Stanford Academic Calendar 2025–2026: Important Dates

The Stanford Academic Calendar 2025–2026 provides essential dates and deadlines for students, including the first and last day of classes, tuition payment due dates, academic holidays, and key enrollment cutoffs for each quarter.

Staying updated with the Stanford University academic calendar is critical for planning your coursework, internships, and graduation timeline.

Stanford operates on a quarter system, not semesters or trimesters, with academic terms beginning in late September, a later start than most U.S. universities.

Each academic year at Stanford is divided into four quarters: fall (Autumn), winter, spring, and summer. Each quarter is approximately 10 weeks, with a shorter summer term of about 8 weeks that still offers full academic credit.

To be considered full-time at Stanford, undergraduates must enroll in a minimum of 12 units per quarter, with most students completing around 180 units over four years to graduate.

This makes Stanford a four-year private university with a rigorous academic load—students often report studying over 40 hours per week.

As of the 2025–26 academic year, Stanford’s undergraduate tuition is approximately $62,000 per year, with the total cost of attendance exceeding $250,000 over four years. However, Stanford offers generous financial aid packages, and PhD students typically receive full funding and stipends.

Whether you’re reviewing Stanford’s academic calendar for 2025–26 or exploring specific schedules for programs like Stanford Law, this resource will help you stay on track throughout your academic journey.

Stanford Academic Calendar Fall Quarter 2025

Here are important dates and deadlines on the Stanford University academic calendar for Fall 2025.

1. Textbook adoption for the Autumn Quarter is due Thursday, July 31, 2025.
2. The Stanford Bulletin publishes the 2025-26 academic requirements during the week of Monday, August 11 to Friday, August 15, 2025.
3. Axess opens for M.D./M.S.P.A. course enrollment on Monday, August 11, 2025, at 6:00 PM.
4. Axess opens for Law School (J.D./J.S.M./L.L.M./J.S.D.) course enrollment on Monday, August 11, 2025, at 6:00 PM.
5. Departments must update Autumn course grading/unit configurations by Friday, August 22, 2025.
6. M.D./M.S.P.A. first- and second-year instruction begins Monday, August 25, 2025.
7. M.D.’s pre-clerkship Leave of Absence deadline (full refund) is Monday, August 25, 2025.
8. Autumn course planning opens for undergraduates/graduates on Tuesday, August 26, 2025.
9. Law School instruction begins for 1st-year J.D./J.S.M./L.L.M. students on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, according to the Stanford Law Academic Calendar 2025-2026.
10. Stanford Axess opens for undergraduate/graduate enrollment on Thursday, September 4, 2025, at 6:00 PM.
11. Autumn Quarter graduation applications open Thursday, September 4, 2025.
12. M.B.A. first-year instruction begins Thursday, September 11, 2025.
13. The status enrollment deadline for stipend/financial aid is Friday, September 12, 2025, at 5:00 PM.
14. New Graduate Student Orientation begins Sunday, September 14, 2025.
15. Autumn Cardinal Care waiver deadline is Monday, September 15, 2025.
16. Stanford Move-in Day; housing opens, and New Student Orientation begins Tuesday, September 16, 2025.
17. Undergraduate housing opens for returning students on Thursday, September 18, 2025.
18. Stanford Fall 2025 Quarter classes start Monday, September 22, 2025. It is the first day of classes on the Stanford Academic Calendar for Autumn 2025.
19. Preliminary Study List deadline and Leave of Absence (full refund) is Monday, September 22, 2025, at 5:00 PM.
20. Law School instruction begins for 2nd/3rd-year J.D. and advanced students on Monday, September 22, 2025.
21. GSB M.B.A./MSx course add/drop deadline is Friday, September 26, 2025.
22. GSB Centennial Celebration (special program day) is Friday, October 10, 2025.
23. The final Study List deadline (non-GSB) is Friday, October 10, 2025, at 5:00 PM.
24. GSB M.B.A./MSx grading basis change deadline is Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
25. M.D.’s pre-clerkship withdrawal deadline (partial refund) is Thursday, October 23, 2025.
26. The term withdrawal deadline (partial refund) is Monday, November 3, 2025, at 5:00 PM.
27. Democracy Day (no classes) is Tuesday, November 4, 2025, according to the Stanford Holidays Calendar 2025-2026.
28. Non-GSB grading basis change, course withdrawal, and graduation application deadlines are Friday, November 14, 2025, at 5:00 PM.
29. Autumn grade rosters open on Monday, November 17, 2025.
30. Law School classes end Friday, November 21, 2025.
31. UIT maintenance may disrupt systems on Sunday, November 23, 2025.
32. Thanksgiving Recess runs from Monday, November 24, to Friday, November 28, 2025.
33. Law School Reading Period is Saturday, November 29 to Thursday, December 4, 2025.
34. End-Quarter Period is Monday, December 1 to Sunday, December 7, 2025.
35. Non-Law classes end Friday, December 5, 2025.
36. University thesis/dissertation submissions are due Friday, December 5, 2025, at noon.
37. Late graduation applications ($50 fee) are due Friday, December 5, 2025, at 5:00 PM.
38. Law School exams run from Friday, December 5, to Friday, December 12, 2025.
39. End-quarter exams run from Monday, December 8, to Friday, December 12, 2025.
40. Undergraduate housing closes on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at noon.
41. Cardinal Care early cancellation petitions are due Monday, December 15, 2025.
42. Grades are due Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 11:59 PM.
43. Winter Closure runs from Saturday, December 20, 2025, to Sunday, January 4, 2026.
44. Final Recommending Lists are due Monday, January 5, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
45. Autumn degrees are conferred on Thursday, January 8, 2026.

