Enrollment Overview
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Open Enrollment
The Open Enrollment period for each quarter begins when enrollment opens, and lasts through the Final Study List deadline. Please see the Academic Calendar for academic and enrollment deadlines.
View the course catalog and schedule of classes on the ExploreCourses website. Information on degree requirements is available at the Stanford Bulletin's ExploreDegrees website.
Prior to enrollment each quarter, please keep in mind the following important considerations:
- Clear any holds blocking your registration; holds on registration may be viewed in Axess.
- Pay your tuition and fees; payment in full is due on the date indicated on the University Bill. See the Student Financial Services page for more information on payments.
- See your academic, departmental, or faculty advisers to discuss academic plans.
Enrolling in courses is done in Axess. Learn more about using Axess to enroll in courses by visiting How to Enroll in Courses.
Waitlists
If a class shows as full in Axess, you may be able to join a waitlist. If and when a spot opens up in the class, the first eligible student on the waitlist will automatically be added into the class.
Waitlist eligibility (i.e., your eligibility to be added to the class) is based upon time conflicts, holds, and maximum units:
- If you have a time conflict (i.e., you are enrolled in another class that wholly or partially overlaps with the class for which you are on the waitlist), you will be bypassed and the next eligible student will be added.
- You can avoid this issue by designating your existing class as a "drop if enrolled" class at the time when you enroll on the waitlist. With the "drop if enrolled" designation, you are eligible to enroll into your desired class from the waitlist while simultaneously being dropped from your conflicting class.
- If you are bypassed from the waitlist due to a time conflict with another enrolled class and did not select the ‘drop if’ option when enrolling, the only way to be selected from the waitlist is to drop the conflicting class until you have been successfully enrolled off of the waitlist. Once complete, you will maintain your placement on the waitlist.
- If enrolling in the class will take you above the maximum allowable units (i.e., 20 units for undergraduates), you will be bypassed and the next eligible student will be added.
- If you have an enrollment hold, you will be bypassed and the next eligible student will be added. Contact the Student Services Center for information about a hold on your enrollment.
Permission Numbers
Instructors may choose to limit enrollment in their courses with permission numbers. There are two methods by which an instructor or a designated administrator can give you permission to enroll in a class with restricted enrollment: by number or by student.
- By number: Axess generates permission numbers which are given to you by a department administrator or instructor. You enter the permission number in Axess in order to be enrolled. Please see How to Use SimpleEnroll to learn more.
- By student: A department administrator enters your student ID to grant permission allowing you to enroll.