Academic Advising
Architectural detail of an archway. Photo Credit: Andrew Brodhead

Resources for Returning Students

Stanford students take time away from school for many reasons, including family concerns, finances, health, job opportunities (including professional sports), academic issues, or needing time to clarify their priorities and goals. Students may return to Stanford after just one quarter, after many quarters, or even after many years. 

If you currently are making plans to return to Stanford, please be in touch with an Academic Advisor as soon as possible.  Please feel free to schedule a meeting with any advisor you have previously worked with at Stanford.  If the advisor you previously worked with is no longer available, you may contact the Director of Academic Support Programs.

For information and forms for the return process, please visit Returning to Stanford. 

Leaving, and Returning to Stanford

Not sure where to begin?  Academic Advising has published a booklet to help you transition back to Stanford life.  These pages provide information on how to return and register, list the essentials for a smooth return, and remind you of the resources available to you. If you have any questions or if you just need to talk to someone, your Academic Advisors are here for you.

Click on the full screen icon to see a larger view, or read the Returning to Stanford booklet here.

Returning Students Group

All students returning to Stanford after time away (for any reason) are invited to subscribe to the Returning Students Group mailing list to keep up to date on special events and important information specific to returning students.  

Join our mailing list here

Additional Resources

Upon your return to Stanford, we encourage you to make use of the following resources to support you in both your academics and your well-being:

Undergraduate Advising Directors
Remember to stay in touch with the Undergraduate Advising Director who helped with your request to return!  UADs can help you plan a reasonable academic course load, understand your remaining requirements, connect you to support resources, and more.

Resident Directors
Resident Directors, or RDs as they are often called, are professional staff that are here to help students navigate their undergraduate experience at Stanford.​

Academic Skills Coaching
You can make an appointment with an Academic Skills Coach to work on improving your learning strategies, study skills, time management, and more!

Additional Calculus for Engineers (ACE)
ACE provides additional support for students in engineering classes (regardless of major) who would benefit from an active learning environment led by highly trained grad student. ACE support courses are currently offered for MATH, CME, and CS classes.

Hume Center for Writing and Speaking
The Hume Center helps students improve both their written and oral communication.  They can help you get started on a writing or oral presentation assignment, address writer's block, and support you in revising and editing your assignments.

CTL Tutoring
The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) offers free tutoring for select classes in Foreign Languages, Math, Chemistry, Physics, Bio, Econ, and more.

Office of Accessible Education (OAE) ​
OAE supports students with disabilities and can assist registered students with both housing and academic accommodations.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
CAPS provides mental health services as well as crisis counseling to students, and can also help connect you to a local therapist or psychiatrist for long-term care.  CAPS services are covered by the Campus Health Service Fee.

Well-Being Coaches
Well-Being coaches are supportive partners that can help you navigate uncertainty, figure out what you need at this stage of your life, and design and implement your own vision for well-being.

Class Email Lists

Undergraduate class email lists are used primarily by the class presidents to communicate with members of the class and to share information about class events and programs. They may also be used by university offices and programs to share important announcements and information.

If your Stanford email was deactivated while you were away from Stanford, or if your anticipated graduation year has changed, you may want to rejoin or change your membership on a class email list.

Once you have returned to an "Active" student status and registered a Study List for the current quarter, please send a subscription request to the appropriate class list by clicking one of the links below. Your request will be reviewed and approved by the list owners.

See also