Stanford Academic Calendar Winter Quarter 2026

Here are important dates and deadlines on the Stanford University academic calendar for Winter 2026.

1. Winter textbook adoption is due Monday, November 10, 2025.
2. Course configuration updates are due Friday, November 21, 2025, at noon.
3. Winter course planning opens on Tuesday, November 25, 2025.
4. Axess opens for enrollment on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at 5:30 PM.
5. Winter graduation applications open Thursday, December 4, 2025.
6. The Winter Cardinal Care waiver deadline is Monday, December 15, 2025.
7. The status enrollment deadline is Friday, December 26, 2025, at 5:00 PM.
8. Undergraduate housing opens on Saturday, January 3, 2026.
9. Stanford Winter Quarter 2026 classes start Monday, January 5, 2026.
10. Preliminary Study List and Leave of Absence (full refund) deadlines are Monday, January 5, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
11. GSB M.B.A./MSx add/drop deadline is Friday, January 9, 2026.
12. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (no classes) is Monday, January 19, 2026.
13. The final Study List deadline (non-GSB) and GSB grading basis change are Friday, January 23, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
14. Presidents’ Day (no classes, except Law) is Monday, February 16, 2026.
15. GSB Monday classes meet on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.
16. The term withdrawal deadline (partial refund) is Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
17. Winter graduation applications, non-GSB grading basis, and course withdrawal deadlines are Friday, February 27, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
18. Winter grade rosters open Monday, March 2, 2026.
19. Law School classes end Monday, March 9, 2026.
20. The end-quarter Period runs from Monday, March 9, to Sunday, March 15, 2026.
21. The Law School Reading Period is Tuesday, March 10 to Thursday, March 12, 2026, according to the Stanford Law academic calendar.
22. Non-Law classes end Friday, March 13, 2026.
23. University thesis/dissertation submissions are due Friday, March 13, 2026, at noon.
24. Late graduation applications ($50 fee) are due Friday, March 13, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
25. Law School exams run from Friday, March 13, to Friday, March 20, 2026.
26. End-Quarter exams run from Monday, March 16 to Friday, March 20, 2026.
27. Undergraduate housing move-out is Saturday, March 21, 2026.
28. UIT maintenance may disrupt systems on Sunday, March 22, 2026.
29. Grades are due Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at 11:59 PM.
30. Final Recommending Lists are due Thursday, March 26, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
31. Winter degrees are conferred on Thursday, April 2, 2026.
32. Cardinal Care early cancellation petitions are due Wednesday, April 15, 2026.

Stanford Academic Calendar Spring Quarter 2026

Here are important dates and deadlines on the Stanford University academic calendar for Spring 2026.

