PhD in Aeronautics and Astronautics

Class Profile

Class Size

25

Average Age

27

Average Work Experience

2 Years

Diversity

New York:

12%

Texas:

9%

Others:

32%

Illinois:

7%

Florida:

6%

California:

34%

Career Outcomes

Median Earnings After Graduation

$1,10,000 / year

Top recruiters

IBM

Google

Amazon

Microsoft

Apple

Intel

Lockheed Martin

Boeing

Raytheon

NASA

Tesla

SpaceX

Fees and Funding

Tuition Fees

$54,240 / year

Overall Cost

$67,240 / year

FAQs

• What are the application deadlines and process?
  
  The PhD application opens in mid-September and the deadline for the 2025–2026 academic year is December 2, 2024. Applicants must submit an online application, transcripts, recommendation letters, a statement of purpose, and relevant test scores.
• What funding or scholarship opportunities are available?
  
  Stanford offers fellowships and research or course assistantships to qualified graduate students. Examples include Stanford Graduate Fellowships (up to three years of support) and department- or industry-sponsored fellowships. Many first-year PhD students receive grants covering tuition and living expenses.
• What are the tuition fees for the PhD in Aeronautics and Astronautics?
  
  While the exact PhD tuition is not specified in the search results, the annual tuition for related graduate engineering programs is approximately USD 42,300, with living expenses estimated at USD 21,211 per year. Tuition may be covered by fellowships or assistantships for qualified students.
• What are the main research areas in the department?
  
  Stanford’s Aeronautics and Astronautics department offers research in areas such as autonomous systems and controls, cyber safety for transportation, distributed space systems, future aircraft design, multidisciplinary computational aerosciences, multifunctional materials and intelligent structures, and planetary science and exploration.
• What is the structure and duration of the PhD program?
  
  The PhD is a research-intensive degree, typically completed in 4–5 years. Students must complete MS degree requirements if they do not already hold a related MS when admitted. Key milestones include passing a qualifying exam, advancing to candidacy, completing coursework, conducting original research, and defending a dissertation.
• What are the entry requirements for the PhD in Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford?
  
  Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in engineering, physical science, mathematics, or an equivalent field. An MS degree is not required to apply; students with only a bachelor’s degree are encouraged to apply directly to the PhD program. All applicants must submit transcripts, letters of recommendation, and GRE/TOEFL scores as part of the application.