History
Stanford University was founded in 1885 by California senator Leland Stanford and his wife, Jane, “to promote the public welfare by exercising an influence in behalf of humanity and civilization.”
Education
Stanford Summer Session includes the most sought-after courses from departments in the schools of Humanities and Sciences, Earth Sciences, and Engineering. Choose from more than 170 courses in 40 departments.
Research
Stanford’s culture of collaboration drives innovative discoveries in areas vital to our world, our health and our intellectual life.
Student services
Academic advisors are available during the Summer Quarter for all registered students. Advisors can assist with course selection and changes, grading options, as well as academic petitions, and are available for drop-in visits or by appointment. Schedules, office location, and contact information will be distributed to all confirmed students at the start of the Summer Quarter.
Housing services
Become part of the Stanford family in a truly unique way. Living on campus can be a transformational experience – and an economical option. You’ll have convenient access to trips and speakers, as well as weekly programming organized by the Summer Session team.
Students apply for housing online via Axess after they have been issued a Stanford ID number. The housing application opens in early April. Undergraduate students are guaranteed housing if they apply by the first-round deadline in mid-May, and select all housing options for which they are eligible.
Library services
You will have access to noteworthy print and digital collections at nearly 20 libraries on campus, where you may browse journal articles and other scholarly sources in more than 1,000 licensed databases and use SearchWorks to discover books, films, and maps. Subject librarians provide research consultations across all disciplines.
ICT services
The libraries also provide a variety of individual and group study spaces, basic and specialized computer clusters, and wireless Internet access.
Medical services
Vaden Health Center is Stanford’s campus health care clinic. Within the center, there are many branches including Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), an X-ray clinic, a physical therapy center, and an allergy, immunization, and injection clinic.
Campus life
Stanford University is located on 8,180 acres in the center of the San Francisco Peninsula. Stanford is a self-sustaining community featuring 49 miles of roads, two separate water systems, three dams, three open water reservoirs, 88 miles of water mains and a post office.
Sports facilities
Summer Session students have access to the exercise facilities on campus. (Some facilities require a Stanford ID card for entry). Students interested in participating in non-credit group fitness classes can purchase a Group Fitness Pass, provided by the Stanford Recreation Fitness Program.
Student clubs
When you come here for the summer, you become a part of the Stanford tradition. Speaking events, academic roundtables, and trips let you take full advantage of all that Stanford and the Silicon Valley have to offer. And with the fourth quarter’s intimate campus community, you’ll have ample opportunity to develop lasting bonds with faculty, staff and peers.
Stanford University - Summer Sessions Overview
Stanford University - Summer Sessions Rankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Top 4.8% United States
Top 4.7% Worldwide
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
QS World University Rankings
3
By TopUniversities
Climbed 3 places compared to 2025
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 6 | 3 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
World University Rankings
5
By Times Higher Education
Climbed 1 places compared to 2025
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 6 | 5 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Best Global Universities Rankings
3
By U.S. News & World Report
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| - | 3 | 3 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Stanford University - Summer Sessions Campus Locations
#1 Main Campus
United States Country
Stanford City
Stanford University - Summer Sessions Student Reviews & Awards
4
Based on 3 reviews
- 5 Star 0 Reviews
- 4 Star 3 Reviews
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- 1 Star 0 Reviews
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October 6 University is a very good community for learning
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October 6 University is a very good community for learning
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