Stony Brook University admission requirements for international students are lighter than most applicants expect. You apply once through the Common App, the SUNY App or Coalition on Scoir, pay a $50 fee, send transcripts for your last three years of secondary school, one recommendation letter, one essay on a topic of your choice and an English test score unless you are exempt. The SAT and ACT are optional. Every admitted international first-year is considered automatically for the Global Excellence Scholarship, and a separate #YouAreWelcomeHere award pays 50% of tuition each year to a small number of international students.
Stony Brook admits roughly half of its first-year applicants, so it is selective without being out of reach. For fall 2027 entry the Early Action deadline is 1 November 2026 and Regular Decision closes on 15 January 2027. International students pay the out-of-state rate, and the estimated cost of attendance for 2026-27 is $58,799 before health insurance and flights. Everything below was checked on Stony Brook’s own pages on 29 October 2026.
Stony Brook University ranking
Stony Brook’s Office of Institutional Research lists its U.S. News placing as No. 59 among National Universities and No. 24 among public universities, updated September 2026. That is the U.S. News 2027 edition, published on 22 September 2026, and the university also reports No. 1 public university in New York State and No. 13 for social mobility in the same edition. In the 2026 edition it was also No. 59, in a five-way tie, after No. 58 the year before.
| Ranking (edition) | Stony Brook’s position |
|---|---|
| U.S. News National Universities (2027 edition) | No. 59 |
| U.S. News Top Public Schools (2027 edition) | No. 24, tied with UMass Amherst, Pittsburgh and others |
| U.S. News Top Performers on Social Mobility (2027 edition) | No. 13 |
| U.S. News National Universities (2026 edition) | No. 59 (tie) |
| QS World University Rankings (2026 update, not U.S. News) | No. 468 in the world |
| Times Higher Education (2026, not U.S. News) | 251 to 300 band |
The University of Massachusetts Amherst shares the same No. 59 and No. 24 spots in the 2027 edition, which makes it the most direct comparison. See our UMass Amherst guide for its numbers.
Stony Brook acceptance rate and class profile
Stony Brook received 64,197 first-year applications for fall 2025 (the Class of 2029) and admitted 30,930, an acceptance rate of about 48%, according to the figures reported from its 2025-26 Common Data Set. The university’s own facts page quotes a smaller set of numbers (55,879 applications, 27,380 admits and 4,042 enrolled), which match the class that started in fall 2024. Either way the rate has sat between 48% and 49% for five years while applications have climbed.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| First-year applicants, fall 2025 (2025-26 CDS) | 64,197 |
| Admitted, fall 2025 | 30,930 |
| Acceptance rate | About 48% |
| Waitlist admits, fall 2025 | 3,462 of 5,191 who stayed on the list |
| Middle 50% high school GPA (international one-sheet) | 90 to 98 on a 100-point scale, or 3.7 to 4.0 |
| International students on campus | 3,900 or more, from 100+ countries |
| Undergraduates | About 19,000 (fall 2026) |
Stony Brook does not publish a separate acceptance rate for international applicants. The middle 50% GPA band tells you more than the overall rate: most admitted students have A grades. If your results are mostly Bs, apply to Stony Brook with a few less selective schools on your list.
Stony Brook tuition for international students in 2026-27
International undergraduates pay the out-of-state rate. Stony Brook’s cost page gives these estimates for 2026-27, dated 20 February 2026, for a student living on campus in a standard double room.
| Cost item (2026-27) | Out-of-state and international |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $31,050 |
| Fees | $3,860 |
| Housing (standard double) | $12,291 |
| Meal plan | $7,450 |
| Books | $900 |
| Transportation | $840 |
| Personal expenses | $2,408 |
| Total direct costs | $54,651 |
| Total indirect costs | $4,148 |
| Estimated cost of attendance | $58,799 |
Full-time students are billed for the university’s health insurance unless they prove other cover and file a waiver. The cost page does not print the premium, so ask the Office of Financial Aid for it before you build your budget. To get your I-20, you must document one year of educational and living expenses after admission. Admission decisions do not look at your finances.
Stony Brook scholarships for international students
International students cannot receive U.S. federal or New York State aid, so merit awards are the main help. There are two that matter for a first-year international applicant.
| Scholarship | Amount | How you get it | Key condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Excellence Scholarship | Varies with your academic record; Stony Brook does not publish a range | Automatic consideration when you apply for admission | Renewable for four years with full-time enrolment and a 3.00 cumulative GPA |
| #YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship | 50% of tuition each year (about $15,525 at the 2026-27 rate) | Apply for admission by 1 Nov 2026, then submit a video application in the StartSBU portal by 12 Feb 2027 | Pay the enrolment deposit by 1 May 2027 and enrol full time in fall 2027 |
For the Global Excellence Scholarship, Stony Brook looks at your unweighted average first, then your programme, any SAT or ACT score, activities, research and talents. Selected students are told by email and in SOLAR, the student portal. The award covers fall and spring only, and it is cancelled if you are ever charged the New York resident tuition rate.
