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Explore the art and science of purpose-finding as it relates to living a more flourishing life at Stanford and beyond. Investigate the contemplative, psychological, social, and communal factors that deepen meaning-making, support authenticity, and encourage living more purposefully. Drawing from disciplines as diverse as art, storytelling, design, and positive psychology, create and utilize tools that promote well-being. The highly interactive course employs creative expression, group and individual activities, discussions, lectures, and mini-field trips to reflect on fundamental human questions in pragmatic ways.

Hosted through the Summer Academic Resource Center (SARC), we offer a variety of educational workshops to complement your academic pursuits. Presenters varying from Stanford affiliates, community partners, and graduate tutors will cover a wide range of topics from academic skills to career exploration. Past workshops included college preparedness, software exploration, and building your professional network.

Explore the intellectual ecosystem of the Stanford campus. Tour museums like the Cantor Arts Center, visit unique campus spaces like the d.school, Frost Amphitheater, and O’Donohue Family Farm, and get to know the unique community of companies and innovators that gather at Stanford Research Park.

These small gatherings give you an opportunity to connect with Stanford faculty, fellows, and alumni to hear about their work or research, as well as the road that brought them there. Ask questions and continue your intellectual exploration—whether you're taking a course on the topic this summer or just curious.

Register for courses when enrollment opens in April.

Attend as a Residential or Commuter student.

As a summer student, you experience all the resources that Stanford offers, from libraries to health and wellness centers.

The Stanford Libraries are an integral part of the academic life at Stanford, providing an extraordinary array of resources and services to the community.

You will have access to noteworthy print and digital collections at nearly 20 libraries on campus, where you may browse journal articles and other scholarly sources in more than 1,000 licensed databases and use SearchWorks to discover books, films, and maps. Subject librarians provide research consultations across all disciplines.

The libraries also provide a variety of individual and group study spaces, basic and specialized computer clusters, and wireless Internet access.

Vaden Health Center is Stanford’s campus healthcare clinic. Within the center, there are many branches including Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), an X-ray clinic, a physical therapy center, and an allergy, immunization, and injection clinic.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

CAPS provides individual and group psychological counseling. You are eligible for a free initial evaluation or short-term counseling. CAPS cannot provide long-term counseling. Confidentiality is strictly maintained.

The CST offers emotional support, consultation, and short-term individual counseling to Stanford students impacted by sexual assault and relationship violence. CST is staffed by a team of trained psychologists and social workers specializing in trauma-informed services for students. At CST students can receive information and guidance about their rights and reporting options. Confidentiality is strictly maintained. There is no charge for CST services.

Stanford graduate student tutors facilitate virtual by-appointment one-on-one tutoring sessions that support the summer curriculum. Tutors also administer weekly academic workshops on topics including personal essays, coding in R and MatLAB, time management, and college research.

Summer Session Academic Advising is available during the summer to assist you with adding or dropping courses, selecting and changing grading options, course withdrawal and annulment processes, and the academic petitions associated with each of these areas. Advising also offers guidance about your goals and academic progress.

Stanford athletic facilities are varied and state-of-the-art. Work out on machines in either of the two gyms on campus. Try a yoga or TaeKwonDo class in the large, well-equipped studio. Challenge yourself on the climbing wall or enjoy free access to our swimming pools; tennis, handball, and squash courts; basketball and sand volleyball courts; our golf course; and the fields and equipment that Stanford devotes to track and field, softball, soccer, and field hockey.

Stanford’s location also gives students access to hiking, bicycling, and running.

Facilities Option 2

Be at least 18 years of age by the start of the program.

Have graduated from high school or secondary school or equivalent.

Be a current university student or have some university or post-secondary experience.

International Students: Be able to verify fluency in the English language, using one of the methods described in the English Language Proficiency section on the International Students page.

If you have earned or will have completed the requirements for an undergraduate degree by the start of the Summer Quarter, your application will be evaluated as a visiting graduate student. You do not need to be currently pursuing a graduate degree to be admitted as a visiting graduate student for the Summer Quarter.

Be at least 18 years of age at the start of the program.

Have graduated or have completed your requirements from your university or post-secondary institution.

You do not need to be currently enrolled in a graduate program to be eligible. Any student who has completed their undergraduate degree requirements will be evaluated as a graduate student for the Summer Quarter.

*University-level students applying to the International Honors Program have separate application and eligibility requirements.

Be a current sophomore, junior, or senior at the time of application.

Be at least 16 at the start of the program, June 24, 2023, and no more than 19 by the last day, August 20, 2023. There are no exceptions to these age restrictions.

Not be matriculating into Stanford as the first year.

Additional International Student Requirements

Please review the following information below regarding international students' requirements:

Students are strongly encouraged to apply as early as possible to avoid delays in processing their I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant F-1 Student Status) and obtaining their F-1 Student Visas.

All courses are taught in English. Students should feel comfortable enough in the language to communicate with their instructors and classmates while studying at Stanford. Language proficiency will be verified in one of three ways:

Native English speakers are exempt from providing English Language Proficiency exam scores. Native speakers typically learn English as children, speak the language at home, and it is usually the native language in their country of origin (e.g. Australia, Jamaica, United Kingdom). Native speaker exemption requests will be reviewed as part of the application process. The Stanford Summer Session office reserves the right to request additional information and/or require language proficiency exam scores.

