Stanford University

Overview

Leland Stanford Junior University, more popularly known as Stanford University, is a private research university established in 1891. Located in Stanford, California, it is regarded by many major education publications as one of the most prestigious universities in the world. It has one of the largest campuses in the United States and has consistently ranked high, if not first, in the Academic Ranking of World Universities, QS World University Rankings, and other college ranking measures.

The school was founded in 1885 by Jane and Leland Stanford. When their only child, Leland Stanford Jr. passed away in 1884 due to typhoid, the couple decided to build a university in his memory. They deeded a large fortune to it, including the 8,180-acre stock farm where the campus now stands. Stanford University first opened in 1891 as a non-denominational and co-educational institution.

Stanford University is organized around 18 interdisciplinary research institutes and seven schools; all of which are located on the same campus. Three of the schools are composed of 40 undergraduate academic departments. Meanwhile, the four others focus on business, medicine, education, and law.

The school has a rich tradition of nurturing arts and creativity, evident by two of its world-class museums that hold regular exhibits and its lively campus arts district. Stanford also offers doctoral programs in Art and Art History.

The university is also active in the sports department with 32 clubs and 36 varsity sports programs for students to compete in. These include basketball, baseball, football, and squash. As of 2020, Stanford has 126 NCAA team championships under its belt and has won NACDA Directors’ Cup 24 times in a row. Stanford alumni and students were also able to secure 270 Olympic medals, 139 of which are gold.

Its academic and athletic achievements aside, Stanford is also known for its highly successful fundraising campaigns like the Stanford Challenge which ended in 2012, raising $6.2 billion, 2000 Campaign for Undergraduate Education that raised $1 billion, and the Campaign for Stanford Medicine amassing $1 billion, which was used to rebuild two Stanford hospitals.

Stanford University has been dubbed as a “billionaire factory,” with its alumni founding numerous companies around the world, which when combined produces a net worth of over $2.7 trillion in value. It is also one of the top producers of members of the U.S. Congress and is the alma mater of former U.S. president Herbert Hoover.

With its 134 years of history, Stanford University maintains its long-standing tradition of producing leaders in different fields by fostering education, creativity, and research. It currently houses 2,100 faculty, 16,000 students, and 1,800 postdoctoral scholars.

You can also learn more about the educational performance of Stanford University in our ranking of US universities & colleges.