Dates & Deadlines
2026 Dates and Deadlines
In preparation for your arrival, review these important dates and deadlines and complete the following items.
May 1 | SUNet ID & Mailing Address Deadline
After you accept your offer of admission, please create your Stanford University Network ID (SUNet ID). Once Approaching Stanford begins, you will need to use your SUNet ID to check your Stanford email account and to complete your Approaching Stanford Requirements. All Approaching Stanford and official university communications will be sent to your Stanford email account.
Please also log in to Axess and verify your Mailing Address is correct. In early May, a small mailing will be sent to your Mailing Address, as listed in Axess.
May 8 | Approaching Stanford Begins
In early May, the Approaching Stanford process will begin! Check your Stanford email for the Approaching Stanford Handbook and the first of your weekly newsletters. You are responsible for regularly checking your email and completing any required action items throughout the summer. On May 11, you will be able to log in to the Approaching Stanford Canvas Course for the Approaching Stanford Requirements and access to your Approaching Stanford Forms and First-Year Housing Application, due June 5.
May 17 | Summer Bridge Program Application Deadline (Optional)
If interested, apply to participate in one of the Summer Bridge Program sessions taking place this summer prior to the start of New Student Orientation. Online and residential options are offered; session dates vary. Priority application deadline: May 17. Final application deadline for online sessions I & II: May 24. Final application deadline for online session III & residential session: May 31.
June 5 | Approaching Stanford Forms & Housing Application Deadline
Log in to Canvas to complete the Approaching Stanford Forms, which include the First-Year Housing Application. These Forms collect personal information; academic course preferences; housing application and preferences; and parent/guardian contact(s) for the university. All Forms submitted by the deadline will be given equal consideration. Housing assignments are not made in the order of submission. University staff will begin reviewing the Forms to get to know you and to make assignments as soon as the deadline has passed.
An Enrollment Hold will be placed on Autumn Quarter Enrollment for students who do not submit their Approaching Stanford Forms.
June 5 | Academic/Housing Accommodations Registration
If applicable, register with the Office of Accessible Education by this deadline in order to ensure proper academic and/or housing accommodations have been implemented prior to Autumn Quarter.
June-July | Language Placement Tests
If applicable, complete language placement tests for course placement for language courses at Stanford or to see if you can satisfy the Language Requirement.
Mid-June | Pre-Orientation Programs Application Deadlines (Optional)
If interested, apply to participate in one of the Pre-Orientation Programs taking place in the week prior to the start of New Student Orientation. Application deadlines, program dates, and fees vary.
Mid-June | Parent & Guardian Newsletter
The first of this monthly Approaching Stanford newsletter will be emailed to the parent(s)/guardian(s) you listed on your Approaching Stanford Forms. To add a contact to our email list after the Forms deadline, students should email approaching@stanford.edu with the contact's name and email address. Please note that we can only add contacts provided by you, the student, not by your parent/family member.
June 30 | Preferred Name Update
If you wish to have your preferred name printed on your ID Card, update your preferred name in Axess under 'My Information' > 'Names' by June 30. The ID Card Office will use your name as listed in your account in Axess. Updates to preferred names after this date are not guaranteed to be included on your ID Card; your legal name may be used instead. You will collect your ID Card when you move to campus.
July 1 | ACT/SAT Official Test Scores Deadline
Official test scores are required for all ACT and SAT sittings that were self-reported on your admission application. Please contact ACT or College Board to send these scores to Stanford.
An Enrollment Hold will be placed on Autumn Quarter Enrollment for students who do not submit their official scores.
AP/IB Scores: You are not required to submit official AP scores to the Office of Undergraduate Admission for exams taken during your final year of high school. If you are seeking to earn credit for subjects Stanford offers credit in, the Registrar's Office requires you submit your official AP scores. The AP Chart for 2026-27 will be posted later in the summer, at which time you can review to see if your AP scores will receive any credit. It's advised that you speak with your Undergraduate Advising Director before submitting for AP transfer credit. AP scores for transfer credit must be submitted to Stanford by the end of your first year.
