Approaching Stanford

Frequently Asked Questions

2024 New Student FAQs

Below you will find answers to questions we frequently receive throughout the summer. Please review the responses below and if your question is not listed, contact us by phone or email.

Academics & Enrollment

Approaching Stanford Forms

COVID-19

General

Orientation

Preparing for Arrival

Technology


Why is there an Enrollment Hold on my account in Axess and how do I get it lifted?

New Student Advisement hold: Every incoming frosh and transfer student has a standard New Student Advisement enrollment hold. While enrollment will open on September 5 for continuing students, as an incoming frosh, you will not be able to enroll until you have completed an initial academic advising conversation with your Undergraduate Advising Director (UAD) and attended the required programs of New Student Orientation (NSO). In August, your assigned advisor will contact you by email and invite you to schedule an advising conversation. In September, during NSO, the enrollment hold will be released for all frosh and you will be able to enroll in courses in Axess.

Documents for Undergraduate Admission: Your admission is conditional upon receipt of your official final school transcript, and if you self-reported them, your official test scores for ACT and/or SAT. If these documents are not submitted to the Office of Undergraduate by the applicable due dates, an enrollment hold will be placed on your account. For questions, contact credentials@stanford.edu.

Student Information Update: You will also have a hold that pertains to your completion of the Student Information Update. You will complete this as part of the Approaching Stanford Forms process by logging in to Axess. The hold will automatically be cleared once the Student Information Update is complete. If you believe you completed this step but you continue to see the hold on your account, revisit the Student Information Update to confirm it was properly saved. This update will be required annually.

Vaden Health Center: If you did not complete your Vaden Health Requirements by the required deadline, there may be a Vaden Health Requirements enrollment hold on your account. To have this hold released, you must submit your missing health records/forms.

International Students: International students (non-US citizens, non-Permanent Residents) have an enrollment hold that Bechtel International Center will release upon confirmation that you have arrived to Stanford.

Can I get proof of enrollment?

Once you enroll in courses and submit a Study List, enrollment certifications can be obtained online through Axess. However, as a new frosh, you cannot enroll in Autumn Quarter courses until your New Student Enrollment Hold is released during NSO. If you need verification for scholarship or insurance purposes, you should first inform the scholarship agency or insurance company that new students will not be able to enroll in courses until September during NSO; thus, enrollment certifications will not be available until after that date. Sometimes a copy of your acceptance letter will suffice or companies will provide an extension. If you still need proof of enrollment, please send an email to approaching@stanford.edu and we will provide a letter of explanation.

When are the Language Placement Tests and should I take one?

Online written language placement tests are offered June through August. Schedule information and more details can be found on the Language Center's website. The placement tests are necessary if you are trying to fulfill the Language Requirement or if you plan to continue classes in a language with which you have familiarity. Placement tests may diagnose you as needing one to three quarters of additional study for the language before the requirement can be fulfilled. Placement test results are valid for one year.

Can I change information on my Approaching Stanford Forms before the deadline?

If you have already submitted your Forms and the deadline has not yet passed, send an email to approaching@stanford.edu indicating your requested change and we will help you make the change.

Can I change information on my Approaching Stanford Forms after the deadline?

If you need to make a change to the Forms after the deadline, please send an email with the request to approaching@stanford.edu using your @stanford.edu email account. Depending on the issue and the timing of the request, we may be able to make the change. Many offices start using the information right away so only certain changes are allowed.

What are Stanford's COVID-19 vaccination policies?

Why do I see different terms used at Stanford; am I a "first-year", "frosh", or "freshman"?

At Stanford, we are gradually moving away from the term "freshman/freshmen" and using the term "first-year(s)" to refer to undergraduate students in their first year. You will continue to see both "first-year" and "freshman" being used by different offices and departments, but should gradually begin to see "freshman" being phased out. We will continue to use "frosh" more informally when referring to first-year students and the first-year experience.

Can I enroll in Summer Quarter 2024 at Stanford?

