Summer 2025
Sign up to be the first to hear about next summer!
Summer 2025
Sign up to be the first to hear about next summer!
Stanford Summer Session has been pleased to welcome students from more than 50 countries from around the world. In order to attend Stanford Summer Session, international students must satisfy additional requirements set by the U.S. government and our program.
Please review the following information below regarding international students requirements for:
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 your 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.
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, 2023. 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 is 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.
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.
Contact us with any questions about satisfying the English language proficiency requirements.
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.
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.
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 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 submission of the following three documents:
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).
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 visa 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 22, 2024.
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:
If you have any questions about applying as an international student, please contact the Summer Session Student Services team.
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.
Stanford Summer Session provides high-achieving and ambitious students a transformative educational experience at a world-class university. By combining challenging academics with a rich array of extra-curricular programming, Stanford Summer Session successfully shares the University’s culture of innovation, academic excellence, and global responsibility.