If you attend a school where English is the primary language of instruction

Students who have completed a year or more of full-time coursework at an institution where English is the primary language of instruction can qualify for an English language waiver. The year of coursework must be completed by December 31, 2022. Courses must be academic in nature and not courses teaching English as a second language.

Undergraduate and Graduate applicants must have completed the year of coursework at a university or post-secondary institution. Post-secondary education is after grade 12 in the United States or equivalent international grade level.

High School and Gap Year applicants must have completed the year of coursework at a high school or secondary institution. Secondary education in grades 9 - 12 in the United States or equivalent international grade levels.

English language waiver requests will be reviewed as part of the application process. The Stanford Summer Session office reserves the right to request additional information and/or require language proficiency exam scores.

If you attend an international school where English is not the primary language of instruction:

Stanford Summer Session requires the submission of qualifying TOEFL Exam, International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Cambridge Assessment English, Duolingo, or Pearson Test of English Academic (PTEA) scores as part of the application process. Exam scores are valid for three years and must be valid as of the application deadline for each program.

The following score minimums are a strict program requirement. Exam scores below the minimum will not satisfy the English language proficiency requirement.

Internet-Based Test of English as a Foreign Language (iBT TOEFL)

International English Language Testing System: Academic (IELTS: Academic)

A minimum score of 180 on the Cambridge English Advanced, CEFR Level C1

A minimum score of 200 on the Cambridge English Proficiency, CEFR Level C2

Stanford requires international students who attend Stanford Summer Session to have a visa appropriate for academic study. For most students, this will be an F-1 Student Visa, although there are additional visa classifications that cover credit-based study.

The following visa requirements apply only to students who have submitted applications to Stanford Summer Session. Other summer programs on the Stanford campus have their own visa requirements which may differ.

If you are already studying in the U.S. with an I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant F-1 Student Status) sponsored by another institution:

You may not require a new I-20 from Stanford. Applicants are able to describe their visa situation as part of their online application and will be contacted directly if additional information is needed. If you have questions about your visa status, you are encouraged to contact the Stanford Summer Session office.

If you require an I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant F-1 Student Status) from Stanford:

You are required to maintain enrollment in a minimum of 8-course units. The Stanford Summer Session office will monitor enrollment throughout the Summer Quarter to ensure compliance.

The process to Obtain an F-1 Student Visa

The first step in the process of attending Stanford for the summer is to apply. If offered admission, the next step is to complete an acceptance process. This process includes the submission of the following three documents:

: An online form completed as part of the Stanford Summer Session acceptance process.

: A letter or statement from your financial institution or from your family’s financial institution, verifying that there are funds sufficient to cover the program’s full cost as stated in the Declaration of Finance. This document must be shown in U.S. dollars. We will also accept documents with the financial information listed in local currency, if necessary. It is recommended that you request two originals of this document: one to submit to Stanford and one to bring with you to your appointment at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. When funding for the program comes from a source other than you (e.g. parent, company, or agency), the Stanford Summer Session office requires a short message from this source explaining that funds held in their name will be used to cover program costs incurred by the applicant.

: A copy of the identification page(s) of your passport.

Once all acceptance items have been received and you have been assigned a Stanford ID number, Stanford University will generate your I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant F-1 Student Status).

After you receive your I-20, the following items must be completed by the student in order to obtain an F-1 Student Visa:

Pay the SEVIS fee to the U.S. Government and obtain a receipt. Go to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) SEVIS I-901 website for information about the process, including details on how to pay the SEVIS fee online.

Arrange an F-1 Visa appointment at your local U.S. Embassy or Consulate after you have received an I-20 and paid the SEVIS fee. You should follow the guidelines of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate for requesting an F-1 Student Visa. The appropriate visa application fee will be assessed at the time of the appointment. You should plan ahead and allow plenty of time for this process to occur. To attend Stanford Stanford Summer Session, you must arrive to campus on Saturday, June 18, 2022.

Present the following items at the visa Appointment:  

Original I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant F-1 Student Status)

Stanford University Stanford Summer Session Admission Letter (available online within the Stanford Summer Session applicant portal)

For assistance with general questions about student visas, you should consult the U.S. Department of State Visas website. There you will find helpful information about the F-1 Student Visa, including locations of U.S. Embassies and Consulates, timelines for scheduling interviews, details about visa processing, and more.

Please note that certain countries may be experiencing possible delays in visa processing. Please allow ample time for this process as students are responsible for acquiring their visas before the start of the program.

Contact the Stanford Summer Session office if you have any questions relating to immigration or visa matters. F-1 students in initial status may enter the United States up to 30 days prior to the “report date” listed on the I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant F-1 Student Status). On-campus housing is not available until June 24, 2023.

The following six documents must be presented to the Port of Entry Officer upon entry to the United States:

Stanford University's Stanford Summer Session Admission Letter (available online within the Stanford Summer Session applicant status page)

F-1 Visa (this is the visa stamp attached to your passport by the U.S. Embassy)

You are required to verify your presence on campus within the first few days of the program. Detailed information about how to fulfill this requirement will be sent by email prior to arrival. You are required to present the following four documents as part of the verification process:

I-94 Arrival/Departure Record (please print; this is retrievable online at https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home)

Living on Purpose Stanford Summer Session

Introduction

Events and Engagement

How It Works

Facilities

Admissions

About the School

Questions