Reinstatement

Policy Summary

Former students who were discontinued may apply for reinstatement into their degree program. The University is not obliged to approve reinstatements of students. Students who have been expelled from Stanford are not permitted to apply for reinstatement.

Policy Statement

Undergraduate Reinstatement

Applications for reinstatement for undergraduate students are reviewed by the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education (VPUE) and are subject to the approval of the Faculty Senate Committee on Undergraduate Standards and Policy (C-USP) or its designees. The Committee or its designees may determine whether the application for reinstatement will be approved or not, and/or the conditions a student must meet in order to be reinstated. Reinstatement decisions are in the discretion of the University and may be based on the applicant's status when last enrolled, activities while away from campus, the length of the absence, the perceived potential for successful completion of the program, as well as any other factors or considerations regarded as relevant to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education (VPUE), the Committee, or their designees.

Applications for reinstatement via the Request to Return and Register in Undergraduate Study must be submitted eight weeks prior to the start of the term in which the student seeks to enroll in classes. Information and instructions may be obtained by contacting the office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education (VPUE), via Academic Advising, Sweet Hall.

For undergraduates who submitted a Request to Permanently Withdraw form during AY 2015-2016 or later, applications for reinstatement through the Request to Return and Register in Undergraduate Study process are not appropriate. Any student for whom the Request to Return and Register in Undergraduate Study process is deemed inappropriate, then wishing to return to undergraduate study at Stanford is required to apply as a transfer student through the Office of Undergraduate Admission, and such re-admission is not guaranteed.

NOTE: For undergraduates who submitted a Request for Permanent Withdrawal before AY 2015-2016, the Request to Return and Register in Undergraduate Study process will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Graduate Reinstatement

Reinstatement Following Failure to Register or Be Placed on Approved Leave, or after a Voluntary Withdrawal

A completed and degree program-approved Application for Reinstatement in Graduate Study must be received by the Academic Records & Enrollment team in the University Registrar's Office, along with necessary documents, on or before the first day of the term in which re-enrollment is requested. After this date, the application will be processed for the subsequent term. Degree programs may require earlier deadlines.

Students whose master’s program or doctoral candidacy has expired must have extensions of their programs or candidacy approved by their degree programs before reinstatement may be approved.

Applicants for reinstatement who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. registered permanent residents must have a current visa status that allows for study at Stanford. Applicants who require an I-20 (for F-1 visas) or DS-2019 (for J-1 visas) must submit the application and Financial Resources Certification form three weeks before the deadline to allow sufficient time for I-20 and DS-2019 processing. See the Bechtel International Center website for additional information on the processing of visas.

The decision to approve or deny reinstatement into the original degree program is made by the student’s degree program. Degree programs are not obliged to approve reinstatements of students. Reinstatement decisions are made at the discretion of the degree program and may be based on the applicant’s academic status when last enrolled, activities while away from campus, the length of the absence, the perceived potential for successful completion of the program, and the ability of the degree program to support the student both academically and financially, as well as any other factors or considerations regarded as relevant by the degree program.

Graduate students wishing to be reinstated to active student status in a new degree program must apply to and be accepted by the new degree program.

Alternatively, a student may apply for reinstatement to the program in which they were originally enrolled, as described above, and then use the Graduate Program Authorization Petition (Grad Auth Petition, filed electronically in Axess) to apply to a new program.

Reinstatement Following Dismissal for Academic Reasons

In the circumstance where a student who had been dismissed for academic reasons wishes to return to the same degree program, and where reinstatement was not precluded at the time of the dismissal, the student should request reinstatement as described above (rather than apply for admission). In this circumstance, the degree program may review such relevant information as coursework completed elsewhere or any other factors deemed to be appropriate for consideration. Conditions for reinstatement may be established at the discretion of the program.

The decision to approve or deny reinstatement is made by the degree program to which the student is seeking reinstatement. In addition, the degree program retains the right to condition reinstatement on certain academic conditions as it deems appropriate.

Reinstatement Following Expulsion

Students who have been expelled from Stanford are not permitted to apply for reinstatement.

Reinstatement Application and Process

The decision to approve or deny reinstatement is made by the department or program to which the student is seeking reinstatement, and departments are not obliged to approve reinstatement requests. Factors considered during reinstatement decisions may include the applicant's academic status when last enrolled, activities while away from campus, duration of absence, perceived potential for successful completion of the program, and the ability of the department to support the student both academically and financially, as well as any other factors or considerations regarded as relevant by the department or program. In addition, the department or program retains the right to condition reinstatement on academic or other conditions as it deems appropriate.

The reinstatement application form is available from the Office of the University Registrar. Department-approved reinstatement applications must be submitted prior to the first day of the term for which re-enrollment is requested if the student is registering for courses. International students must submit reinstatement applications early enough to allow time for I-20 or DS-2019 production, visa interview, etc. Successful applicants will be assessed a reinstatement fee.

In the rare circumstance where a student who had been dismissed for academic reasons wishes to return to the same degree program, and where reinstatement was not precluded at the time of the dismissal, the student should request reinstatement as described above. In this circumstance, the degree program may review such relevant information as coursework completed elsewhere or any other factors deemed to be appropriate for consideration.

Coterminal Reinstatement

Coterm applications for reinstatement are reviewed by both the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and the coterminal master’s department, and are further subject to the approval of the Faculty Senate Committee on Undergraduate Standards and Policy or its designees. The Committee or its designees may determine whether the application for reinstatement will be approved or not, and/or the conditions a student must meet to be reinstated.

Reinstatement to a Program No Longer Offered at Stanford

If the student is eligible to be reinstated and is seeking reinstatement to a Graduate degree program that is no longer offered by Stanford University, the student should contact the department or program that offers the most similar degree to inquire about admission into the new degree program. The decision to grant admission into this new degree program rests with the department or program.

If the student is eligible to be reinstated and is seeking reinstatement into an Undergraduate program (i.e. major or minor) that is no longer offered by Stanford University, the student should work with the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education (VPUE) to inquire about declaration into a new program. 

Coterminal students will follow both processes separately as outlined above.

Students should be aware that the new program must be confirmed and approved prior to submission of the required reinstatement documents.

Implementation Information

Graduate Reinstatement: Into the Original Degree Program

Graduate Reinstatement: Into a New Degree Program

Contact Information

Academic Records, Enrollment & Grading, Office of the University Registrar