Academic Advising

Returning to Stanford

All students wishing to enroll in any given quarter(s) must have an active student status with the University. Depending on your situation, students returning to Stanford may need to take specific steps for reinstatement.

The following information offers clarification of university academic policies related to leaves of absence and reinstatement.  For a comprehensive review of leave and reinstatement policies, please refer to the following pages:

NOTE: Students who have received a suspension from the Office of Community Standards (OCS) should work directly with that office rather than with Academic Advising.
 

On this page: Returning from Leave of Absence (LOA) as scheduled • Returning early from LOA • Extending an LOA • Requesting an LOA after discontinuation • Request to Return and Register

Returning as scheduled from an active Leave of Absence (LOA)

If you are returning on schedule from an active Leave of Absence (i.e. on the date indicated on your original Leave of Absence form), there are no special steps you need to take for reinstatement.  Your student record will be reactivated for the quarter of return that you indicated on your LOA form.  Make sure to check if you have any enrollment holds on your account, and to contact the appropriate office about resolving these holds. 

We strongly recommend meeting with an Academic Advisor to plan for your scheduled return.  We also urge you to check in with your academic department about major requirements and any changes to the program while you were away.

Finally, be sure to apply for housing and financial aid (if applicable), as these are separate processes with their own deadlines. 

First steps and timeline for all other return scenarios

For all other return scenarios, you will need to take specific steps for reinstatement.  If you need to file a Request to Return and Register in Undergraduate Study, please note the detailed list of steps on the form and read through it carefully.  To facilitate your return, any necessary forms should be filed 8-12 weeks prior to the beginning of the quarter of intended enrollment. If you have been away more than 5 years, please allow at least 12 weeks to process your return.

In general, returning students must meet with an Academic Advisor, clear any obligations to the University (financial, housing, etc) and submit any necessary forms.  Students may choose to meet with an academic advisor they have worked with previously, or they may reach out to the UAD for Academic Support Programs.  You may find more details about particular return scenarios below. 

Return Scenarios

Returning early from an active Leave of Absence (LOA)

  • This is a request to return from an active Leave of Absence in a quarter earlier than you initially intended (as stated on your original LOA eForm).  This request is administered by the office of the University Registrar.  For more information, see Student Services: Forms and Processes.
  • Fill out the required eForm on Axess
    • To find the eForm, log in to Axess, go to the "My Academics" dropdown menu, and navigate to “Student eForms.” Click on “Browse Available Forms” and search for the "Early Return from Leave of Absence (UG Students)" or the “Early Return from Leave of Absence (Coterm Students) eForm. 
  • Contact an Academic Advisor to discuss your situation and get their endorsement on your eForm.
  • If you are an international student, you must also contact a Bechtel International Center advisor and get their endorsement on the eForm.
  • Deadline: Final Study List Deadline of the effective quarter
  • Keep in mind that if your request is approved, you may still need to apply for housing and for financial aid through separate processes, and that those applications have their own deadlines.  If your circumstances are especially complex, please speak to your Academic Advisor for guidance on the timing of your submission.
     

Extending the return date of an active LOA to a later quarter

  • This is a request to extend a Leave of Absence for anywhere from one quarter to four quarters at a time.  You may request no more than eight total quarters of Leave throughout your undergraduate career.  This request is administered by the office of the University Registrar.  For more information on Leaves of Absence, see the Stanford Bulletin: Voluntary Leaves of Absence for Undergraduate Students and the Stanford Bulletin: Voluntary Leaves of Absence for Coterminal Students.
  • Fill out the required eForm on Axess  
    • To find the eForm, log in to Axess, go to the "My Academics" dropdown menu, and navigate to “Student eForms.” Click on “Browse Available Forms” and search for "Leave of Absence for Undergraduates" or “Leave of Absence for Coterm.”
  • Contact an Academic Advisor to discuss your situation and get their endorsement on your eForm.
  • The Dean of Students office will also review your situation and may reach out to you regarding any support that may be helpful to your specific circumstances.
  • If you are an international student, you must also contact a Bechtel International Center advisor and get their endorsement on the eForm.
  • If you are a coterminal student, you must also contact your graduate major department and obtain a departmental endorsement on the eForm.
  • If you are extending your Leave of Absence, you must submit the eForm before the Final Study List deadline of your original intended quarter of return.
  • For more guidance on extending a Leave of Absence request, see our Advising Student Handbook.
     

