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Prepare for a 2023-24 Graduation

Deadline* to apply to graduate for Winter quarter: Friday, March 1, 2024 at 5pm. The late application deadline is Friday, March 15, 2024 at 5pm ($50 fee).

Do not wait until signatures are obtained, forms are filled out, grades come in, or for any other reason to apply to graduate if you want to confer your BS/BSH degree this quarter. If you apply after the first deadline, notify the student services staff in your department so you can be reviewed and issues taken care of prior to the final week of the quarter.

Application Changes: Should you decide to withdraw your application or change your degree plan after applying, you need to submit a help ticket to make the change; you may no longer make a change using Axess.

*Applying to graduate (and delivering your final program sheet to your department) by the first deadline is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED: Your program will be reviewed in a timely manner and you notified of any issues in time to take action, giving you a better chance of avoiding a delay in conferring your Bachelor's degree.

This set of questions refers to your engineering major. For general information on University requirements, check the Academic Advising website.

Most Important

  • Fill out a program sheet your senior year and scan or bring to Student Services in your major department. Program sheets signed and handed in before your senior year are not current and cannot be used for a conferral review. 
  • When filling out your senior PS, make sure that you have already had AP (or IB or A-Levels or GCE) signed off via email or in 135 Huang  (once is enough) OR added a copy of your unofficial transcript showing AP credit to your major file in your department (see #4 for detail)
  • Transfer credit should be processed by both the Registrar and the OSA office in the School of Engineering well before the end of your final quarter. See #8 below for important warnings on finishing transfer work your final quarter -- delay is probable
  • Course exceptions (deviations from program requirements) should be petitioned by end of the previous quarter so you have time to explore other options in case your petition is denied
  • If you have more than one degree program, that is, a second major and/or a minor from any School, go to Axess to eForms under the Student tab and complete the Multiple Major/Minor form (see FAQ #12 below; also detail on what is considered "double-counting")
  • Get all your courses into the correct career NOW if you are a coterm: Complete the Coterm Course Transfer form, found on Axess as an eForm under the Student tab. You can also use the 'View My Grades' panel (located in Axess in the Student Snapshot menu)
  • Special Registration Status: If you want to petition for a Graduation Quarter, Part-Time Enrollment, Last Units Out of Residence, or other special registration status you must locate and submit the correct form, found on Axess as an eForm under the Student tab. The deadline is always 5pm of the first day of the effective quarter.

Frequently asked Questions

1. All the different engineering requirements confuse me -- what should I do?
First, read this whole letter. If you still have questions after reading through all the details, you have three choices:

  • a) Confer with your major department’s student services staff and/or advisor
  • b) Talk to Darlene in 135 Huang Engineering Center (email at dlazar@stanford.edu, or set up a phone call or zoom). Best hours to reach her are 9-4PM.
  • c) Check the Handbook for Undergraduate Engineering Programs and the footnotes on your particular program sheet.

2. What is the deadline to apply to graduate on Axess?
Check the top of this page for both the regular and late conferral application deadlines for this quarter. If applying after the regular deadline, it is highly recommended that you notify the Student Services officer in your major department, and also Darlene Lazar at dlazar@stanford.edu. For information on future quarter deadlines, go to the Academic Calendar

3. I want to review my program with someone to make sure I am set to graduate – who do I talk to?
It depends on what part of your program you want to check (and start by making sure you have followed the guidelines listed in the footnotes on your program sheet.)

  • For your School of Engineering major overall, and particularly questions about your depth program, contact the student services specialist in your department. If you don’t know who this is, see the Departmental Contacts page.
  • For your SoE breadth (AP, math, science, TiS and Fundamentals), you can email  Darlene Lazar <dlazar@stanford.edu>.
  • For making changes in your program that are off the beaten path of pre-approved options, talk to your advisor first – you will need his/her approval, and maybe a petition as well.
  • For GER and other University-level requirements, check the excellent Undergraduate Graduation Checklist at the Registrar site. Direct your questions on overall degree progress to the Student Services Center, Suite 7 in Tresidder Union or file a HelpSU ticket.

4. I am counting on using AP credit for my major – am I all set if the AP Board sent my scores to Stanford?
That is not enough – we need to sign off on AP (or IB or A-Levels or GCE) so we know the credit is recorded and you are using it correctly in your School of Engineering major. For Math, Physics, Chemistry, or Computer Science, email Darlene Lazar <dlazar@stanford.edu> to have your credits approved, scanning both your SoE program sheet and unofficial transcript for verification. If you want to use AP Physics C credit for PHYSICS 41 credit (and are entering 2020 or after) you must also provide AP Board scores (only a score of 5 on the Mechanics or E&M test is equivalent to 41 or 43). If you already did this when you declared, there is no need to do it again as long as the annotated program sheet is on file with your department, OR if you have a SU transcript showing AP credits in your major file by the deadline to apply to graduate.

