Students will receive their Stanford ID number via email within three business days after the Summer Session Office has received all acceptance forms, visa-related documentation (if applicable), and any fees required as part of the acceptance process. Your Stanford ID number will confirm your spot in the Summer Session program.
A Stanford University Network Identifier (SUNet ID) provides access to the Stanford University Network (SUNet) and its electronic services, such as Axess—Stanford’s online enrollment interface, as well as a Stanford email account, web services, and more.
You may only create a SUNet ID after you have received your Stanford ID number. Your Stanford ID number will be sent via email. Once you received your ID number, go to the SUNet ID webpage and click on the icon next to the header “Create a new SUNet ID.” Then click the button “I am faculty, staff, or student.” Once your SUNet is selected, it cannot be changed. The SUNet ID is also part of your Stanford email address and web home page (for example, the SUNet ID “jdoe” would become the email address, jdoe@stanford.edu). Access to online University services, including Axess, will be available 24 hours after the creation of the SUNet ID.
Axess is a web-based system that students use to view and update information in their electronic student records. Using Axess, students can view Explore Courses, check financial records, enroll in courses, update their addresses, review their grades, modify enrollment, and more. The Stanford Registrar maintains an Axess for Students website that provides an excellent overview on how to use Axess. To obtain login privileges within Axess, a student will first need to receive their Stanford ID number from the Summer Session Office, create a SUNet ID and password, and wait 24 hours before logging in. See the FAQ “What is a SUNet ID and how do I create one?” for instructions.
If you cannot access Axess and need your two-step authorization reset, go to accounts.stanford.edu, click “Manage” and then the “Two-Step Auth” tab. From there, you can add and remove devices as well as change your two-step preferences. The Summer Session Office is unable to troubleshoot this issue.
A Stanford email address will be generated as soon as you create your SUNet ID and will be available for use in 24 hours. All official University correspondence (notifications regarding billing, ID photo submission, registration in courses) will come to this address – often in advance of your arrival on campus. To access your Stanford email, go to webmail.stanford.edu. Additional information describing the University’s email and calendar services is available on Stanford’s Information Technology Services website.
Please be aware that your Stanford email address will only be available for approximately 120 days following the end of the Summer Quarter. Students should refrain from using their Stanford student email for purposes beyond the needs of their attendance as part of a Summer Session program. You should also forward your Stanford email to your personal account to ensure you will receive all messages. Instructions on how to do this are available at the accounts.stanford.edu website.
The ID Card serves as an identification card and an electronic key enabling students to use services and to enter and exit facilities. Without this card, students cannot enter libraries, athletic facilities, or obtain a parking permit or a discount at the bookstore. 24 hours after setting up a SUNet ID and password, log in to the Stanford ID Card Photo Submission website to upload a photo. Be sure to read the instructions provided at this webpage for full instructions on how to upload your photo. Only specific browsers (identified on the webpage) will work within this interface.
If students need technical assistance with Stanford’s online systems, they should visit the HelpSU website and fill out a help request form. Questions will be answered by Stanford’s IT Help Desk staff or forwarded to the appropriate office. Students may also call the Help Desk at 650-725-HELP (4357).
If a course has a prerequisite, it will be listed under the course description on the Courses page. Click on the Prerequisite PDF to view a course description of the prerequisite(s) listed. Students from other universities need to make sure they are familiar with the topics listed on the Prerequisite PDF, either from having taken a similar course at another school or having previous background knowledge.
For most courses, students do not need to provide any documentation of having met the prerequisite(s) in order to enroll, as the department trusts students will place themselves accurately. One exception is the Economics Department, which requires that students provide a transcript of prerequisite(s) completed in order to enroll in higher-level Economics courses. In addition, some language courses require that a placement exam be taken prior to enrollment. For these courses, instructions are provided in the “Notes” section underneath the course description.
See the How to Enroll in Classes webpage for instructions. Students who have been given a Stanford ID number may enroll in courses as early as April 10, 2016. The courses in which a student enrolls are collectively referred to as their “Study List.” If a student fails to file a Preliminary Study List by 5 p.m. on June 20, they will be assessed a $200 late study list fee. Students will be able to add or drop courses up until the Final Study List deadline of July 1, 2016 at 5 p.m. Pacific Time.
Academic courses taught during the Summer Quarter are typically offered for a Letter Grade or for an elected Credit/No Credit grading option. Non-academic courses are offered on a Satisfactory/No Credit basis. All courses offered as part of Summer Session carry academic credit, regardless of how they are graded; no courses are available for audit. For more information about grading options, see the University’s official Definition of Grades.
