BS | Frequently Asked Questions

Overview

If your inquiries aren't addressed below, you are welcome to connect with any of the CS Student Services team that specializes in the Bachelor's program.

1. What are the steps to declare the CS major, and would you need to choose a track immediately? You do not need to choose a track immediately; however, you can always change if you decide on one already. To declare the CS major, please view our How to Declare webpage for detailed instructions. Students will need to meet with the peer advisor (advisor@cs.stanford.edu) to provide an unofficial transcript and a completed declaration form. After providing the necessary materials, students can declare the CS major through Axess. Once all required documents are received, the CS Student Services team will review and approve the declaration in Axess. If students have any additional questions, they can refer to their peer advisor.
2. What are the best practices for finding, choosing, and getting in touch with a CS major advisor? For undergraduates, your assigned or chosen faculty advisor can be a valuable resource for information on research opportunities and your general path. General questions about course selection should still go to the peer advisor, but faculty members have a depth of experience and domain knowledge that can be a great utility. See a list of faculty available to advise CS undergraduates on the CSBS Major Advisor list.
3. Is it necessary to choose a CS major advisor before declaring the CS major, or can one be automatically assigned to me? Students are welcome to choose their CS major advisor; however, it's not required. After you complete your major declaration, the CS peer advisor will assign you to a major advisor.
4. What are the steps to declare the CS minor? Students will declare in Axess, and the CS student services team will connect with them regarding next steps. The CS student services team will inform students that they need to complete a program sheet, which will be an attachment to the electronic declaration form they need to submit. After the program sheet is reviewed, the CS student services team will approve the declaration in Axess.
5. Do you declare the CS minor before you finish the requirements or once you have completed the courses? Students can declare the CS minor at any time. They will need to submit their program sheet with the units and courses they are planning to take or have already taken. The program sheet doesn't need to include the grades if the course has not been taken or completed yet.
6. How do students choose a track, and what are good courses to take as an introduction to the CS major? The Computer Science Department has each track synopsis detailed, which allows students to explore their options. Each program sheet describes course requirements, which may vary depending on the year and track you are viewing. It's important to note that students can complete any program sheet starting from the academic year they matriculated into Stanford. Additionally, you can change your track as many times as you’d like, as long as you complete a program sheet before applying to graduate. The Department doesn't keep track of how many times you have changed your track; they just need to ensure they have the most up-to-date version of your program sheet when you are considered to graduate.
7. How do I change my track? Log in to Axess and go under “My Academics” then “Declare Goal.” From there, you will remove your old track and declare your new track by clicking “add sub-plan.” Axess does not automatically notify our CS Student Services team when a track request is submitted. To ensure your request is reviewed promptly, please complete this CS Major Track Change Request form after submitting your track change in Axess. You’re free to switch tracks at any time — just make sure you meet all the requirements for one CS track before applying to graduate in Axess. There’s no penalty for exploring!
8. How do I change my CS major advisor? You’re free to change your undergraduate advisor anytime. Inform your current advisor, get approval from your new advisor, and then email Jessica Valdez (valdezjr@stanford.edu) and the Peer Advisor (advisor@cs.stanford.edu) with your old advisor’s name, your new advisor’s name, and your student ID number. Your official information will be updated, and within a couple of weeks, the changes should appear in Axess.
9. How does the CS double-majoring process work? If you are a student who is double-majoring with CS as one of your majors, there will be courses that you can and can not double-count towards both majors. The general rule is that Depth, Track, and Elective courses cannot be double-counted. If you have any questions, the School of Engineering's (SoE) Office of Student Affairs (soeundergrad@stanford.edu) will be your best resource.
10. When do I fill out a program sheet? Ideally, you should complete your program sheet as soon as you have a clear idea of the courses you plan to take. While it's required the quarter before you intend to graduate or confer your degree, submitting it earlier is highly encouraged. Once completed, submit your sheet through our CS Major Program Sheet Submission form for review. You can always submit a revised program sheet later if your course plans change. Having an approved sheet on file ensures your plan is on track for graduation and helps our Student Services team support you more efficiently—especially if submitted well in advance rather than at the last minute.
    • Students requesting a UG Special Registration Status (e.g., Graduation Quarter, PTE, PSO, etc.) must have an approved program sheet on file for their request to be processed.
11. Which program sheet should I use? You can use a program sheet from any year since the first year you enrolled at Stanford. However, you cannot mix requirements between program sheets.
12. How do I get transfer credit?