If no AP/IB credit shows on your transcript, submit a SNOW ticket to the Registrar's Office to get it recorded. Sometimes, if they have the AP Board scores on record, they can help you in minutes. IF no scores are in the SU system it can take weeks for them to be sent and processed; plan ahead.

5. I’m declared as an engineering major but have never turned in a program sheet – is this a big deal?
Since the program sheet (PS) is the essential graduation application/planning tool for every School of Engineering major, your department administrator needs a version that has been updated your senior year in your file. It must be accurately and completely filled in with all major requirements, including grades, accurate units, and transfer courses (we will fill in spring quarter grades for you). Find Excel and pdf templates on the Program Sheets page for every year and major. Scan to your department for signature and review.

6. When do I need to get an updated program sheet to my department?
By the deadline to apply to graduate. If your senior program sheet is turned in on time you are more likely to be informed in time to do something about it in case there are problems you could not foresee until someone took a look at your program.

The program sheet is what the Dean’s Office and your department use to check that you have completed your major requirements. Make sure it accurately reflects course numbers/names and units as found on your transcript, is legible, and is in the correct 2-page format (as it appears in pdf format on the Program Sheet page). You may use a program sheet template from any year you are enrolled at Stanford. 

Step-by-Step Directions on How to Prepare a Program Sheet

  • Where is the form? Go to the Program Sheets page and locate the correct pdf or Excel version of a program sheet for your major. 
  • How? Save the PS Excel version file to your desktop, fill in all courses you will take for your major, adjust preset fields to show only the elective courses/units you will actually complete (deleting courses/units not being used), and make sure the totals are correct.
  • Format? Use Print Preview to make sure the PS will print in Portrait format on two pages (you may need to shrink the width of one of the fields to make sure content does not overflow the page and/or adjust rows so the second page starts at the top of the second sheet).
  • Who wants it? Scan or take your program sheet to your departmental Student Services administrator for evaluation and next steps; they may have special requirements to prepare your PS for conferral – check NOW. Policies vary by department on who must approve your major program, but most require an administrator’s and/or advisor’s review and signature. 
  • Using AP? Scan your Program sheet and unofficial transcript to Darlene Lazar at dlazar@stanford.edu
  • Using units that deviate from norm? If you are using a course that is not normally allowed on your official major plan, you must have the change approved to graduate (see #7 below) and then amend or redo your PS and have it (re)signed. If you changed your elective ENGR courses but they are approved alternatives, there is no need for a petition but you should adjust your program sheet before the end of winter quarter.
  • Signatures? Scan to your major department for review and signatures. Don’t worry about the School of Engineering approval field – this will be signed post-graduation, after final clearance from the University Senate has been granted.

7. I had to substitute other courses for some of the requirements in my major program – do I have to do anything extra about this?
Yes: Exceptions to stated requirements need to be approved via petition, preferably at least one or two quarters prior to the quarter you plan to graduate in case the request is denied. You may file a petition either with your department (for Depth courses) or with the Dean’s office (for all ENGR breadth requirements i.e. math, science, TiS, and Fundamentals). Petitions for these breadth requirements also need approval from both your advisor/department -- see the form on the Exceptions page of this site for detail. Note: Having an advisor signature on your program sheet does not mean your breadth changes are approved but may be sufficient for depth exceptions: See your department student services staff to find out the policy in your major program.

8. I am using transfer credits in my SoE program and the units appear on my SU transcript – am I all set?
Not yet! Transferring credit for courses taken at another institution to meet Engineering requirements is a two-step process: First comes the Registrar Office petition to transfer the units into the University, then comes the School of Engineering petition that will allow substitution for required courses in your major program. By the way, do all this PRIOR to your final quarter so that if there are any problems with your transfer, there is still time to figure out an alternative. Plus, the Registrar gets very, very busy during the last half of spring quarter, which could delay your action until deadlines have passed. Transfer credit should be completely processed well before the end of your final quarter as frequently there is a long delay in getting the other school to send a transcript and for Stanford to process it. If you are taking a course at Foothill College (or almost any other quarter-based school) during your final quarter you WILL NOT be able to complete the transfer in time for spring quarter conferral -- see #9. Petition forms and instructions can be found on the Transfers page.

9. What if I am going to complete a requirement by taking a class at another college the final quarter of my Senior year?
That’s fine, but you may not be able to graduate that quarter – most other quarter-based college schedules are up to two weeks behind Stanford’s and your transferred grades/units will probably not arrive in time for spring quarter conferral (and sometimes too late for other quarter's graduation as well). Don’t worry – you can still take the course and participate in commencement as long as you meet the University criteria; see the Commencement page at  https://commencement.stanford.edu/. You will need to file a Last Units Out of Residence: see the Stanford Registrar website for details on how to submit the eForm.