When enrolling in a specific course, a student has the ability to select their preferred grading scale from the options provided within Axess. Students can change their grading option up until the Change of Grading Basis deadline of July 29, 2016 at 5 p.m. Pacific Time (see the Office of the University Registrar’s How to Change Grading Basis for instructions). Any student who is planning to transfer credit back to their home institution or is participating in an Intensive Studies program should enroll in courses for a letter grade.
Yes. Students can change their grading option up until the Change of Grading Basis deadline of July 29, 2016 at 5 p.m. Pacific Time (see the Office of the University Registrar’s How to Change Grading Basis for instructions). If a student misses this deadline, their grading option can no longer be changed. Any students who is planning to transfer credit back to their home institution or is participating in an Intensive Studies program should enroll in courses for a letter grade.
NOTE: courses that do not run on the standard eight-week schedule have different deadlines. See “What if I enroll in a course with a non-standard schedule?” for more information.
Yes, students can add or drop classes up until the Final Study List deadline of July 1, 2016 at 5 p.m. Pacific Time.
NOTE: courses that do not run on the standard eight-week schedule have different deadlines. See the FAQ “What if I enroll in a course with a non-standard schedule?” for more information.
Enrollment changes that are made by the Final Study List deadline of July 1, 2016, at 5 p.m. Pacific Time, will have corresponding tuition adjustments. Students can drop one or more, but not all courses, in Axess, prior to the Final Study List deadline and receive a full tuition refund and no record of the course on their transcript. Students will not be refunded tuition for individual courses from which they withdraw after the Final Study List deadline.
Dropping individual courses or adjusting units prior to the Final Study List deadline is different than withdrawing from the Summer Session program. If your intention is to fully withdraw from all courses, see “How do I withdraw from the program if my plans change?” for information. There are no full tuition refunds for withdrawal once courses begin on Monday, June 20, 2016. Partial refunds for full withdrawal are available on a prorated basis until the Term Withdrawal deadline of Friday, July 22, 2016.
NOTE: courses that do not run on the standard eight-week schedule have different deadlines. See the FAQ “What if I enroll in a course with a non-standard schedule?” for more information.
Students may withdraw from individual courses in Axess after the July 1, 2016 Final Study List deadline until the Course Withdrawal deadline of July 29, 2016 at 5 p.m. Pacific Time. When a student withdraws from a course during this time frame, a grade of “W” (Withdrew) is automatically recorded on the transcript for that course. Students will not be refunded tuition for individual courses from which they withdraw after the Final Study List deadline.
Withdrawing from individual courses prior to the Course Withdrawal deadline is different than withdrawing from the program. If your intention is to fully withdraw from all courses because you no longer intend to be part of the program, see “How do I withdraw from the program if my plans change?” for information. Partial refunds for full withdrawal are available on a prorated basis until the Term Withdrawal deadline of Friday, July 22, 2016.
NOTE: courses that do not run on the standard eight-week schedule have different deadlines. See “What if I enroll in a course with a non-standard schedule?” for more information.
Axess will not allow a student to drop all their courses — you always need to have at least one course in your Study List. If you’re only enrolled in one course, and your intention is to drop that course and enroll in another, you will have to enroll in the new course first, and then drop the original one. If your intention is to fully withdraw from all courses because you no longer intend to be part of the program, see “How do I withdraw from the program if my plans change?” for information.
The majority of summer courses are offered on an annual basis, and most courses are selected for the Summer Quarter based on interest or demand. Occasionally, summer courses will be cancelled due to low enrollment. The Summer Session Office begins looking at enrollment data in early June. In most cases, a course will have until the first day of class to build enrollment. It’s important to note that courses may also be cancelled for reasons other than low enrollment, and that course offerings and schedules are subject to change.
There are a handful of courses offered during the Summer Quarter that follow a special schedule. These are courses, such as the Organic Chemistry, Physics, and Intensive Language sequences, where each individual course component is less than the normal eight-week term. Courses with a non-standard schedule follow a special calendar for adding, dropping, and change of grading basis deadlines.
Please note that students who wish to make enrollment changes to any of these non-standard courses after the regular add and drop deadlines in Axess must do so by filing a “Blue Card” at the Student Services Center. Summer Session Academic Advisers have blue cards available as well, and can assist students with understanding these special deadlines.
Textbooks are available in person or online at the Stanford Bookstore, generally around two weeks prior to the start of the quarter. If desired, students may pre-order textbooks and have them ready for pick-up at the start of the quarter. A student’s Stanford ID number will generally qualify him or her for a 7% discount on textbooks.
