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About Stanford

Stanford is a place of discovery, creativity and innovation located in the San Francisco Bay Area on the ancestral land of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe.

Looking at Stanford's Inner Quad through a row of arches
Faculty 2,288
Opened in 1891
Students 16,937

Leadership

Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne

President Marc Tessier-Lavigne

Marc Tessier-Lavigne became Stanford University’s eleventh president on September 1, 2016.

Persis Drell

Provost Persis Drell

Persis Drell is Stanford’s thirteenth provost, the chief academic and budgetary officer of the University.

Other Administration

The University is also governed by a Board of Trustees and Faculty Senate and supported by numerous offices.

Visiting Stanford

Plan a Visit

Stanford welcomes more than 150,000 visitors to campus annually. Whether you live in the neighborhood or are coming from far away, we look forward to seeing you here on the Farm.

Virtual Tours

Visitor Information offers several multimedia tours of Stanford, including videos, slideshows and a self-guided tour.

Stanford Shopping Center

Other Resources

Have a delicious meal at one of Stanford’s numerous dining locations. If you want to do some shopping during your visit, we’ve got that covered too. Our Maps & Directions will help you find your way.

“Be Here” – a virtual reality experience of Stanford

What’s it like to be a Stanford undergraduate or graduate student? Students chart their own paths of discovery, learning and growth, and each journey is as unique as the individual. Experience the stories of five Stanford students in immersive 360° video.

Watch the video

student walking in Engineering Quad.

Stanford’s Relationships with Native Peoples

Stanford American Indian Organization presenting the Pendelton blanket in gratitude for the renaming process

Stanford University’s campus is located within the traditional territory of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe. The university has been engaged with Ohlone sites and communities since its founding in the mid-1880s. Today, the university has a vibrant community of Native students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

Read our land acknowledgment statement and learn more.

History

Stanford History

The Leland Stanford Junior University was founded in 1885 by California Senator Leland Stanford and his wife, Jane, in memory of their only child, Leland Jr., who died of typhoid fever at 15.

Stanford Then & Now

Stanford has changed with the world over the last 125+ years, often leading the way with new ideas and discoveries. Here’s a look at Stanford people, places and experiences, past and present.

Stanford Timelines

Our history is rich and inspiring. Our future will be cutting edge and groundbreaking. Immerse yourself in our past and see into our future.