Stanford Graduate School of Business
2 required essays, 1 optional for the 2026-27 cycle.
Deadlines
| Round | Date |
|---|---|
| Round 1 | September 9, 2026 |
| Round 2 | January 6, 2027 |
| Round 3 | April 7, 2027 |
Essays
Goals essay · up to 650 words · required
Essay A: What matters most to you, and why?
Goals essay · up to 350 words · required
Essay B: Why Stanford for you?
Program supplement · not stated on the page · optional
Optional Essay (joint MBA/MSx applicants only): How will you enhance the MSx community?
Deadlines fetched from gsb.stanford.edu/programs/mba/admission/deadlines, labelled 2026-27. Essay B is listed at up to 350 words; prior cycles commonly listed 400 words, so the combined cap looks lower this cycle. Applications are due 4:00 p.m. Pacific on the deadline date.
Checked against www.gsb.stanford.edu/programs/mba/admission/application/essays on September 9, 2026. Programs change their prompts between cycles; confirm on the program’s own page before you submit.
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Common questions
- How many essays does Stanford Graduate School of Business require for 2026-27?
- 2 required and 1 optional, 3 in total. Every prompt is listed on this page word for word, with the length each one states.
- How long should the Stanford GSB essays be?
- Up to 650 words. That is the length the program states on its own page, which this record was read from on September 9, 2026.
- When is the Stanford GSB 2026-27 deadline?
- Round 1: September 9, 2026. 2 other rounds are listed on this page.