STEP Students
Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP) students may apply for aid bridging the two academic years: Summer Quarter which is part of the 2025–2026 academic year, and Autumn/Winter/Spring Quarters 2026–2027. Applicants will be considered for federal, institutional and/or private loans through the University’s Financial Aid Office (FAO).
In addition to the standard federal loans for which most graduate students qualify, STEP students may qualify for either the Dorothy Durfee Avery Forgivable Loan or GSE Forgivable Loan. Students may also be eligible for a federal TEACH Grant.
The combination of all resources available, including federal and private loans, TEACH Grants, STEP Fellowship funds and outside fellowship funds, may not exceed the individual student cost of attendance for the program.
Costs
Use this Budget Sheetas a tool to create your personal budget and make your decision about how much to borrow. The information below is provided to illustrate a typical STEP student’s costs and resources. The cost of attendance figures are based on the parameters for a STEP student entering the program in Summer 2026.
2025-2026 |
2026-2027 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Budget Items On-Campus | Summer | A/W/S Quarters |
| Living Expenses (rent/food/personal) | 10,515 | 36,900 |
| Transportation* | 2,030 | 6,330 |
| Books and Supplies | 185 | 585 |
| Cardinal Care Health Insurance** | 2,058 | 8,808 |
| Campus Health Services Fee | 271 | 843 |
| Testing Fees | 666 | 485*** |
| Tuition | 9,639**** | 50,175 |
| Total Costs | $25,364 | $104,126 |
*The transportation allowance for STEP students is higher than for other graduate students in recognition of the travel expenses related to student teaching.
**Cardinal Care is an annual plan (coverage extends through the summer regardless of your enrollment status). The annual cost is captured in Autumn, Winter and Spring charges. See the Vaden website for details.
***Elementary Bilingual Authorization Students will incur an additional $200 CSET Exam Fee.
****Summer tuition is based on 7 units of enrollment. International students are required to enroll in 8 units during the summer quarter, which increases the cost of summer tuition. Tuition rates can be found on the Student Financial Services website.
2025-2026 |
2026-2027 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Type of Fund | Summer | A/W/S Quarters |
| STEP Fellowship* | 500 | 1,500 |
| Avery or GSE Forgivable Loan | - | 40,000 |
| Federal TEACH Grant/Loan | 943 | 3,772 |
| Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan | 20,500 | 20,500 |
| Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan | 3,421 | 38,354** |
| Total Financial Support | $25,364 | $104,126** |
*Fellowship offers are made by the Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE) at the time of admission. **Starting July 1, 2026, graduate students who have not already borrowed for their current degree program will not be eligible for new Grad PLUS loans. More information can be found on the Financial Aid website. This example is for illustration purposes only. |
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