Due to the immersive nature of the Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies programs, participants are required to live in Stanford residence halls. Participants are not eligible to communte for the day to the programs.

Participants are housed in residence hall used by Stanford undergraduates during the academic year, and live with peers in the same program who share similar academic interests. Each program will have its own designated residence hall. Participants should expect to live with roommates for the duration of the program. Note: residence halls do not have air conditioning. Trained residential staff live in the residences with the participants to create safe and welcoming communities.

Rooms are assigned by gender, with male and female participants in separate areas of the residence, and typically on separate floors. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies is committed to providing an inclusive, safe, and welcoming residential environment for all participants, and gender-inclusive housing assignments are available.

Residence halls typically have their own lounge, laundry facility, and common area. All rooms are equipped with furniture, and each participant will have: one extra-long twin bed, a desk and a chair, a bookcase, a dresser, and a wardrobe. Bed linens and a towel are provided. A complete list of what to bring is provided to all participants prior to beginning the program. In addition, wireless internet connectivity is available.

Participants eat in Stanford cafeteria-style dining halls, which serve a range of healthy options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The dining halls provide vegetarian and vegan options at every meal, and will cater to special dietary allergies or needs such as kosher or gluten-free food. The dining halls are within walking distance of each program's residence hall. Mid-afternoon snacks are served daily at the residences. Participants can look forward to catered dinners typically served once a week.

Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies provides gender-inclusive housing to ensure that all participants feel comfortable in their residence hall room. We define gender-inclusive as including cis-gender male or female, transgender, and gender non-binary participants in our residential programs. On the program application, applicants are asked to select whether they are comfortable living on the same floor with and sharing a room with participants who identify as a different gender than themselves. If an applicant selects they are comfortable sharing a floor with participants who idenitfy as a different gender, but are not comfortable sharing a room with a participant who identifies as a different gender, then the participant may be placed on a co-ed floor and in a single-gender room. If a participant indicates they are comfortable living in a room with a roommate who identifies as a different gender, then the participant may be placed with a roommate who identifies as a different gender than themselves.

Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies provides transportation from the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) for participants at set times on designated arrival and departure days only. Participants flying into San Francisco International Airport who take advantage of transportation provided by Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies must arrive and depart on the designated days for the session that they are attending. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies is not able to provide transportation for participants if they arrive on other days or times outside of the scheduled pick-up and drop-off times. Participants who are admitted to the program will be given detailed information regarding the procedure for airport transportation. Participants using the airport shuttle service must provide their flight information to Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies; staff members will receive participants at the airport and accompany them back to Stanford University. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies also provides transportation to the San Francisco International Airport on the day of departure. The use of airport shuttle service on Arrival and Departure days is included in Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies program tuition.

Upon receiving an admissions offer, participants will receive a link to the Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies "Participant Guide" website. Participants are expected to abide by the Rules for Participants, as well as the Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies’ Code of Conduct. Failure to abide by all rules and the Code of Conduct may result in dismissal from the program.

Participants are housed in the same residence halls used by Stanford undergraduates during the academic year. Note that residence halls do not have air conditioning. All rooms are equipped with furniture, and each participant will have: one extra-long twin bed, a desk and a chair, a bookcase, a dresser, and a wardrobe. Bed linens and a towel are provided. Participants should be mindful of how many personal items they bring, as they will have roommates for the duration of the program. In addition, wireless internet connectivity is available. A complete list of what to bring is provided to all participants prior to beginning the program.

Participants should bring their own laptop computers to the program. Computers must be able to access internet, write papers, and do various research. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies programs do not endorse or recommend a specific brand of computer. Wireless internet is available in the residence halls and throughout campus.

Participants must be fully involved in the program and should be present for all program activities. Students are required to arrive on designated arrival dates and remain until the end of the program. All activities, including recreational and social programming, are designed to provide participants with a well-rounded experience both inside and outside of the classroom. Participants should only miss scheduled activities for health reasons, religious observances, or family emergencies.

Days at Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies programs begin with breakfast at one of our many dining halls, followed by engaging class time until lunch. After lunch, participants return to their residence halls where they have a study session lead by our Residential Counselors who act as teaching assistants and aid them with their homework and often teach them new information not covered in the class. After a quick snack, the activities period begins each weekday with a variety of activities, such as a workshop or recreational event. After dinner, participants have some time to relax, socialize, or study until they meet back at their residence halls for house meetings to wrap up the day. For further information, please visit the Schedule page in the Residential Life section. Classes and study sessions are not held on the weekends; however, there are planned activities on the weekends that participants are required to attend such as fields trips or recreational activities.

Participants are supervised by our residential staff members, who are generally undergraduate students. Residential staff are assigned based on their academic areas of expertise, making them not only counselors, but also excellent mentors. Residential staff members are responsible for tightly integrating academics with the residential experience and ensure a safe and strong community. For more information, visit the Residential Life section of each program website.

