Free tutoring and help for Stanford courses
No matter where you came from or what kind of high school experience you’ve had, the classes at Stanford can be at a whole new level of difficulty. Successful students draw on all the resources that are available to them, and tutoring is often part of taking your skills to the next level. If you find yourself needing a little help, you’re not alone! Free tutoring and other academic support resources are included in your Stanford tuition, and there are no extra fees involved. Here are some of the most important academic resources used by students across the university.
Tutoring and Academic Coaching
Whether you're having trouble with a problem set, struggling to speak more fluently in your foreign language class, or looking for help on your next big essay, Stanford has a wealth of tutoring resources to help you develop the skills you need.
- The Hume Center offers both drop-in and appointment tutoring to help you hone your writing skills. They also have oral communication tutors that can help you improve your public speaking and presentation skills. Visit their website to learn more, and to sign up for an appointment or find out about drop-in hours.
- CTL Tutoring (offered through the Center for Teaching and Learning) offers one-on-one appointment tutoring for specific classes in Foreign Languages, Math, Chemistry, Physics, Bio, Econ, and more. They also offer drop-in tutoring at certain times and locations, including your local cafeteria, library, or community center! Click on the link above to find the list of classes they offer tutoring for, as well as to sign up for an appointment or find their drop-in locations.
- There are a few other places on campus where you can find subject tutoring, including the Physics Tutoring Center; the LaIR, Black LaIR and WiCS LaIR (for CS); and the Stanford University Mathematical Organization (SUMO) (for Math 19/20/21, Math 51/52/53, and Math104 ).
- Academic Skills Coaches can help you build up new study skills for college, learn to take notes more effectively in class, get through your readings more efficiently, and become better at time management.
Companion Courses
Certain classes offer optional “companion courses” where you get an extra unit of credit for an additional meeting or two each week. These additional course meetings offer more practice on the material covered in the main class, and can be a great way to get a little extra support as well as a higher unit count.
Note that some classes set up their companion courses as a 1 unit add-on: for example, Math51ACE for 1 unit, which you sign up for in addition to the regular Math51 for 5 units. Other classes set up their companion courses by offering an alternate version of the main course with the extra 1 unit already built in. One example of this would be Physics 41E, which is a 5 unit version of the 4 unit Physics 41.
- The ACE Program offers additional support courses for Math 19, 20, 21, and 51; CME 100, 102 and 106; CS 103, 106A, 106B, 107, 109, 111 and 161; and MS&E 120. Fill out an application form on the ACE site if you are interested in enrolling in any of these companion courses.
- The Physics department offers Physics 41E, a 5-unit version of Physics 41 (normally 4 units) for students with little or no high school physics or calculus.
- in 2020, Chemistry founded their the STEMentors program. This program offers "academic, social, and wellness support to students in the introductory Stanford chemistry courses."
- The Program in Writing and Rhetoric (PWR) offers a PWR 1 Studio for Multilingual Writers, a 1 unit companion course to PWR 1 for students who grew up writing and speaking in a language other than English. They also offer a PWR 1 Workshop, which is a similar 1 unit companion course for any student (not necessarily multilingual) who doesn't feel confident in their high school writing preparation and would like some extra support. Click on the links above and fill out an application form if you are interested in joining either class.
Additional Resources
- If you’re a varsity athlete, you can also visit the Athletic Academic Resource Center (AARC) for tutoring and advising.
- If you’re taking a Stanford summer course, get tutoring at the Summer Academic Resource Center, or SARC.
- If you have a disability or need accommodations, the Office of Accessible Education can help you get the support you need.
- The Schwab Learning Center at CHC supports students with learning differences, and can also help students who wish to be evaluated for potential learning differences. Schwab services are free for Stanford students.
- The Center for Teaching and Learning also offers support for neurodiverse students
Looking for more help? Check out the Stanford Undergrad Website's page on Tutoring Resources!