Reinstatement
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 University 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.
Graduate Reinstatement
Graduate students must apply for reinstatement through the Office of the University Registrar before they can return to the same degree program. Students whose master's program or doctoral candidacy has expired must petition to have extensions of their programs or candidacy approved by their departments before reinstatement may be approved.
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.
If the student is eligible to be reinstated and is seeking reinstatement to a 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.
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 in order to be reinstated.