No, prior to their first year at Stanford, new undergraduate first-year and transfer students cannot enroll at Stanford in Summer Quarter (including online courses), nor can they live in campus housing designated for undergraduate students prior to their first year, unless they are participating in a VPUE-sponsored program by invitation. Exceptions are very rarely granted.

When is International Student Orientation (ISO) and how do I register for it? Who should attend ISO?

International Student Orientation (ISO) will take place in September just before general New Student Move-In. Participants in ISO 2024 should plan to move to campus and into their academic year dorm rooms on Saturday, September 14. ISO will run from September 14-17, concluding on September 17 so that you can meet your dormmates and join dorm activities on that day.

All international students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents are required to attend ISO and therefore cannot participate in any other pre-orientation program that conflicts with ISO timing. To register, students will indicate their intent to attend on the Approaching Stanford Forms. If you arrive to the area earlier than September 14, we recommend that you make reservations at a local hotel/motel until you can move to campus, as you cannot move in before September 14.

U.S. citizens living abroad, including those with dual citizenship, U.S. permanent residents, and students for whom Bechtel does not issue immigration documents for, are not required nor expected to attend. If you have never lived in the U.S., you may request approval to attend on the Approaching Stanford Forms and provide an explanation. Bechtel will review all requests and determine which ones are appropriate to approve, if space is available.

When is Move-In and New Student Orientation (NSO)? Is NSO required?

Move-In Day for New Students will be on Tuesday, September 17, one week before the start of Autumn Quarter. Move-In begins at 8:00 a.m. and all new students should be checked in by 5:00 p.m. on this date. All new students are required to live on campus in your first year.

New Student Orientation (NSO) will take place from September 17-22 and is required for all new undergraduate students. Guests and family members are welcome to accompany you to Move-In and NSO events on September 17, which includes our Opening Convocation Ceremony. Guests should plan to say their goodbyes no later than 5:00 p.m. on September 17. From that point on, you will be engaged fully in NSO events and should not make any other plans during NSO.

What do I need to do first?

  1. If you have not done so already, you must set up your SUNet ID. Your unique Stanford University Network ID (SUNet ID) identifies you as part of the Stanford community and will allow you to gain access to your Stanford email account, financial aid information, the Stanford Canvas portal, course enrollment, and other secure websites and applications.
  2. Update your Preferred Name and/or Mailing Address in Axess. We will send a small physical mailing to your Mailing Address on record. If needed, follow these instructions to update your preferred name and/or mailing address by May 1.
  3. Beginning May 10, check your Stanford Email. Weekly Approaching Stanford newsletters will be delivered to your Stanford email address beginning May 10. Note: You may need to wait up to 72 hours after setting up your SUNet ID before you can access your Stanford email.
  4. Beginning May 10, visit Approaching Stanford's website and familiarize yourself with the following:
    • Read the Approaching Stanford Handbook, which will be your primary source of information about Stanford.
    • Log into Canvas and review the Approaching Stanford Requirements Checklist, which includes your required Approaching Stanford Forms.
    • Refer to the Important Dates and Deadlines for Frosh to identify other important communications and deadlines of which you should be aware.

I'm an international (non-U.S. citizen) student, what do I need to do?

International students are non-US citizens/permanent residents for whom Bechtel issues visa documents. You will receive more information from Bechtel over the summer. In the meantime, you can find new international student information on their website or email Bechtel with your questions. All international students should:

Where do I find my Stanford student ID number (SUID)?

You can find your SUID number on your acceptance letter from Dean of Undergraduate Admission Rick Shaw and on your Approaching Stanford Forms under your student photo. Your SUID is eight numbers long and often starts with a "06" or a "5". Note: your SUID is different than your SUNet ID.

How do I change my preferred name?

Go to Axess > Click on My Information > Scroll down to Names > Edit your Preferred Name. You can edit your Preferred First and Preferred Middle Name(s). If you do not want your middle name to appear on your account (Stanford email, Canvas, etc.) as part of your preferred name, you can delete your middle name from the preferred middle name field. Note: changes made in Axess will take about 24 hours to register in the system.