July 1 | Final Official Transcript Deadline
Submit your final official high school transcript, along with the transcripts for any external coursework that does not appear on your high school transcript (dual enrollment, etc.), by July 1 to the Office of Undergraduate Admission. If you have previously submitted your final transcript, you do not need to resubmit it. Check your Stanford portal to see which required documents have been received, and which ones are still due. Email credentials@stanford.edu with questions.
An Enrollment Hold will be placed on Autumn Quarter Enrollment for students who do not submit their final high school transcript.
July 10 | Summer Civil Dialogues Program Sign-Up Deadline (Optional)
If interested, sign up for the Summer Civil Dialogues Program. Join peer-facilitated small group discussions in August to begin building the skills necessary for active participation in campus discourse, robust intellectual growth, and engaging in conversations with diverse perspectives. Through four 90-minute virtual sessions of no more than 10 participants, students will hone and practice skills for engaging in productive dialogue across difference, share political values in a pluralistic setting, and build small communities through conversation. This program is optional, but strongly recommended.
August | Placement Tests & Diagnostics
If applicable, complete placement tests and/or diagnostics in August for course placement for Chemistry, Math, and Physics. If you plan to take courses in the fall in any of these subjects, you are encouraged to submit your AP/IB test and/or transfer credit requests earlier in the summer (June-July) for course placement purposes.
August 1 | Annual Student Information Update Deadline
You will be required to complete the annual “Student Information Update” every year in Axess. For new students, the Student Information Update will be available in Axess in mid June and it will take about five minutes to complete. After you've completed it, the fields will remain available all year round for you to update. Students should complete this requirement by August 1, 2026.
An Enrollment Hold will be placed on Autumn Quarter Enrollment for students who do not complete the Student Information Update.
August 15 | University Health Requirements Deadline
Review and complete the 2026-27 University Health Requirements. You will need to upload or submit an official immunization record to Vaden Health Center. For questions regarding the Health Requirements, please submit a Help Ticket to Vaden (responses may take a few business days due to volume of inquiries).
An Enrollment Hold will be placed on Autumn Quarter Enrollment for students who do not complete their Entrance Health Requirements and Forms.
Mid-August | Student Housing Notification
Check your Stanford email for notification of your first-year housing assignment from R&DE Student Housing and Residential Education. All new undergraduate students are required to live in university housing on campus for their first year.
Mid-August | Navigate Classes 2026-27
Visit navigator.stanford.edu to view Stanford's official class schedule for the 2026-27 academic year. Begin browsing courses and course planning resources.
Frosh have a 'New Student Advisement' Enrollment Hold that will be released during New Student Orientation (NSO), at which time they will be able to enroll in their Autumn Quarter courses if they have completed their Approaching Stanford Requirements.
Mid-August | Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Email
Check your Stanford email for notification of your required VPUE first-year courses (COLLEGE, PWR; ESF; ITALIC; or SLE) and featured recommended courses (Introductory Seminars and Frosh 101).
Mid-August | Undergraduate Advising Director Introduction
Check your Stanford email for an introductory email from your academic advisor, known as your Undergraduate Advising Director (UAD). You will be invited to schedule a small group advising appointment with your assigned UAD prior to NSO. The appointment will be an initial advising conversation around academic interests, course selection, opportunities, and resources. Browse the course planning resources and make a list of questions to share with your UAD.
Late August | Move-In Information
Check your Stanford email for instructions about moving to Stanford, including packing/shipping guidelines, a printable map, and details of what to expect. New Student Move-In is Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
Late August | University Student Bill Notification
In late August, log into Axess to view your first University Student Bill. Also set up Authorized Users and Direct Deposit, if desired. Your first student bill is due by September 20. The 2026-27 payment schedule will be posted later in the summer.
