The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a glass substrate for information recording medium, the method including: a lapping step of lapping a circular glass plate made of an alkali aluminosilicate glass; and a subsequent cerium oxide polishing step of polishing the circular glass plate with a slurry containing a cerium oxide abrasive, in which a difference (SiO2−Al2O3) obtained by subtracting an Al2O3 content from an SiO2 content in the alkali aluminosilicate glass is 62% by mole or less; and in which the method further includes: subsequently to the cerium oxide polishing step, a cleaning step of cleaning the circular glass plate with a cleaning liquid having a sulfuric acid concentration of 20% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less and a hydrogen peroxide concentration of 1% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less at a liquid temperature of 50° C. or higher and 100° C. or lower, and after the cleaning step, a finish polishing step of polishing a main surface of the circular glass plate with a slurry containing a colloidal silica abrasive.