What's Canvas and how do I access it?

Canvas is a secure Stanford system which all students will be required to use for their courses during the academic year. The Approaching Stanford Canvas course is designed to provide you with required actions items to be completed this summer. We will also host online chats with staff and faculty; Q&A sessions with university offices; and also various discussion boards answering FAQs about topics such as moving to Stanford, completing the Approaching Stanford Forms, housing preferences, and more. Log in to read questions posted by your classmates and post your own questions for the Approaching Stanford team and other university administrators to answer in this secure setting. Your SUNet ID and password will be required to log in.

What if I need an academic or housing accommodation?

If you have a medical condition, including severe food allergy, pet allergy, or documented disability, contact the Office of Accessible Education (OAE) to discuss accommodations you might need at Stanford. For those who may need to request a housing accommodation, contact the OAE as soon as possible so those accommodations can be taken into consideration during the housing assignments process. For more information, review OAE's registration process.

How do I change my mailing address?

Go to Axess > Click on My Information > Click on Privacy Settings > Edit your mailing address. Any changes made in Axess will take about 24 hours to register in the system.

Where does my high school counselor send my final transcript?

Final transcripts should be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admission via the Common Application online form. This is the fastest method for materials to reach your file. If online submission is not possible, school personnel may send materials as an email attachment to credentials@stanford.edu. Ask your school to include your full legal name, school, and date of birth on all correspondence with the admission office.

How do I check my @stanford.edu email?

Log in to your Stanford email account at webmail.stanford.edu. The University will send communications, including important notifications, only to this email account and you should use it when contacting university offices so that they can verify your identity as the sender. You are responsible for checking your Stanford email regularly. You can configure your email settings at email.stanford.edu. For problems with your Stanford email, submit a Help Ticket to Stanford IT.

How do I access my @stanford.edu email on my mobile device or desktop computer?

All new undergraduate students can access their @stanford.edu email account using the Microsoft Exchange online service, Microsoft 365, which provides cloud-based email and calendaring. Outlook is the web-based email client for Microsoft 365 and will let you access your Stanford email, calendar, address book, and tasks on any computer through a web browser. To set up a desktop email client or mobile device to access your email, see the Microsoft 365 configuration instructions. You can also use your @stanford.edu account to log in to Google Drive and to use Google Apps, but you cannot access Stanford email on Gmail.

What if I'm having problems with Two-Step Authentication or with my SUNet ID?

Two-Step Authentication is required to access secure Stanford systems and protects your Stanford account should someone else learn your password. You can read more and update your authentication method at twostep.stanford.edu. We recommend that anyone who travels internationally set their two-step authentication method to Duo Mobile Passcode, which allows you to generate your authentication code on your mobile device without an internet or cellular connection.

If you lose access to your account (i.e., lost your authentication device) or if you have forgotten your SUNet ID/password, contact Stanford IT by calling (650) 725-4357, Monday-Friday from 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. If you cannot call them, submit a Help Request.

How do I submit a photo for my ID card?

Your photo is required for your Stanford ID card. The photo upload process is through a system maintained by the ID Card Office. In addition to being used for your Stanford ID card, this photo is used for the printed Stanford Lookbook, a publication of the photos, names, hometowns, and dorm assignments of first-year and new transfer students, which every new student receives on Move-In Day. Your photo may also be displayed in your dorm by your residence staff. You may opt out of being included in the Stanford Lookbook and residence displays by sending an email to approaching@stanford.edu with your request by the Approaching Stanford Forms deadline (June 7 for frosh and June 28 for transfers).

Is a personal computer necessary? What kind of laptop should I buy?

While Stanford doesn't require students to have their own personal computer / laptop, it is highly encouraged. Students who already have their own laptop or need to purchase a new one can review Before You Come to Campus for recommendations by the Learning Technology & Spaces staff. There, you will find laptop recommendations as well as additional details you may wish to consider. For questions, contact Student Technical Support.