September 1 | Civic Engagement Information Acknowledgment Deadline
Every fall, a 'Civic Engagement' Enrollment Hold is placed for every student to encourage them to review information on civic engagement and to register to vote (if eligible). The Civic Engagement information will be available to view in Axess on/around August 1. To have the hold released, simply check a box to acknowledge the recommendation of civic engagement. You do not need to register to vote in order for the hold to be released, but if you have not yet registered to vote, you are strongly encouraged to do so at this time. For more, see stanfordvotes.org.
An Enrollment Hold will remain on Autumn Quarter Enrollment for students who do not acknowledge the Civic Engagement recommendation.
September 14 | New Student Required Trainings Deadline
Check your Stanford email in mid-August for notification about these required trainings. Complete them by September 14, before NSO begins:
- Office of Community Standards (OCS): Fundamental Standard and Honor Code
- Office of Substance Use Programs, Education & Resources (SUPER): Binge Thinking, Stanford Cannabis Education, Stanford Naloxone & Opioid Education
- Sexual Harassment/Assault Response & Education (SHARE) Title IX and Title VI Office: Sexual Assault Prevention for Undergraduates
- Student Affairs: StandUp to Hazing
- Office of Sustainability: Zero Waste Training
September 14 | Stanford Survey of New Students Deadline
Check your Stanford email in mid-August for your unique survey link to the Stanford Survey of New Students. Complete this important university survey by September 14.
September 15 | Cardinal Care Health Insurance Decision Deadline
Between August 14–September 15, you must log into Axess and formally acknowledge the Cardinal Care Health Insurance Policy. Students who wish to waive Cardinal Care can submit a waiver request at that time. Students who do not waive Cardinal Care by September 15 will be automatically enrolled for the plan year (September 1, 2026–August 31, 2027).
September 15 | New Student Move-In Day
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 is New Student Move-In Day All new students are required to move to campus on New Student Move-In Day. Check-in will take place near the residences at the designated check-in locations from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. All new students must be checked in by 5:00 p.m. on New Student Move-In Day. At check-in, students will receive their Stanford ID card and their dorm room key.
Pre-Orientation Programs: Students participating in pre-orientation programs that take place on campus may have an earlier move-in date. Please see details of your program when your participation is confirmed.
September 15–20 | New Student Orientation (NSO)
Welcome to Stanford! NSO will introduce you to the Stanford community and to each other. NSO is held the week prior to the start of Autumn Quarter and is required for all new students. We will have a full schedule of programs and events that you will be expected to attend. Please do not make any plans off campus during this week.
Family members and guests are welcome to accompany you to New Student Move-In and the first day of NSO: September 15. Please plan to say your goodbyes just before dinner on September 15, as you will be fully engaged in NSO programs and events for the remainder of the week.
Stanford supports students, faculty, and staff in celebrating religious holidays of significance to them. NSO and residential staff are aware that religious commitments may influence attendance at some events.
NSO | Autumn 2026 Course Enrollment Opens
The New Student Advisement Enrollment Hold will be released during NSO and Autumn Quarter course enrollment for new students will open at a designated time/date. You will have until 5:00 p.m. on September 22, the first day of Autumn Quarter, to register your Preliminary Study List in Axess.
Note: you will only be able to enroll in courses if you have completed all other Approaching Stanford Requirements, including: submission of your Approaching Stanford Forms, submission of school transcripts, submission of test scores, completion of the Vaden Health Requirements, completion of the Student Information Update, and acknowledgment of the Civic Engagement recommendation.
September 22, 5:00 p.m. (PDT) | First Day of Autumn Quarter & Preliminary Study List Deadline
Register your Autumn Quarter courses in Axess by the Preliminary Study List Deadline of 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 22, the first day of Autumn Quarter. You can make adjustments to your study list (Add, Drop, Adjust Variable Units) until the Final Study List Deadline at 5:00 p.m. on Friday of Week 3. The deadline for Course Withdrawal or Change of Grading Basis is 5:00 p.m. on Friday of Week 8.