Enrollment Timeline

Source: https://approaching.stanford.edu/first-years/advising-enrollment/enrollment-timeline Parent: https://approaching.stanford.edu/transfers/advising-enrollment/course-planning

*This page will be updated for 2026 Approaching Stanford by May 1.

June & July

In the early summer, browse course listings for the past academic year (2024-25) in Navigate Classes, Stanford's official course catalog. While courses for the upcoming academic year (2025-26) will not be published until August, you can use this time to read about courses that will allow you to explore academic interests and potential majors. Explore what interests you, even if you are unfamiliar with the discipline. Many of Stanford’s fields will be entirely new to you. Note your interests on the 2025 Academic Planning Worksheet and use course planning resources to help in your exploration. Review the schedule for summer placement assessments, if appropriate.

August

In August, the 2025-26 course listings will be published in Navigate Classes and you will receive email notification of your preliminary assignments for your required first-year VPUE courses (COLLEGE and PWR 1, ESF, ITALIC, or SLE). These required courses will be added to your Study List automatically. This email will also introduce you to Introductory Seminars and Frosh 101, courses designed specifically for frosh that are optional, but strongly encouraged.

After you receive your housing assignment, your assigned Undergraduate Advising Director (UAD) will contact you by email to begin the advising conversation. They will ask you to watch the Advising Intro Video Series: "Introduction to Academic Advising: Exploring Your Stanford Courses." The 2025 videos will be available beginning in late June.

Your UAD will also invite you to sign up for a virtual small group advising appointment. At this initial advising meeting, you will be able to discuss your academic interests and Autumn Quarter course ideas with your advisor, to ask your questions, and to listen to questions asked by your peers.

Be proactive about connecting with your UAD and gathering multiple perspectives on how best to explore your interests within Stanford’s curriculum. In preparation for your first advising meeting, watch the Advising Intro Video Series, complete the Academic Planning Worksheet, and use the course planning resources for new students.

As you identify possible courses for Autumn Quarter, log in to Navigate Enrollment (link coming soon) and enter these courses as “planned” courses. A “planned” course indicates interest only – it does not reserve a space for you in a course, nor does it commit you to enrolling in it. Later, when enrollment opens for first-years, you will return to Navigate Enrollment and click "Enroll" on your "planned" courses.

September & NSO

While upperclass students can begin to enroll in their courses beginning early September, as a new first-year student, you have a "New Student Advisement Enrollment Hold" on your account and will need to wait until you have moved to campus and started New Student Orientation.

The New Student Advisement Enrollment Hold will be automatically released during NSO after the Academic Advising Presentation. At that time, you will be able to log in and begin to enroll in your Autumn Quarter courses.*

There are two methods to enroll in classes - most students should use Navigate Enrollment, unless you require accessibility support:

Enrolling in courses online using Navigate Enrollment (link coming soon)
Enrolling in courses online in Axess using Enroll (Alternate)

*Note: In order to enroll in courses, you must also have completed all other obligations required of new students, including submission of the Approaching Stanford Forms, health requirements, final high school transcript, and test scores (if applicable).

Enrollment Deadlines

Quarterly Enrollment Deadlines

Preliminary Study List Deadline: 5:00 p.m. on the first day of the quarter. By the Preliminary Study List deadline, all students must enroll at a full-time status (minimum 12 units for undergraduate students; or 8 units for students with a reduced course load). You will be charged a $200 late study list fee for not enrolling at a full-time status by this quarterly deadline. Enrollment in waitlisted classes does not count toward full-time status.
Final Study List Deadline: 5:00 p.m. on Friday of Week 3. You may add, drop, and swap courses — or adjust units if it’s a variable unit course — up until the Final Study List Deadline at the end of Week 3.
Change of Grading Basis Deadline: 5:00 p.m. on Friday of Week 8. Through the end of Week 8 (or Week 6 of Summer), you may choose the grading option for courses in which an option is offered.
Course Withdrawal Deadline: 5:00 p.m. on Friday of Week 8. You may withdraw from a course after the drop deadline through the end of the Week 8 (or Week 6 of Summer). In this case, a grade notation of 'W' (withdraw) is automatically recorded on your transcript for that course. If you withdraw after that date, you are assigned the appropriate grade or notation by the instructor to reflect the work completed.

Quarter System

One challenge will be getting used to the fast pace of the quarter system. During these first few weeks, students often choose to explore and attend a few classes prior to making their final choices. You can review syllabi (lists of assignments, readings, etc.), look at the textbooks for the courses, listen to lectures, and talk to your advisor. However, do not take too long to finalize your list. Faculty begin assigning work on the first day of class and midterms may begin as early as your third week. Good time management skills are absolutely essential for keeping up with your classes and for balancing your coursework with your other commitments.