Academics & Admission
The Stanford Bioengineering department is unique because it resides jointly in the Schools of Engineering and Medicine, with access to the best of both schools. Bioengineering students learn and work at the cutting edge of the intersection of engineering, biology, and medicine.
What is Bioengineering?
Bioengineering is an interdisciplinary field of study that applies the principles of engineering toward a better understanding of and working with complex biological systems. It is a rapidly growing and evolving field, with the potential to be the next economic driver for our society.
Some well-known accomplishments and advances in bioengineering are tissue generation, CRISPR technology in cancer therapy, a non-invasive prenatal test for Down syndrome, DNA sequencing and the human microbiome.
Bioengineers have the tools to approach unmet challenges from multiple perspectives and are uniquely positioned not only to advance human health but also to tackle societal problems in energy, the environment and food.
Degree Programs
Stanford Bioengineering offers degree programs at the intersection of science, technology, and medicine, providing a variety of opportunities and resources for students to grow their ideas and achieve their goals.
Undergraduate Programs
Stanford undergraduates can pursue a Bachelor of Science degree (BS) in Bioengineering or Biomedical Computation. Students who have declared one of these majors have the option to apply for and pursue the honors program (BSH), which provides the opportunity to conduct independent research at an advanced level with a faculty research advisor and to complete an honors thesis.
Coterminal Master’s Program (Coterm)
Current Stanford undergraduates with a declared major may study for a master’s degree while completing their bachelor’s degree. The degrees may be granted simultaneously, or the bachelor’s degree may be awarded first.
Graduate Programs
Stanford Bioengineering offers master’s and doctoral programs, which lead to an MS degree and/or PhD in Bioengineering. The master’s program consists of core bioengineering courses, technical electives, seminars, and unrestricted electives to deepen knowledge and learning. Combining rigorous coursework with novel research mentored by Stanford faculty, the PhD program enables students to develop as independent intellectual leaders working at the interfaces between biology, medicine, engineering, and the physical sciences.
Bioengineering graduate students have the option to pursue a dual or joint degree with the Stanford Schools of Business, Medicine, and/or Law. Options exist for an MS/MBA dual degree, MD/PhD combined degree, JD/MS or JD/PhD combined degree.
Funding & Financial Aid
Incoming students have several funding and financial aid options to make their academic experience at Stanford as affordable as possible.
Financial aid is available for undergraduate, coterminal, and graduate students through the university’s Financial Aid Office.
Interdisciplinary Training Program
The Stanford NIH Graduate Training Program in Biotechnology trains talented students to be the next generation of interdisciplinary global biotechnology innovators, who will lead and invent the future with integrity and rigor.
Our program is open to pre-doctoral students matriculated in the participating departments and programs at Stanford University who will be starting the second year of their PhD program, and in exceptional cases, their third year.
Career Pathways
Where Can Bioengineering Take You?
Our graduates pursue careers in academia, industry, consulting, startups, and nonprofits, making innovative contributions in medicine, science and technology.
Stanford Bioengineering alumni are professors, research fellows, postdocs, scientists, data scientists, synthetic biologists, robotics engineers, machine learning engineers, software engineers, founders, venture capitalists, corporate executives, patent attorneys, directors, technical leads, policy experts, consultants, entrepreneurs and more.
High School Outreach Programs
Interested in hands-on design and engineering experience?
Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR) is an 8-week summer internship program open to high school juniors and seniors. The program consists of hands-on research under the direct guidance of a one-on-one mentor at a top-class lab within the Institutes of Medicine at Stanford University as well as select departments.
