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Find the official policies that govern our student and academic community.
Stanford’s non-matriculated enrollment is limited to specific groups, such as eligible Stanford alumni and individuals with a bachelor’s degree who are admitted by a department, and requires an application process and approval. These students may take limited courses for credit under strict restrictions and time limits, while non-degree programs and postdoctoral appointments operate separately with their own admissions, funding rules, and participation requirements.
Individuals who hold a U.S. bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from colleges and universities of recognized standing are eligible to be considered for admission to non-matriculated graduate status at Stanford if they meet the requirements for one of the following non-matriculated student categories.
Non-matriculated graduate student status may be granted to applicants of demonstrated ability who are not seeking advanced degrees from Stanford University but who would benefit from course work at Stanford for a variety of reasons. Applicants may apply to take courses in only one department/program in a single quarter. Not all departments consider applications for general non-matriculated status; the list of available departments may be found in the Application for Graduate Non-Matriculated Status opens in a new tab.
To be considered, applicants submit the Application for Graduate Non-Matriculated Status opens in a new tab which requires academic transcripts, a statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation, and an application fee. In addition, applicants must meet the same English proficiency requirements as degree-seeking applicants. The decision to approve or deny graduate non-matriculated status rests with the department in which the applicant wishes to take courses. Final approval is contingent on the verification of academic credentials and English proficiency by Non-Degree Admissions.
Applications are accepted on a quarterly basis for courses offered during the academic year (Autumn, Winter, Spring). A new application is required for each quarter of enrollment, unless the admitting department grants approval to allow multiple quarters on a single application. Regardless of the number of applications submitted, students who are approved for graduate non-matriculated status are restricted to one academic year (three consecutive quarters) of enrollment.
Approved non-matriculated students are charged a minimum of the 8-10 unit graduate tuition rate for each quarter of enrollment, even if enrolled in fewer than 8 units. The per-unit tuition rate (3-7 units) is restricted to the populations listed in the Non-Matriculated Students section of the Tuition page opens in a new tab.
Summer courses are not offered through this application process; applicants should visit Stanford Online opens in a new tab and Stanford Summer Session opens in a new tab to browse and apply for summer course offerings.
Stanford alumni may choose to return to Stanford to take courses that are prerequisites for Medical School admission, such as undergraduate Biology or Chemistry courses.
An application form, application fee, statement of purpose, and three letters of recommendation are required. The decision to admit or deny is made by Non-Degree Admissions based on relevant factors, including at least a 3.0 GPA and positive letters of recommendation.
Applicants who graduated from other universities are not eligible to take the prerequisites for Medical School at Stanford.
Non-matriculated status is a privilege and not a right. Stanford may exercise its authority to revoke non-matriculated status after consideration of relevant factors at the end of any quarter of enrollment. Fellowships, assistantships, and Stanford loans are not available for non-matriculated students. Non-matriculated students are not eligible for a leave of absence.
Non-matriculated students are not permitted to enroll in certain courses, such as those in the following departments or programs: film and broadcasting courses in Art; introductory courses in Mathematics (i.e., numbered below 100); all courses in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and International Policy. Non-matriculated students wishing to take courses in the School of Medicine may only do so with written approval by either the Senior Associate Dean of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs or the Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education. Non-matriculated students must limit their enrollment to classes in the department in which they have been admitted. In classes of limited enrollment, students in degree programs have priority.
Non-matriculated students receive academic credit for courses satisfactorily completed and may obtain an official transcript. Generally, non-matriculated students may use university facilities and services. Non-matriculated students may apply for housing but have a low priority for assignment and are not guaranteed housing.
Non-matriculated students who later apply for admission to a degree program must meet the standard admission requirements and should not anticipate special priority because of work completed as a non-matriculated student. Students who are admitted to a degree program may apply a maximum of 15 units of non-matriculated study toward the residency requirement for a master’s degree and 30 units for the Engineer or Ph.D. degree, subject to the approval of the degree granting department.
Stanford University has established a limited number of formal non-degree granting programs within individual departments. These include the Knight Fellowship Program for mid-career journalists (Communication Department), the Stegner Fellows Program for selected authors (Creative Writing Program, within the English Department), and the Distinguished Careers Institute for accomplished individuals in midlife.
Individuals may apply to these programs directly. Each program handles application requirements, admissions decisions, tuition requirements and financial support. Individuals who are admitted to these programs will be registered at Stanford as nonmatriculated graduate students in the appropriate program. Upon completion of their program, they will receive a transcript and certificate of program completion.
Individuals who commit violations of university policy, the Honor Code, or the Fundamental Standard are subject to termination. Individuals in non-degree granting programs are subject to removal or discipline according to the program's policies or practices, not through the Office of Community Standards.
Qualified individuals may pursue graduate and professional certificates or take individual graduate and professional courses through the Stanford Engineering Center for Global and Online Education. Nonmatriculated students taking individual graduate courses for credit, or towards earning a graduate certificate, are charged tuition on a per-unit basis.
The following options represent non-matriculated opportunities for graduate research at Stanford.
Stanford faculty may, in a limited number of instances, permit graduate students currently enrolled at other institutions to engage in research at Stanford using Stanford research facilities. Policy regarding visiting student researchers is outlined in the Research Policy Handbook opens in a new tab on the Dean of Research website.
New faculty who are hired by Stanford University may be advising doctoral students in advanced stages of degree completion at their originating institution. These faculty may appoint one or more of these students as Students of New Faculty to facilitate the completion of the student's doctoral research with their faculty advisor. See Students of New Faculty for more information.
Applicants should consult with their department of interest to determine whether they qualify. If appropriate, complete the Application for Graduate Non-Matriculated Status opens in a new tab.
Applicants should refer to the corresponding website for instructions to apply to their program of interest:
Knight Fellowship Program: jskfellowships@stanford.edu
Stegner Fellows Program: creative1@stanford.edu
Distinguished Careers Institute: https://dci.stanford.edu/contact/ opens in a new tab
Stanford Engineering Center for Global and Online Education: stanfordonline@stanford.edu
Individuals must be invited by a Stanford faculty member to do research on campus. Please reach out directly to faculty of interest to inquire about visiting student researcher opportunities. Available slots are determined by the individual faculty member, not by the department or school.
Department administrators should refer to the Inside Student Services Intranet opens in a new tab (web-auth required) for details on the appointment process for these populations.
General Non-Matriculated Status and Non-Matriculated Student Researchers, please contact your department of interest.
Non-Degree Granting Programs, please contact:
Knight Fellowship Program: jskfellowships@stanford.edu
Stegner Fellows Program: creative1@stanford.edu
Distinguished Careers Institute: https://dci.stanford.edu/contact/ opens in a new tab
Stanford Engineering Center for Global and Online Education: stanfordonline@stanford.edu
The Office of Graduate Admissions oversees the processing of applications, admissions, and matriculation for graduate programs.
Nonmatriculated study at Stanford is a limited, discretionary privilege that allows certain students to enroll without being admitted to a degree program, does not guarantee future admission, and does not include financial aid.
