Undergraduate Academic Suspension

What does academic suspension mean?

If you do not meet the minimum progress requirements outlined above for students on suspension or provisional registration, the Subcommittee on Academic Standing may place you on academic suspension. Generally, first-time academic suspension is for one (1) academic year (4 quarters). You will be unable to enroll in classes at Stanford until the suspension has been lifted.

You will have been notified during previous quarters that you were not making satisfactory academic progress. You will have also been informed that you needed to:

• complete at least 12 units of new course work (incomplete courses are not considered completed) by the end of the examination period; and
• complete at least 36 units of new course work in your most recent three quarters of enrollment; and
• maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of at least 2.0.

If you do not meet these standards, the Subcommittee may decide to impose the sanction of suspension.

Other concerned University departments will be notified of your suspension. These include Undergraduate Advising and Research, the Dean of Students, the Office of Residential Education, Student Financial Services, and the Financial Aid Office (if applicable).

Academic suspension means that through the end of the one- (1) or three- (3) year suspension period, you are ineligible for the privileges associated with registration—privileges that include living in University housing.

If you are currently assigned to a campus residence, your housing assignment will be canceled.

What do I have to do?

Students who are suspended choose to pursue many types of opportunities while away from the University. Some students decide to continue their education at another accredited institution. Stanford University allows students on academic suspension to enroll at other accredited institutions while away from the University and to transfer allowable earned credit back to Stanford. Other students decide to pursue full- or part-time employment opportunities or volunteer opportunities closer to home.

Whatever opportunities you decide to pursue while away from Stanford, it is the Subcommittee on Academic Standing’s desire that you use the time productively as an opportunity to demonstrate your readiness to return to Stanford at the end of the suspension period.