1. Spring textbook adoption is due Monday, February 2, 2026.
2. Course configuration updates are due Friday, February 20, 2026.
3. Spring course planning opens Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
4. Axess opens for enrollment on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at 5:30 PM.
5. Spring graduation applications open Thursday, March 5, 2026.
6. Spring Cardinal Care waiver deadline is Sunday, March 15, 2026.
7. At-status enrollment deadline is Friday, March 20, 2026.
8. Undergraduate housing move-in is Saturday, March 28, 2026.
9. Spring instruction begins (non-GSB) Monday, March 30, 2026.
10. Preliminary Study List and Leave of Absence (full refund) deadlines are Monday, March 30, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
11. GSB M.B.A./MSx instruction begins Thursday, April 2, 2026.
12. GSB M.B.A./MSx add/drop deadline is Tuesday, April 7, 2026.
13. Spring graduation applications are due Friday, April 10, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
14. The final Study List deadline (non-GSB) and GSB grading basis change are Friday, April 17, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
15. The term withdrawal deadline (partial refund) is Monday, May 11, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
16. UIT maintenance may disrupt systems on Sunday, May 17, 2026.
17. Non-GSB grading basis and course withdrawal deadlines are Friday, May 22, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
18. Memorial Day (no classes) is Monday, May 25, 2026.
19. Spring grade rosters open Tuesday, May 26, 2026.
20. Law School classes end Friday, May 29, 2026.
21. The end-quarter Period runs from Friday, May 29, to Thursday, June 4, 2026.
22. The Law School Reading Period is from Saturday, May 30 to Monday, June 1, 2026, according to the Stanford Law academic calendar.
23. Law School exams run from Tuesday, June 2, to Sunday, June 7, 2026.
24. Non-Law classes end Wednesday, June 3, 2026.
25. No classes on Thursday, June 4, 2026.
26. Late graduation applications ($50 fee) and thesis/dissertation submissions are due Friday, June 5, 2026 (noon/5:00 PM).
27. End-Quarter exams run from Friday, June 5 to Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
28. GSB grades for graduates are due Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at noon.
29. Graduating student grades are due Friday, June 12, 2026, at 11:59 PM.
30. Undergraduate housing move-out (non-commencement) is Friday, June 12, 2026.
31. Baccalaureate/Senior Class Day and graduation ceremonies are Saturday, June 13, 2026.
32. University Commencement is Sunday, June 14, 2026.
33. J.D./M.D. degrees post and housing move-out (graduates) is Monday, June 15, 2026.
34. Final Recommending Lists are due Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at noon.
35. Non-graduating student grades are due Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at 11:59 PM.
36. All other degrees post-Thursday, June 18, 2026.

Stanford Academic Calendar Summer Quarter 2026

Here are important dates and deadlines on the Stanford University academic calendar for Summer 2026.

1. Course configuration updates are due Friday, March 27, 2026.
2. Summer course planning opens Tuesday, March 31, 2026.
3. Axess opens for enrollment on Monday, April 6, 2026, at 5:30 PM.
4. Summer textbook adoption is due Monday, April 27, 2026.
5. Summer graduation applications open on Saturday, June 6, 2026.
6. At-status enrollment deadline is Friday, June 12, 2026.
7. Summer Cardinal Care waiver deadline is Monday, June 15, 2026.
8. Summer instruction begins Monday, June 22, 2026.
9. Preliminary Study List and Leave of Absence (full refund) deadlines are Monday, June 22, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
10. Independence Day (no classes) is Friday, July 3, 2026.
11. The final Study List deadline is Monday, July 6, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
12. The term withdrawal deadline (partial refund) is Friday, July 24, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
13. Grading basis change, course withdrawal, and graduation application deadlines are Friday, July 31, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
14. Grade rosters open Monday, August 3, 2026.
15. The end-of-quarter Period runs from Saturday, August 8, to Thursday, August 13, 2026.
16. Classes end Thursday, August 13, 2026.
17. End-quarter exams run from Friday, August 14 to Saturday, August 15, 2026.
18. Grades are due Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at 11:59 PM.
19. Thesis/dissertation submissions are due Friday, August 28, 2026, at noon.
20. Late graduation applications ($50 fee) are due Friday, August 28, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
21. Final Recommending Lists are due Friday, September 4, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
22. Summer degrees are conferred on Thursday, September 10, 2026.

For more on the Stanford Academic Calendar 2025-2026, visit the Stanford University Calendar website.