Graduate Academic Policy

Students at Stanford GSE must review and understand policies outlined in this GSE Doctoral Handbook, Stanford Bulletin, Graduate Academic Policies (GAP), the Administrative Guide.

Full-Time Study

Graduate education at Stanford is a full-time commitment requiring full-time enrollment, typically at least eight units in each academic quarter. Stanford graduate students are required to maintain a significant physical presence on campus.

Given the full-time commitment for GSE doctoral programs, students cannot concurrently enroll in other degree programs outside of the GSE or Stanford, unless participating in a university-approved joint-degree or exchange program. 

GSE graduate students must comply with university policy regarding the maximum number of hours of employment (see Admin Guide 10.2.2).

Verification of Enrollment (Full-Time Status)

Students must enroll in eight or more units to be reported as a full-time student by the Office of the University Registrar. Active students can print an official enrollment certification online via AXESS, or they can obtain one directly from the Registrar’s Office by presenting a valid photo I.D.

Enrollment cannot be reported until shortly before the start of the effective quarter. All enrollment verifications should indicate the student’s expected degree completion date. So even if students are not reported as enrolled (e.g., for summer), lenders can see that the student is a continuing student by looking at this date from their spring enrollment data. This is especially important for doctoral students who earned a master’s degree in the Spring Quarter but are continuing as a doctoral student afterward. In these cases, it may appear to lenders that the student completed all degree programs. Students must therefore obtain the more up to date enrollment and degree verification letter directly from the Registrar’s Office and provide it to their lender (when applicable). The electronic verification via the National Student Clearinghouse is not sufficient for this situation and may cause the student’s prior loans to fall out of deferment.

Minimal Progress

The academic progress requirements for all Stanford graduate students include a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 plus timely completion of department and program requirements, (e.g., completion of First- and Second-Year reviews; admission to candidacy before the third year; submitting an approved dissertation proposal; and the oral exam).

GSE doctoral students are required to register for a minimum of 11 units per quarter during their first year and 8-10 units per quarter during the second year and beyond in Autumn, Winter, and Spring Quarters in each academic year. At least 1 unit or TGR is required in the Summer Quarter in order to receive University funding or to complete a degree requirement. There is no part-time study at the GSE.

Any student who fails to maintain full-time registration during the regular academic year (i.e., Autumn through Spring Quarters) and does not secure a formal leave of absence will be withdrawn from the doctoral program. If a student later wishes to resume study, they will be subject to the reinstatement policies and fees in effect for that academic year. Reinstated students may be held to the policies and academic requirements in the GSE Doctoral Handbook and/or Stanford Bulletin for their year of reinstatement, not their year of initial admission. But, this is at the discretion of the School based upon a student’s specific circumstances and specialization (e.g., some specializations are phased out before a student reinstates).

Failure to meet the minimum academic progress milestones will result in a review of the student’s progress to date by the appropriate Area Committee, Area Chair, Associate Dean of Educational Affairs, research or teaching supervisors, advisor(s), and staff. A letter will be sent to the student outlining the specific requirements to be met and the timeline within which to satisfy them. Actions may be taken, including the placement of an enrollment hold on the student’s account until specific conditions outlined in the letter are satisfied. The Area Committee could also recommend termination of the student’s doctoral degree program in accordance with the policies in the Stanford Bulletin and in the Termination of Student Status section of this Handbook.

Grades

For the GSE doctoral program, while there is no specific required ratio of letter graded to credit/no credit courses, students are strongly encouraged to take all courses on a letter graded basis when that option is available. Faculty members expect to see letter grades as part of the progress reviews and to determine an appropriately weighted GPA for minimum progress standards. In addition, many PhD minors and master’s degree programs require course completion on a letter graded basis in order to count toward the PhD minor or master’s degree (contact the individual department). For more detailed information on grading policies, refer to this page on university grades.

Holds

Holds that block enrollment in courses via AXESS can be placed for various reasons by different departments at Stanford (e.g., the GSE, libraries, or Student Financial Services). The GSE may block enrollment when students fail to meet minimal progress requirements; for example, full-time enrollment each quarter (except summer); GPA of at least 3.0; or milestone completion in a timely manner. If a student receives a hold from the GSE for academic reasons, he or she should immediately consult with the Doctoral Programs Officer to determine what action is necessary to remove the hold. Academic Affairs notifies students of degree progress or of hold placement issues. A copy of the letter may be sent to the student by email. Students who fail to take the necessary action as required from them to remove the hold will not be able to enroll which will result in program discontinuation. It is therefore imperative that students address enrollment holds in a timely manner.

Reinstatement

Students who have been discontinued, terminated or otherwise voluntarily withdrew from their degree program may apply for reinstatement if they wish to re-enroll. The decision to approve or deny reinstatement is made by the applicable Area Committee and Associate Dean of Educational Affairs. Stanford and the GSE are not obligated to approve reinstatement requests. The student must file the Application for Reinstatement with GSE Admissions and pay the required University fee before the requested quarter of reinstatement begins. If approved by the Area committee and the Associate Dean of Educational Affairs, the petition will be submitted to the University for final review and approval. Reinstatement is normally granted only once, when approved by the applicable committee and dean.

Some students who undergo the reinstatement process will also have lapsed candidacy and must petition for an extension of candidacy.

Note: students who were discontinued for non-enrollment in the current quarter because they missed a registration deadline to add courses do not need to apply for reinstatement if they wish to enroll in the current quarter. For example, if a student missed the add deadline for Winter Quarter and was discontinued for non-enrollment, she or he could petition the Office of the Registrar to add a course after the deadline for Winter Quarter without having to apply for reinstatement. The Office of the University Registrar reviews course enrollment petitions. If a student failed to enroll in Winter Quarter and wants to re-enroll in the subsequent Spring Quarter, she or he would need to apply for reinstatement because one quarter will have lapsed between enrollment periods.