    • To receive transfer credit for anything on the first page of the program sheet, you must petition through the School of Engineering (SoE) office (soeundergrad@stanford.edu). More information on the process is available from the undergraduate engineering handbook.
      • If you received a transfer credit approval from the School of Engineering (SoE) office but it doesn't appear on your MAPs audit, please forward the confirmation email along with your numeric SUID (e.g., 0123456) to soeundergrad@stanford.edu for assistance.
    • Students seeking transfer credit for any requirements on the second page of the program sheet require approval from the CS department. To request approval, please complete the course-to-course equivalency request form on the Stanford Student Services website. Please include the Stanford class for which you are requesting credit, where and when you took the course, the name and number, how many units you took the course, a syllabus, and a textbook list. If you have any questions, feel free to connect with Jerry Cain (jerry@cs.stanford.edu) and (cc) Danielle Gaspar (djgaspar@stanford.edu) for support.
13. What is the process of petitioning or having exemptions from certain classes? The petition process varies depending on the requirement you are requesting an exception. To ensure that you submit the proper petition, please review the Petitions/Deviations/Transfer Credits page for guidance. Any changes to the front of the program sheet must be approved by the School of Engineering (SoE) office. More information is available in the Undergraduate Engineering handbook. Change requests to the second page of the program sheet are reviewed by the CS department through the CS Petitions Committee SmartSheet form.
14. Is there a list of already approved petitions for the CS major? There isn't a list of already approved petitions; however, if you have any questions regarding a course that you'd like to petition, then you can connect with the CS student services team.
15. What's the process for applying to graduate? Does this application happen in the Spring? Students who are interested in applying to graduate programs must fill out a program sheet found on the Computer Science website. Once the program sheet is completed, submit it through our CS Major Program Sheet Submission form for review. Once you receive approval, students will apply to graduate in Axess. As a note, you should submit your program sheet early so that you can receive feedback and make any necessary changes to your plans if needed prior to the quarter you plan to graduate.
16. When will I receive confirmation that I am set to graduate? The Registrar’s office will send out a notification, confirming whether your degree has been awarded or not, to your Stanford email address the day after the official conferral of degrees.
17. Can I take classes on my program sheet for credit/no credit? All courses taken to satisfy major requirements (including the requirements for Mathematics, Science, Engineering Fundamentals, and Technology in Society) must be taken for a letter grade if the instructor offers that option. A 2.0 minimum combined GPA (grade point average) for all courses in Engineering Fundamentals and CS Core, Depth, and Senior Project (combined) is required. For any individual course, a D- is the minimum passing grade.
18. Do cross-listed courses count towards program sheet requirements? Yes!
19. Are undergraduate students eligible to be course assistants? No. Undergraduate students are not eligible to be course assistants; however, they are able to be section leaders. Section leaders are hired by the CS198 group.
20. What is the MAP audit system? My Academic Path (MAP) is Stanford’s degree progress system for undergraduate students. It allows you to track your completion of major and General Education Requirements (GERs), view how AP or other test credits apply toward your degree, and ensure you're on track for graduation.
21. Why isn’t my approved petition reflected in MAP? Petitions and exceptions are typically entered into your MAP audit after you apply to graduate in Axess. This ensures your degree progress is accurately updated before we submit your file to the School of Engineering (SoE) for final graduation review. If your petition has been approved by the CS Petitions Committee or the School of Engineering, it is considered valid—even if it has not yet appeared in MAP. The delay in MAP updates does not impact the status of your approval.
22. How do I get involved with the CS student community? The CS student community at Stanford is vibrant and diverse, with many ways to get involved. A great first step is to check out our Events page to see upcoming activities and opportunities within the department. Declared CS students are encouraged to subscribe to the CS Student Announce mailing list, which shares news, events, and opportunities relevant to CS students. If you are a declared CS major and want to join this mailing list, please email the CS Peer Advisor (advisor@cs.stanford.edu) for assistance with subscribing. Additionally, you are welcome to explore the many engineering-based student groups you can connect with through the SoE website.
23. Ready to apply to graduate (i.e., to confer your degree) in CS? Please see our CS Conferral Checklist(s) for step-by-step instructions on what needs to be completed to graduate/confer your degree!
    1. For CSBS students, please refer to the CSBS Conferral Checklist for instructions.
    2. For CSMS students, please refer to the CSMS Conferral Checklist for instructions.
       • CS-Coterms: If you are conferring both a BS and CSMS degree, please make sure you have completed the relevant steps for your UG and MS degree conferral processes. Additionally, please ensure all courses are listed on the correct degree transcript. If courses need to be transferred, complete the CS Course Transfer Process before the Late Application to Graduate deadline.
         • Important Note: Once you’ve applied to graduate with your undergraduate degree, you’ll no longer be able to move courses to your graduate program.