School of Medicine Registrar's Office Graduation Quarter Eligibility

Registration is required for the term in which a student will have a degree conferred. Students who meet the following conditions are eligible to be assessed a special $150 tuition rate for the quarter in which they are receiving a degree:

  • All course work, degree requirements, oral and written exams, and residency requirements for all graduate degree programs, including joint degree programs, have been completed prior to the start of the requested Graduation Quarter.
  • The student has only to defend and/or submit the dissertation, project, or master's thesis by the deadline for submission in the term designated as the graduation quarter (if applicable).


Students on Graduation Quarter are registered at Stanford and, therefore, have the rights and privileges of registered students. Graduation Quarter status may be used only once during a degree program. There is a tuition rate of $150 for Graduation Quarter, and students on Graduation Quarter are assessed University health insurance and ASSU fees (unless waived). MD students on Graduation Quarter enroll in SPEC 801M, and are certified as enrolled full-time.  Students on Graduation Quarter cannot enroll in other coursework for the quarter.

Please note: Students on Graduation Quarter are not eligible for financial aid.

If eligible, complete the following steps to request a Graduation Quarter status for the relevant term. The deadline is the Preliminary Study List Deadline of the term.

  1. Formally apply to graduate for the term of the chosen Graduation Quarter in Axess
  2. Enroll in the course SPEC 801M in Axess by the Preliminary Study List Deadline
  3. Submit a Graduation Quarter Petition eForm by the Preliminary Study List deadline of the chosen Graduation Quarter.  Do so by logging on to Axess, click the My Academic tab, click Petition & Forms, choose “Student eForms" from the menu. This will bring you to the Stanford eForm page. Click " Forms" and select "Graduation Quarter Special Registration Status GR".

Please note: steps two and three are accessible the day Axess opens for course enrollment for the term of the chosen Graduation Quarter. View the Academic Calendar for specific dates.