Stanford University- GSB
Application Deadlines for Stanford GSB - 2025-2026 / Class of 2028
Below are the application deadlines and essay questions for Stanford University's GSB MBA Program.
Submit your application by:
Round 1 Deadline: September 9, 2025
Round 2 Deadline: January 7, 2026
Round 3 Deadline: April 7, 2026
We will notify you by:
Round 1 Deadline: December 10, 2025
Round 2 Deadline: April 2, 2026
Round 3 Deadline: May 28, 2026
Submit by 4:00 pm Pacific Time, including your letters of reference and application fee payment. We cannot guarantee that we will review information sent to the MBA Admissions Office after the deadline of the round in which you apply.
The following are the main essay questions on the 2025-2026 / Class of 2028 Stanford / GSB MBA application:
Essay A: What matters most to you, and why?
For this essay, we would like you to reflect deeply and write from the heart. Once you’ve identified what matters most to you, help us understand why. You might consider, for example, what makes this so important to you? What people, insights, or experiences have shaped your perspectives? (650 words)
Essay B: Why Stanford for you?
Describe your aspirations and how your Stanford GSB experience will help you realize them. If you are applying to both the MBA and MSx programs, use Essay B to address your interest in both programs. (350 words)
Optional Short Answer:
In this section, we provide an optional opportunity for you to discuss some of your contributions more fully.
What do we mean by “optional”? We mean you have the opportunity to choose. In evaluating your application, we want to know about who you are and how you think Stanford will help you achieve your aspirations. We are also interested in learning about the things you have done that are most meaningful to you. If you feel that you’ve already addressed these questions well in other areas of the application, congratulations, you’re done!
If you would like to discuss your contributions more fully, this section is the place to do so. Perhaps you would like to expand upon a bullet item from your resume and tell us more about the “how” or “why” behind the “what.” Or maybe you have had a significant impact outside of work in a way that doesn’t fit neatly in another part of the application. You are welcome to share up to three examples (up to 1,200 characters, or approximately 200 words, for each example).
Question: Think about a time in the last five years when you’ve created a significant positive impact, whether in professional, extracurricular, civic, or academic settings. What was the situation, what did you do, and what was the impact?
Optional Additional Context
We know that each person is more than a list of facts or predefined categories. With this space, we provide you with an optional opportunity to elaborate on how your background or life experiences have helped shape your recent actions or choices. (800 characters, maximum)
Optional Additional Information
We are deliberate in the questions we ask. We believe that we get to know you well through all of the elements of your application. Complete this section only if you have critical information you could not convey elsewhere on your application (e.g., extenuating circumstances affecting academic or work performance). This section should not be used as an additional essay. (1,200 characters maximum)
Reapplicants should visit the reapplicants page.
Visit the Stanford GSB admissions website for more application information.
Disclaimer: the information provided on this page is for reference only. Applicants are strongly advised to visit the admissions website link provided above to confirm essay prompts, deadlines, and other application information. Photo by Kazuhiza Otsubo.