10. I finished all undergraduate requirements previously OR will finish final units elsewhere OR want to petition for lowered units/tuition my 13th quarter
You need to go into Axess and look for eForms under the Student tab. ALSO, forward to dlazar@stanford.edu or bring into 135 Huang your completed, signed program sheet and unofficial transcript before or at the same time you apply for any of these special enrollment statuses (your SoE program needs to be verified as complete in order for the forms below to be approved):

  • Graduation Quarter form (all requirements are complete, you will not be on campus, and you intend to graduate)
  • 13th Quarter form (you have completed 12 full-enrollment quarters and want to finish UG requirements with 7-11 units at reduced tuition)
  • Last Units Out of Residence form (you are taking courses elsewhere to transfer in that will complete all UG and program requirements, and intend to graduate at the end of the quarter stated)
  • Permit to Attend for Services Only (if finishing an Incomplete grade, honors thesis, or otherwise using Stanford services but not taking courses, and intending to graduate at the end of the quarter stated)

11. I’m a Coterm -- is there anything special I need to pay attention to?
Courses being used for your BS degree must be in your undergraduate career as we are reviewing your BS degree program (by the deadline to apply to graduate). To check that courses being used for your BS degree appear in your UG career and those being used for your MS degree appear in your graduate career, go to Axess and to the 'View My Grades' panel (located in the Student Snapshot menu). You can use the filtering option to quickly toggle between the undergraduate and graduate careers. Instructions are accessed using the link given above in the Most Important set of bullet points.

12. What do I do if I have a Minor or more than one Major?
Complete the Multiple Major-Minor form available in Axess as an eForm under the student tab. Place all courses used in both/all programs into the correct program. The purpose of this form is for the School to check to make sure no courses are being double-counted to fulfill more than one requirement in one program, though there are exceptions that are okay. Here is the rule: You can double count math, science, TiS, and even fundamentals (but not WIM) for two different degree programs. However, you cannot use any course listed in the Core/Depth requirements of either the major or the minor/second major to satisfy any requirement for the other.

For any degree program(s) within the School of Engineering, the MMM form approval will come from Darlene (Dean’s Office, 135 Huang) rather than from your department. Recommended: Fill out the form one quarter prior to graduation in case there are issues that require extra courses to be taken. The final deadline is Final Study List deadline of the quarter you apply to graduate. 

13. Can I walk through commencement even though I can’t graduate in June?

If you have 160 units or more, you may ask your department about walking in the spring commencement ceremony even though you can't finish all your requirements (or want to delay conferring the BS degree for other reasons) by the spring deadline. Here is what you need to do:
• If you have already applied to graduate and the Late Application Deadline to Graduate has not yet passed, you must file a ServiceNow ticket to withdraw
• Check with your major department by early May to find out if they require a walk-through petition or other process
• Consult with the OSA and/or your department and/or the Student Services Center to figure out what you need to do to finish requirements, if needed – see next
• Students completing BS requirements will need to apply for special enrollment status for the quarter they plan to confer (for example, the Graduation Quarter form -- fee of $150 -- or Last Units Out of Residence form; check form directions on the Registrar site, with the student services staff in your major department, or in 135 Huang for clarification). These forms are available as eForms in Axess under the Student tab
• Coterms who decide to confer their BS and MS degrees the same quarter do not require special enrollment status, but must decide when to confer their Bachelor's degree and when to walk – in most departments, you can only walk once.

14. How do I know if I have completed all my GERs?
Status of GERs and other University-level requirements may be checked on Axess or see the excellent Undergraduate Graduation Checklist at the Registrar site. Direct your questions on degree progress to the Student Services Center, Suite 7 at Tresidder Union or check at the Registrar site.

15. Can I get a quick checklist of all this information?

√ General Education Requirements – Check with Student Services Center or online at the Registrar site.
√ AP Credit – Get your AP credits approved by the SoE Office of Student Affairs if you want to count them toward your major.
√ SoE Program Sheet – Get a fresh version of your Program Sheet to your department before the deadline to apply to graduate (at latest!), that lists all courses, units, and grades (except final quarter grades) required by your major.
√ Program Deviations – If you varied your program from any required courses or units in your official major plan, file the appropriate petition NOW – see the petition page.
√ Transfer Credits– Any courses taken outside of Stanford that you want to use for your ENGR major must be approved at both University AND School of Engineering (SoE) level by end of winter quarter if you are graduating in spring– see the petitions page.
√ Special Registration – Visit the Registrar's website for the correct form; you can consult with your department, the SSC, or Academic Advising in Sweet Hall for advice on which status is appropriate for you
√ Coterm Students – Assign your BS courses to the correct career or we can’t use them for your UG degree.
√ Multiple Majors or Minors– Fill out form found on Axess as an eForm, preferably the quarter prior to graduation
√ Walking Without Graduating – Students do this all the time, but you need to consult with your department as early as possible about the process and how you will finish your degree.

The bottom line is that you should make contact with your department and the Dean’s Office far enough in advance that we can resolve any problems... we want to help you graduate!