Stanford is located in Northern California, between San Francisco and San Jose. This unique environment in the heart of Silicon Valley offers access to world class cities and stunning nature preserves while also brimming with innovative high-tech businesses and startups. Campus feels like a city of its own with state of the art academic and athletic facilities, hiking and biking trails, a shopping center, golf course, hospital, observatory, biological preserve, a farm, and more. But the centralized location also provides ample opportunity for engaging with the local community via service initiatives, internships, and research opportunities.

Stanford University sits on the ancestral and unceded land of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe. This land was – and continues to be – of great importance to the Ohlone people. Consistent with Stanford's values of community and diversity, they have a responsibility to acknowledge, honor, and make visible the university’s relationship to Native peoples.

Stanford offers more than 70 programs of study across 3 undergraduate schools, and many students pursue interdisciplinary programs. With dual emphasis on both liberal arts and research, Stanford encourages exploration, whole-person development, and innovation. A flexible and fast-paced curriculum offers ample opportunity to craft one’s own unique learning journey. Stanford operates on the quarter system, which provides the flexibility to double major, minor, graduate with honors and/or pursue a master’s degree through its coterminal degree program.

Frosh 101 courses support students as they transition to Stanford's dynamic campus, creating a space to establish friendships, gain advice, and reflect in their new community. Stanford Introductory Studies offer students a chance to take electives especially designed for first- and second-year students, including introductory Seminars, Sophomore College, Arts Intensive, and Bing Honors College. Countless academic resources, including free academic coaching and customized learning strategies via the Stanford learning lab help students achieve their learning goals. Pre-professional advising is available for students interested in pursuing medicine, law, and business.

Beyond the classroom, a vibrant and diverse community is an essential feature of Stanford’s rich learning environment. To support strong community-building, there are 8 different community centers across campus, which provide physical space, support, and programming for students to affirm and explore their identity (or identities) while also connecting with students of similar backgrounds. Students also participate in collaborative or independent research or study abroad through the Bing Overseas Studies Program program.

More than 97% of Stanford undergraduate students live on campus and students’ strong ties to campus life is apparent in the school’s 650+ student organizations that enrich Stanford’s social, cultural, and educational experiences. Stanford is also proud of its nationally ranked athletic programs and has won at least one NCAA championship for the last 45 years. Stanford athletes have collectively gone on to win 296 Olympic medals. All students have the opportunity to cheer on their peers with free admission to all regular season competitions.

Throughout its long history, Stanford has established a network of more than 220,000 deeply successful and engaged alumni who are eager to support current Stanford students in meeting their educational and professional goals. Stanford alumni have used their creative confidence to impact the world through organizations such as Instagram, Stitch Fix, Gap, Netflix, Trader Joe’s, Special Olympics, and StubHub, just to name a few.