Academic Advising

Returning to Stanford

Whether you left Stanford to do some personal exploration, to deal with a family emergency, or to focus on your own health and wellness, Stanford encourages and welcomes your return to undergraduate study.

Your Academic Advisors understand that returning to Stanford can seem complex. This page explains the steps you should take when returning to Stanford after a pause in your undergraduate study, depending on your circumstances. We recommend that all returning students meet with their Undergraduate Advising Director to plan for their return.

For a comprehensive review of Stanford's return policies and procedure, you may consult the Student Services policy pages and the following Stanford Bulletin 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.

 Important information for all returning students

  • Returning students should apply for housing and financial aid (if applicable) through the appropriate offices; these are separate processes with their own deadlines.
  • Returning students will be auto-enrolled in Cardinal Care (even if not enrolled in classes for a Summer quarter return) If you do not wish to be auto-enrolled, you should request a waiver before your return. For information, please visit Vaden's website.
  • If you completed courses at another institution during your time away from Stanford, speak with your Academic Advisor to discuss applying for transfer credit.
  • Consider registering with the Office of Accessible Education (OAE) if you are facing health or mental health challenges; if you were previously registered with OAE, contact your disability advisor to discuss your planned return.

Return Scenarios 

Find information below on: Returning from Leave of Absence as scheduled • Returning early from Leave of Absence • Returning after Discontinuation (including returns from a completed academic suspension)

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

If you are returning on schedule from a voluntary Leave of Absence (i.e. on the date indicated on your Leave of Absence form), you do not need to request reinstatement.  Stanford is expecting you back! Your student record will be reactivated for the quarter of return that you indicated on your LOA form to allow you to enroll in classes.

Need to extend your LOA? Find more information about LOAs here.

As you prepare to return from your LOA, you should take the following steps:

 

Returning early from an active Leave of Absence (LOA)

If your plans have changed since you requested your voluntary Leave of Absence, and you want to return in a quarter earlier than you indicated on your LOA eForm, you can file for Early Return from Leave of Absence. 

Note: This request is administered by the office of the University Registrar.  For more information, see Student Services: Forms and Processes.

  • Check Axess to see if you have any enrollment holds on your account; contact the appropriate office about resolving these holds.
  • Fill out the required eForm on Axess. [My Academics>Student eForms>Browse Available Forms>Early Return from Leave of Absence (UG Students) or Early Return from Leave of Absence (Coterm Students)]
  • Contact an Academic Advisor to discuss your situation and get their endorsement on your eForm. 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.  
  • International students: Contact a Bechtel International Center advisor to get their endorsement on the eForm.
  • Deadline: Final Study List Deadline of the effective quarter
     

Returning after Discontinuation (including returns from a completed academic suspension): Request to Return and Register

The Request to Return and Register is a request for reinstatement as an active student at Stanford for students who have been discontinued, including:

  • Students who did not enroll for classes in any quarter except Summer, but never requested a leave of absence*
  • Students whose leave of absence expired without being extended
  • Students returning from a completed academic suspension

An active student status with the University is required to enroll in classes or apply for degree conferral.

* Did you forget to file for LOA this quarter? If you were recently discontinued, you can convert your status to a Leave of Absence by submitting the Leave of Absence for Discontinued Students eForm before the term withdrawal deadline. You will need to meet with your Academic Advisor to discuss your situation and get their endorsement on your eForm.

If you have been discontinued, you can still request to return to Stanford to complete your undergraduate degree at a future point in time.  Many Stanford students resume their studies long after their original matriculation, regardless of whether they have been away for a year or for a decade.

The Request to Return and Register is not a readmission process. You do not have to re-apply to the university. Rather, the Request is structured to help you think through all aspects of your return, including any changes you may have to make or support services you may need to utilize in order to thrive at the university.

For more information on reinstatement, see the Stanford Bulletin: Reinstatement.

Timing 

Discontinued students planning to return to Stanford should meet with an advisor to begin the process at least 8-12 weeks prior to the start of the quarter of intended enrollment. If you have been away for more than 5 years, we recommend beginning the process approximately 2 quarters before your intended return quarter.

Process

  • All returning students must meet with an Academic Advisor to facilitate the return process. 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 cannot be processed until all obligations are resolved.
  • After consultation with your UAD, please select and fill out the appropriate form below depending on whether you are an undergraduate or coterminal student:
    • For Undergraduates:
    • For Coterminal Students:
      • Form: Coterminal Request for Reinstatement [Fillable PDF]
      • Screen reader accessible form (for students using assistive technology only.  All other students must use the Fillable PDF version above.)
      • Note: Unless you previously requested to permanently withdraw from your graduate program, all matriculated coterminal degree students should use the Coterminal Request for Reinstatement when seeking to return.  You should use this form even if you are only requesting to reinstate into your undergraduate program at this time.
  • Gather the appropriate supporting documentation and endorsements for your Request:
    • Personal statement detailing any challenges you faced during your previous time at Stanford; what changes you might make or resources you might utilize to support your success upon your return; your plans for resolving any missing, Incomplete, or unreported grades on your transcript; your academic plans, including the courses you expect to take in your return quarter.
    • If you have declared a major, make sure to contact your major department and request that they fill out the relevant section of your request form detailing your remaining major requirements, or confirming that you have completed all of your major requirements.  Alternatively, the Student Services Officer of your major department can attach a signed program sheet, or a MAP report showing your completed major requirements.  If you are undeclared, you should discuss your situation with your Academic Advisor and address your plans for choosing and declaring a major in your personal statement.
    • International students: discuss your return with a representative from the Bechtel International Center and obtain their signature on the form.
    • Coterminal degree students: 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 Request, including the completed form with all relevant signatures and all required attachments, 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.
  • 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.

See Also