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 on the Stanford Bulletin 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 Bill & Payment System 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 reviewing Enrollment resources.
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. You can review your hold details in Axess. If needed, contact the Student Services Center for more 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.
Unit Shaving
Occasionally, a student may request permission to enroll in fewer units than the number associated with a course. This practice of “unit shaving” or unit adjustment is not permitted. Courses may be taken only for the number of units that are listed in Axess or ExploreCourses. For example, a course offered for 5 units may only be taken for 5 units. Courses offered for variable units (e.g., 3-5 units) may be taken for the number of units chosen by the student with the stated range. Students should complete and be evaluated on the amount of work associated with the number of units they enrolled in. See the university policy, Amount of Work, in the Student Policies section concerning university expectations for the relationship between work and units of credit.
For faculty and staff information on enrollment, visit Inside Student Services.