Full-time Status

Policy Summary

Undergraduate students are required to take at least 12 units per quarter. Graduate students must take at least 8 units per quarter, but departments and schools may set a higher minimum.

Policy Statement

Undergraduate

As a general proposition, full-time enrollment for undergraduates is considered to be enrollment in a minimum of 12 units of course work per quarter at Stanford. Work necessary to complete units from previous quarters does not count toward the 12 units necessary for full-time status in the current quarter. Enrollment in 8 to 11 units is considered half-time enrollment. Enrollment in 1 to 7 units is considered less-than-half-time, or part-time enrollment.

Graduate and Professional Students

Stanford uses the following definitions (in units) to certify the enrollment status of graduate and professional students each quarter:

TGR students enrolled in a course numbered 801 or 802 are certified as full time. Graduate students on an approved Graduation Quarter status are certified as full time. During Summer Quarter, all graduate students who hold appointments as research or teaching assistants are considered to be enrolled on at least a half-time basis.

Implementation Information

Expected Amount of Work

Undergraduate students are required to take at least 12 units per quarter. Graduate students must take at least 8 units per quarter, but departments and schools may set a higher minimum.

Undergraduate Students

The usual amount of work for undergraduate students is 15 units per quarter. In rare cases, it is permissible to enroll in fewer than 12 units but this may cause students to be ineligible for certification as a full-time student. Undergraduates have a per quarter maximum of 20 units (21 or 22 if the registration includes one or two unit activity courses).

Graduate Students

Matriculated graduate students are expected to enroll for at least eight units during the academic year; schools and departments may set a higher minimum. Graduate students are not normally expected to enroll in more than 24 units; registration for more than 24 units must be approved by the department. Under certain circumstances, graduate students may register on a part-time basis. See the Special Registration Statuses for Graduate Students policy section.

Coterminal Students

Enrollment for coterminal students is determined by their tuition group. See the Coterminal Tuition page.

Exception Process

Undergraduate Students

Requests for exception to the maximum may be considered for compelling reasons, the approval of which may include conditions or restrictions. A past superior academic performance is not considered to be sufficient justification for exceeding the maximum. Requests for registration of fewer than 12 or more than 20 units must be submitted to the office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, via the office of Academic Advising, Sweet Hall, first floor. For additional information regarding satisfactory academic progress, refer to the Undergraduate Academic Progress policy.

Graduate Students

Graduate students may petition to enroll in fewer than eight units via the petitions to the office of the University Registrar. Such requests must be approved by the student’s department. More information on Special Registration Statuses available to graduate students can be found on the Student Services website. 

Students Seeking Accommodations

Undergraduates and graduate students with disabilities who may seek a reduced course load should contact the Office of Accessible Education.

Contact

Academic Records and Enrollment, Office of the University Registrar