The #YouAreWelcomeHere award needs more work. You record a video of two to five minutes about your leadership in your school or community and how you would keep using those skills at Stony Brook. A committee reviews academic fit, intercultural activity, leadership, goals, video quality and creativity. Winners are announced in March 2027. The Presidential Scholarship and Empire State Diversity Honors scholarship are for domestic students only, so do not count on them.
Members of the Honors College receive some scholarship support, and the Yardi Scholar Cohort pays $10,000 a year to selected incoming business students. Stony Brook’s merit page does not say whether international students qualify for Yardi, so ask before you plan around it.
Stony Brook University admission requirements for international students
You count as an international applicant if you need an F-1 visa, hold a B-1/B-2 visa that must change to F-1, or currently hold F-1, F-2, J-1 or J-2 status. There is no separate international application.
- Application: Common App, SUNY App or Coalition on Scoir. Use only one. The fee is $50.
- Transcripts: grades for your three most recent years of secondary school, in English, sent directly by your school (graduates send four years). Counsellors upload them or email ugprocessing@stonybrook.edu.
- One recommendation letter: from a teacher, counsellor, coach, religious leader or community member, but not a relative.
- One essay: any topic. Stony Brook allows AI tools for brainstorming, but the final essay must be your own writing.
- English proficiency: a test score unless you come from a native English-speaking country or attend an English-medium school.
- Test scores (optional): SAT code 2548, ACT code 2952, sent officially by the testing agency.
Matching documents to your file can take up to five business days, so ask your school to send each document once and then wait. Engineering majors normally need four years of maths including calculus and four years of science including physics. Nursing and social work are upper-division majors, so you enter the College of Arts and Sciences first and complete the prerequisites.
Testing policy
Stony Brook is test optional. You will not be penalised for leaving out the SAT or ACT. The exception is the Scholars for Medicine and Scholars for Dental Medicine programmes, which require an SAT or ACT score and an extra essay of up to 650 words.
English requirements
| Test | Minimum |
|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT (taken before 21 January 2026) | 80 |
| TOEFL iBT (taken on or after 21 January 2026) | 4 |
| IELTS | 6.5 |
| Duolingo English Test | 105 |
| PTE Academic | 53 |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing | 480 |
| ACT English | 19 |
| IB English Higher Level | 5 |
| A-level English | C |
If your grades are strong but your English score falls short, Stony Brook may offer the University Preparation Program through its Intensive English Center. Below that, you can be admitted to English courses only with at least TOEFL iBT 55, IELTS 4.5 or Duolingo 80.
Stony Brook deadlines for fall 2027
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Early Action application | 1 November 2026 |
| Honors College, WISE and University Scholars priority deadline | 1 November 2026 |
| Simons STEM Scholars applications | 1 November 2026 |
| Early Action decisions | 11 December 2026 for some; 29 January 2027 guaranteed for files complete by 1 November |
| Regular Decision and final honors deadline | 15 January 2027 |
| #YouAreWelcomeHere video application | 12 February 2027 |
| Regular Decision results | 26 February and 26 March 2027 |
| Honors programme decisions | Mid to late March 2027 |
| Enrolment deposit (#YouAreWelcomeHere winners) | 1 May 2027 |
| I-20 portal login sent | After 1 March 2027 |
Early Action closes 1 November 2026
If you want the #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship, your admission application must be in by 1 November 2026. Regular Decision applicants can still be admitted and receive the Global Excellence Scholarship, but they miss that 50% tuition award.
How to write the Stony Brook essays, with a sample opening
Most applicants write only one essay, and with the Common App it is your personal statement. Stony Brook sets no prompt, so pick a story only you can tell and that shows how you think. Admissions readers in New York may not know your school, your exam system or your town, so one sentence of context goes further than a paragraph of scene setting.
If you apply to the Honors College, WISE or University Scholars, you also upload a statement of about 250 words in the StartSBU portal. Use it to name the kind of learning you want: a research question, a seminar format, a project you want to start. The #YouAreWelcomeHere video is a third piece. Speak to the camera, describe one leadership example in detail and say exactly what you would do on campus.
A sample opening for illustration only: “When the generator at our school failed during exam week, I organised twelve classmates into reading shifts under the one working streetlight outside the gate.” The rest of the essay should show what you did next, what went wrong and what you would change.
What happens after you apply
- StartSBU portal: you get a login to track missing documents, submit the honors form and upload the #YouAreWelcomeHere application.
- Decision: Early Action files complete by 1 November hear by 29 January 2027 at the latest; Regular Decision results come out on 26 February or 26 March 2027.
- Scholarship notice: Global Excellence offers arrive by email and in SOLAR; #YouAreWelcomeHere winners hear in March 2027.
- I-20 request: after 1 March you receive login details for accessVIS, where you upload proof of one year’s funding.
- Visa: with the I-20 you pay the SEVIS fee and book an F-1 visa interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate in your country.
Common mistakes international applicants make
- Sending documents several times: Stony Brook asks schools to send each document once, because matching can take five business days.
- Missing the 1 November date for the 50% award: the #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship requires the early admission deadline.
