How Do I Apply to Graduate?

Looking for something else? Visit the Graduation Page.

On this page: 

Overview
Review your record
Check Your Enrollment Status
Submitting an Application to Graduate
Submit your application in Axess
Late Applications to Graduate
Withdrawing an Application
Degree Checkout Statuses

 

Overview

To graduate, you must file your graduation application by the application deadline. If you are planning on conferring more than one degree — for example, an undergraduate and graduate degree,  a PhD and master's degree —  a separate application to graduate must be submitted for each degree. 

You are required to have an active registration status by either being enrolled in courses for the quarter in which you’re applying for graduation or in an approved special registration status.

If you apply to graduate and then later withdraw that application, you will be unable to re-apply for graduation in Axess for the same quarter.

For undergraduates, the application to graduate is only available if you have completed at least 155 units (which does not include ungraded classes).

For deadlines, refer to the Stanford Academic Calendar.

Review Your Record for Accuracy

Check your degree information in Axess carefully before you apply or you may not graduate. Double-check the following on your unofficial transcript:

• Is your degree listed correctly? For example, Stanford offers the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), the Bachelor of Science (B.S.), and the Bachelor of Arts and Science (B.A.S.) at the undergraduate level. Please ensure that you're listed to receive the degree you expect.
• Is your major listed correctly? Are your multiple or secondary majors listed correctly?
  • Is your field of study listed correctly?
• Is your minor listed correctly? Minors appear on your unofficial transcript. They will not appear on the application to graduate.
• Will you graduate with departmental or interdisciplinary honors? If you anticipate graduating with honors in your program, please ensure this is reflected on your record before applying to graduate (e.g. B.A.H. in English).

Check Your Enrollment Status

You are required to have an active status in order to apply to graduate and must either be enrolled in courses for the quarter (for Summer, this can mean enrolling in a single class) or on an approved special registration status.

Submit Your Application to Graduate

Each quarter’s application to graduate opens the day after the previous quarter’s regular application to graduate deadline:

Submit your application in Axess:

Under My Academics, select Apply to Graduate.

 

 

 

Late Applications to Graduate

You may submit your application to graduate in Axess after the regular application to graduate deadline has passed, and up until the late application to graduate deadline for the quarter (listed below).  Late applications to graduate incur a $50 non-refundable late fee for each application (e.g., $100 if you are a coterm applying late for both your undergraduate and graduate degrees), and must be submitted by the late application to graduate deadline (listed below). For deadlines, refer to the Stanford Academic Calendar.

Withdrawing an Application

If you are unable to successfully complete your degree you applied to confer, or if you wish to confer your degree at a later time, you may formally withdraw your application to graduate in Axess up until the Late Application to Graduate deadline. (See above chart.) You may not withdraw your application to graduate after the late application to graduate deadline; that application to graduate will be reviewed by the university per the standard degree conferral process.

There is no fee associated with withdrawing an application to graduate, and a withdrawal of an application to graduate is neither noted on a student transcript nor considered an academic demerit.

Note that if you apply to graduate, and then withdraw that application to graduate, you will be unable to re-apply for graduation in Axess for that same quarter. 

Degree Checkout Statuses

The Registrar’s Office reviews degree requirements for degree candidates (i.e., those students who have applied to confer a degree) throughout the quarter, and will update the status of your application to graduate (also referred to as the “degree checkout status”) accordingly. You can view your current degree checkout status in Axess at any time via your Program Summary located in the My Academics drop-down menu. 

While the Registrar's Office makes every effort to notify you in a timely manner when you are not meeting (or are not projected to meet) degree requirements, you should periodically check your degree checkout status and touch base with your program advisor(s) to discuss any missing items.

The official notification from the Registrar's Office, which confirms whether your degree has been awarded or not, is sent via email to your Stanford email addresses the day after the official conferral of degrees. (Refer to the  Stanford Academic Calendar for the quarterly conferral dates.) The Registrar's Office does not provide degree approval/conferral letters outside of this notification.

• Applied (AG): You have filed an application to graduate.
• In Review (IR): You have not completed all university and/or departmental requirements. This includes in-progress grades. Many students are “in progress” until all grades are submitted. For graduate students, this status is used to review the applications to graduate for multiple degree programs.
• Pending (PN): You have completed all university requirements. Most students are moved to pending after the grading deadline, when all their grades are submitted.
• Withdrawn (WD): You have withdrawn your application to graduate.
• Approved (AP): You have been cleared by both the university and department(s). Eligible students are usually moved to “approved” the Thursday evening before Commencement, and they are sent an email at that time.
• Denied (DN): You have not been cleared by either the university or department(s). Students are usually moved to “denied” status the Thursday evening before Commencement, and are sent an email at that time with the reason(s) for being denied.
• Awarded (AW): Your degree has been officially conferred.

For questions regarding the application to graduate, submit a help request.