Requesting an LOA after being discontinued

  • This is a request to change your status from “discontinued” to an official Leave of Absence if you were discontinued this current quarter due to non-enrollment or an expired LOA.  This request is administered by the office of the University Registrar.  For more information, see Student Services: Forms and Processes.
    • NOTE: Students who were discontinued in a previous quarter must instead submit a Request to Return and Register (see below).  
  • If eligible, fill out the required eForm on Axess.  
    • To find the eForm, visit https://eforms.stanford.edu. Click on “Browse Available Forms” and search for "Leave of Absence for Discontinued Undergraduates" or “Leave of Absence for Discontinued Coterms.”
  • Contact an Academic Advisor to discuss your situation and get their endorsement on your eForm.
  • The Dean of Students Office will also review your situation and may reach out to you regarding any support that may be helpful to your specific circumstances.
  • If you are an international student, you must also contact a Bechtel International Center advisor and get their endorsement on the eForm.
  • If you are a coterminal student, you must also contact your graduate major department and obtain a departmental endorsement on the eForm.
  • Deadline: Term Withdrawal deadline for the effective quarter (either the return quarter originally indicated on your LOA form, or your first quarter of non-enrollment if you did not file an LOA).  The Term Withdrawal deadline is usually in Week 7 of the quarter, but see the academic calendar for details.
  • For more guidance on the Leave of Absence request, see our Advising Student Handbook.
     

Request to Return and Register (Undergraduate and Coterminal Students)

  • This is a request for reinstatement at Stanford if you are on a discontinued status: for example, if you are returning from a completed academic suspension, or if you were previously unenrolled but never requested an official leave of absence, or if your leave of absence expired and you did not renew it.  For more information on reinstatement, see the Stanford Bulletin: Reinstatement.
  • Connect with an Academic Advisor to begin discussing your situation and your plans to return to Stanford. We recommend meeting with an advisor about 8-12 weeks before your intended quarter of return.  If you have been away for more than 5 years, we recommend connecting with an advisor at least 2 quarters in advance of your intended quarter of return. Students may choose to meet with an academic advisor they have worked with previously, or they may reach out to the UAD for Academic Support Programs.  
  • Clear any obligations to the University (e.g. financial holds or other enrollment holds).  Your request will not be processed until all obligations are resolved.
  • After consultation with your advisor, please select and fill out the appropriate form from the two options below: 
  • You must write a personal statement detailing any past challenges you faced during your previous time at Stanford; what changes you might make or support resources you might seek out in order to give you the best possible chance of success upon your return; your plans for resolving any missing, Incomplete, or unreported grades on your transcript; your tentative course plans for your immediate quarter of return; and your longer term academic plans.
  • If you are an international student, discuss your return with a representative from the Bechtel International Center and obtain their signature on this form.
  • If you have declared a major, you should submit an academic plan signed by a representative from your department that lists your remaining major requirements, or confirms that you have finished all your major requirements.  This can be in the form of a signed program sheet, or an email statement sent by a representative from your major department.  If you haven’t declared a major, you should discuss your situation with your Academic Advisor and list the courses you plan to take for your intended quarter of return.
  • If you are a coterminal degree student, contact your graduate program department to discuss your plans for return and timeline for degree completion. Obtain their signature on this form and have them either indicate their decision on your reinstatement, or confirm that you are not seeking graduate reinstatement at this time.
  • Submit the required form, personal statement, academic plan, and any other relevant supporting documentation to your Academic Advisor by Week 5 of the quarter prior to your intended return (e.g. submit by Week 5 of Autumn quarter for a Winter quarter return).  Your advisor may request revisions to your submission or a follow-up meeting.  
    • We strongly recommend that you submit any suggested revisions before the Term Withdrawal deadline of the quarter prior to your intended return (usually in Week 7).  See the academic calendar for Term Withdrawal dates.
    • Keep in mind that both Financial Aid and Housing have their own separate application processes with their own deadlines, and that you will not be able to apply for these services until after your Request to Return and Register has been approved and fully processed.  
    • If you have been away more than 5 years, please allow at least 12 weeks to process your return. 
  • If you have missed the recommended submission deadline for your finalized request (i.e. the Term Withdrawal deadline of the prior quarter), or if your circumstances are especially complex, please speak to your Academic Advisor as soon as possible for guidance.

Considerations and Resources

Additional Information

Housing

In general, students admitted as frosh are eligible for 12 total quarters of housing across their Stanford undergraduate career, whereas students admitted as transfers are eligible for 9 quarters of housing.  Please see the R&DE Housing website for more information on housing eligibility and application deadlines.

Financial Aid

The priority filing date for financial aid is April 30 prior to the year you intend to return.  See the Financial Aid Office web site for application requirements.

If you are unable to meet the priority filing date, we highly recommend that you complete your application at least 8 weeks prior to the beginning of the quarter of intended enrollment.  Review the special instructions for late applicants here.

Health Insurance

Returning students will be auto-enrolled in Cardinal Care.  Note that the cost of health insurance will post to a student's account unless Cardinal Care is waived in a timely manner.  For information on waiving Cardinal care, please visit Vaden's website.

See Also