Yes, upon admission into the program, participants will be asked to provide health information and may provide details for any other specific needs. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies administrative staff will coordinate with participants to plan necessary accommodations.

All mail during the program can be sent to a central address on campus, and the staff will distribute mail to program participants. Particiapnts will recieve the mailing address closer to the program start date.

Be sure to include the participants name, the name of the residence, and the name of the program in all mail. This information will be provided to all participants when admitted to the program in the online Participant Guide website. Campus mail often takes a few days longer than expected to reach its destination, as it is first delivered to a central campus location to be sorted. Stanford does not offer Saturday or Sunday mail delivery. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies is not responsible for undelivered mail. We highly recommend that valuables (monetary or sentimental) are not sent via mail to participants while they attend the program. We also recommend participants keep ordering items or supplies to campus to a minimum, and reserve it for critical things forgotten at home, or for things necessary for use during their time at the program.

Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies participants are housed by program. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies does not accept nor accommodate roommate requests. In fact, to further enrich our students' experiences, we attempt to match students with others from different backgrounds and geographic regions. Room configurations will vary based on the residence hall that participants live in, although all participants should expect to share restrooms with other participants. Participants will receive more specific residence hall information closer to the program start date.

Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies staff organize and host activities for participants during their afternoon activities period (Monday–Friday) and other downtime. Examples of planned activities include: pick up sand volleyball and basketball, workshops with various offices around campus, roommate olympics, and a talent show at the end of the program. Participants must attend any planned activities during the program.

Weekends during the program are a mix of unstructured downtime and planned activities. Participants use the unstructured time to relax, socialize with new friends, and catch up on homework. Planned activities may include sports, field trips, carnivals, etc. Participants must attend any planned weekend activities during the program.

In the event that a participant illness or injury cannot be treated by staff on campus, staff members will transport the participant to either the Palo Alto Medical Foundation’s (PAMF) Pediatric or Adult Urgent Care Center for non-critical medical care or to the Stanford Health Care (SHC) Hospital Pediatric Emergency Room for critical or after hours care. Staff will call an ambulance on behalf of the participant if the injury prevents staff from transporting the participant themselves. When possible, staff will remain with the participant and staff will contact the parents/guardians in the event that a participant receives medical care.

Additionally, if Pre-Collegiate Studies Staff determines that a participant requires medical attention, staff will transport the participant to a medical provider, even if the participant refuses medical treatment. U.S.-based medical insurance is required for all program participants without exception and proof of insurance must be provided prior to the beginning of the program. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies does not provide medical insurance and cannot assist families in working with insurance companies to obtain U.S. medical insurance.

The PAMF (Pediatric) Urgent Care Center is located near the Stanford University campus and provides non-critical health care services. Patients must be 17 or under to access the Pediatric Urgent Care. International health insurances are not accepted at PAMF. At PAMF, patients can make medical decisions and provide consent beginning at the age of 12; however, as long as the participant consents, our staff will be allowed to remain in the room.

SHC Pediatric Emergency Room will see patients 20 years of age and younger. Billing information is collected after the patient has been seen and is stable. Staff can remain in the room with minors; however, parents/guardians must sign a waiver allowing staff to remain in the room while medical information is being shared and medical decisions are being made. While Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies staff will attempt to make contact with the participant’s parents/guardians if there is a medical emergency, the Stanford Pediatric Emergency Room will also automatically try to make contact as well.

A trained wellness professional will also be available at designated times to support students who are feeling homesick, isolated, or experiencing difficulty transitioning into their program. The Wellness and Belonging Coordinator will be available throughout all Pre-Collegiate Studies programs. In the event of a mental health emergency, staff will transport students to the Stanford Health Care Hospital Emergency Room for additional care and support.

Participants are required to provide documentation that they are up to date on their MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccination and COVID-19 vaccinations. Additionally, participants will need to be cleared for Tuberculosis (TB) prior to arriving on campus. More information about the process to clear for TB will be shared closer to the start of the program.

Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies will follow all COVID-19 policies and procedures determined by Stanford University. As more information on procedures for monitoring and responding to COVID-19 cases becomes available, Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies will communicate with enrolled participants.

While not guaranteed, a representative from the Stanford Office of Undergraduate Admission is typically scheduled to give a presentation to participants during their program. The website for the Stanford Office of Undergraduate Admission lists the opportunities to learn about Stanford or connect with their office. https://admission.stanford.edu/engage/

Informal campus tours may be provided by our own staff, as many are Stanford students and are very familiar with the campus. If participants are interested in a more formal tour of the campus, they should make arrangements with the Stanford Visitor Information Office independently. Please note that these arrangements must not interfere with any scheduled program activities.