- Assuming the Presidential Scholarship applies to you: it is for domestic students.
- Using AI to write the creative writing sample: the BFA in Creative Writing does not accept AI-generated or AI-assisted samples at all.
- Choosing nursing as a first-year major: it is upper-division; you apply later after prerequisites.
- Forgetting the GPA rule: the Global Excellence Scholarship stops if your cumulative GPA drops below 3.00.
Costs that scholarships do not cover
Even a 50% tuition award leaves most of the $58,799 budget for you to fund. Plan for housing and meals (almost $20,000), the health insurance charge, your flights, the SEVIS fee and visa fee, winter clothing for New York, and summer months, which the Global Excellence Scholarship does not cover. Stony Brook offers a payment plan, and private loans exist, but many lenders want a U.S. citizen or permanent resident as co-signer.
Majors and strengths
Stony Brook offers more than 200 academic programmes and over 80 combined bachelor’s and master’s tracks. Its College of Engineering and Applied Sciences has 12 majors, including computer science, data science and biomedical engineering, and some programmes carry the U.S. government’s STEM designation, which extends work time after graduation. The university also has a medical school and dental school, marine and atmospheric sciences, journalism and a business school. Honors options include the Honors College, WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) and University Scholars.
Campus and city
The main campus covers 1,039 acres on the North Shore of Long Island, about 60 miles east of New York City and about three miles from West Meadow Beach. About 10,364 students live on campus, including 73% of first-years, across 32 residence halls and 30 apartment-style buildings. There are 500+ clubs and 18 NCAA Division I teams.
Stony Brook graduate admissions for international students
Graduate applicants apply to a specific programme through the Graduate School, which charges a $100 application fee that cannot be waived. Departments set their own deadlines; the chemistry PhD, for example, advises international applicants to finish by 1 January. Department pages quote Graduate School minimums of TOEFL iBT 90 (speaking 18) or IELTS 6.5 (speaking 6) for funded PhD students, and TOEFL 80 for master’s programmes. PhD funding usually comes as teaching or research assistantships, but terms differ by department, so read your programme’s page.
Stony Brook compared with similar public universities
| University | U.S. News 2027 (National) | Acceptance rate | 2026-27 cost (international) | International merit aid | Regular deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stony Brook | No. 59 | About 48% | $58,799 plus insurance | Global Excellence (automatic); #YouAreWelcomeHere 50% tuition | 15 Jan 2027 |
| University at Buffalo | No. 85 | About 81% | $61,030 incl. insurance | Flagship Scholarship, up to $15,000 a year (automatic) | 1 Feb 2027 |
| UMass Amherst | No. 59 | 59.9% (fall 2025) | $69,465 incl. insurance | Up to $16,000 a year (automatic) | 15 Jan 2027 |
| Indiana University Bloomington | No. 73 (2026 edition) | About 78% (fall 2024) | $61,156 | Global Engagement, typically $1,000 to $11,000 a year | 1 Feb 2027 |
Read the full guides to the University at Buffalo and Indiana University Bloomington. If you need a full ride instead of partial merit aid, our list of the best American scholarships for international students covers need-based options.
Who should apply to Stony Brook
Apply if you have A-range grades, want a research university with strong science, engineering, health or computing programmes, and can fund most of a $58,799 budget with family money, a merit award and outside scholarships. Apply by 1 November 2026 if you are a leader in your community so you are eligible for the #YouAreWelcomeHere award.
I would not make Stony Brook your only U.S. option if your family cannot cover at least half the cost. Merit awards here are partial, and the university gives no need-based aid to international students. Pair it with full-need colleges such as those in our Yale scholarships guide.
FAQ on Stony Brook admission for international students
What is the Stony Brook acceptance rate for international students?
Stony Brook does not publish a separate figure. The overall rate was about 48% for fall 2025, and admitted students typically had an average of 90 to 98 out of 100.
Does Stony Brook give scholarships to international students?
Yes. Admitted international first-years are considered automatically for the Global Excellence Scholarship, and the #YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship pays 50% of tuition to selected applicants who apply by the early deadline.
Does Stony Brook require the SAT for international students?
No. Stony Brook is test optional, except for the Scholars for Medicine and Dental Medicine programmes, which require the SAT or ACT.
What IELTS score does Stony Brook require?
The minimum is 6.5. Stony Brook also accepts TOEFL iBT 80 (or 4 on the new scale), Duolingo 105 and PTE 53.
Sources and updates
Application rules, English minimums, honors and conditional admission come from Stony Brook Undergraduate Admissions (international criteria and the first-year application page). Costs are from Stony Brook’s 2026-27 cost of attendance page. Scholarship details come from the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Services and the #YouAreWelcomeHere page. Rankings come from the university’s Institutional Research fact book and facts page (U.S. News 2027 edition, September 2026); the U.S. News profile itself could not be opened. Fall 2025 admission totals are the 2025-26 Common Data Set figures as reported by an independent compilation, since the CDS file could not be downloaded. Graduate figures come from department pages that quote the Graduate School. Checked on 29 October 2026; we will update this page when Stony Brook posts 2027-28 costs.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
