the Environment and Resources Ph.D. Below you will find a timeline of our application process, as well as links to additional pages and information to help you through the process:
- Mid-July - early October 2023: E-IPER Ph.D. Admissions Info Sessions and Student Panels (see below for information)
- Mid-September 2023: E-IPER Ph.D. Application opens. Visit this page to apply to our graduate program
- Tuesday, November 7, 2023: Fee Waiver Application Deadline - certain applicants are eligible for application fee waivers. Please check the Application Fee Waiver for more details.
- Tuesday, November 21, 2023: E-IPER Ph.D. Application Deadline - all required materials must be submitted
- Late February 2024: A short list of prospective students will be invited for a site visit interview. The tentative visit dates are February 27 - 29, 2024.
- Early March 2024: Final Decisions will be communicated to all applicants
- April 15, 2024: Response Deadline from Admitted Students
EIPER Admissions: Step-By-Step
1: Learn more about the EIPER program.
- Visit our About E-IPER page for an overview of the program and our PhD page for an overview of the PhD
- Check out our News page to get a taste of what current students and faculty are working on
- Browse our list of faculty and current students, to get a better sense of the research that we do
2: Learn more about our E-IPER admissions process.
- Please see our E-IPER PhD website and FAQ pages to see an overview of important information about the admissions requirements
- Attend or watch one of our EIPER PhD Admission Info Sessions which includes both information sessions and student panels
- Review the Advice from Current Students page about applying for admission
- If you still have questions about the admissions process, email Ai Tran at aitran@stanford.edu
3: Reach out to faculty you might be interested in working with
- You can find potential advisors from our current faculty list and by looking at the advisors of our current students, but you can also find potential faculty across all seven schools at Stanford. We encourage you to reach out to faculty in advance, but don’t worry if you don’t hear back; you can still list those faculty on your application.
4: Learn more about what it’s like to be an EIPER Ph.D. student
- You can read more about the requirements and milestones of the Ph.D. program
5: Write and submit your application! This year’s deadline is November 21, 2023 @ 11:59 pm PST.
- If the $125 application fee poses a financial hardship, please visit the Stanford Graduate Diversity website for the Fee Application Waiver

PhD Admissions Info Sessions
We have created online information sessions (offered in late Summer and Fall) to help prospective applicants get detailed information about the admissions process and program details.
Please find the list of information sessions scheduled for the 2024-2025 application cycle. Note: times listed are Pacific Daylight Time, PST. Each session will last approximately 45-50 minutes, followed by a 15-20 min Q&A.
- Tuesday, July 11 @ 3:00 pm PST -- rescheduled to Friday, September 15 @ 3:00 pm (see below)
- Wednesday, July 26 @ 11:00 am PST - Registration Link
- Tuesday, August 8 @ 10:00 am PST - Registration Link
- Friday, August 25 @ 9:00 am PST - Registration Link
- Tuesday, September 5 @ 3:00 pm PST - Registration Link
- Friday, September 15 @ 3:00 pm PST - Registration Link
For those unable to attend our Info Session, we have recorded a session on your Youtube channel (link).
PhD Admissions - Student Panels
E-IPER Grad Admissions Student Representatives will moderate three Student Panels; these sessions will be on zoom, and prospective students may attend to learn about the E-IPER program, Admissions Process, etc., from current E-IPER PhD students.
- Student Panel #1: Monday, October 23 @ 11:30 am PST - Zoom Link
- Student Panel #2: Wednesday, October 25 @ 7:00 pm PST - Zoom Link
- Student Panel #3: Friday, October 27 @ 12:00 pm PST - Zoom Link
Admission FAQs

Funding
Regardless of citizenship or financial circumstances, all admitted E-IPER Ph.D. students are guaranteed up to five years of funding, compiled from a variety of sources including teaching assistantships, research assistantships, gifts, and endowed funds.
Ph.D. applicants are also encouraged to investigate outside funding opportunities, such as the National Science Foundation, Environmental Protection Agency, and Department of Energy graduate research fellowships (these opportunities from federal agencies are limited to US citizens and permanent residents), and other fellowships and grants for which they might be eligible.
Knight-Hennessy Scholars
Join dozens of students from the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability (SDSS) who gain valuable leadership skills in a multidisciplinary, multicultural community as Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS).
KHS admits up to 100 select applicants each year from across Stanford’s seven graduate schools, and delivers engaging experiences that prepare them to be visionary, courageous, and collaborative leaders ready to address complex global challenges. As a scholar, you join a distinguished cohort, participate in up to three years of leadership programming, and receive full funding for up to three years of your PhD studies at Stanford.
Candidates of any country may apply. KHS applicants must have earned their first undergraduate degree within the last seven years, and must apply to both a Stanford graduate program and to KHS. Stanford PhD students may also apply to KHS during their first year of PhD enrollment.
If you aspire to be a leader in your field, we invite you to apply. The KHS application deadline is October 11, 2023. Learn more about KHS admission.