Stanford Summer Bridge Program FAQ

Who is eligible to apply to the Stanford Summer Bridge Program?

Any incoming first-year Stanford student or incoming first-year transfer student is welcome to apply. The program is specifically designed to support students who have attended high schools with limited course offerings, students who are the first in their family to attend college, and/or students who simply feel that they would like further academic preparation before starting their first year at Stanford.

Are international students eligible to participate?

International students are eligible to participate in both our early summer and late summer online sessions. Due to visa constraints, international students are not eligible to participate in the five-week residential program. However, they are eligible to apply to join us for our sixth week of experiential learning on campus.

How much does the program cost?

The program is free for students who participate in our online or residential program; students who participate on-campus receive complimentary room and board.

When can I apply, and what is the application deadline? 

The application will open at the end of April; the deadline is the last Sunday in May. Return to our homepage for more details by mid-April.

Where does the program take place? 

The online program will take place entirely over Zoom, utilizing resources through Stanford online. The residential program takes place entirely on Stanford’s campus, where scholars will live together in a dorm (in a residence different from their academic year housing assignments).

When is the program offered?

In 2025, we will run two sessions of the Summer Bridge Program. 

• Session I: classes take place online between Monday, June 23 and Friday, July 25. This session is exclusively only online.
• Session II online: classes take place between Monday, August 4 and Friday, September 5.  During Session II, we will offer not only online classes, but also a residential option for students who would like to attend in-person.  
• "Sixth Week" session: From September 6 through 13, we will offer a one-week co-curricular experience on campus, focusing on community-building and exploring university resources. 

Who can attend the "Sixth Week" session? 

Students who take classes on campus during our residential session are strongly encouraged to participate in the Sixth Week. Those students who participated in the online sessions will have the opportunity to apply to attend the Sixth Week on campus as well.  International students, while not eligible for the five weeks on campus due to Visa constraints, can attend the Sixth Week in-person since it occurs within 30 days of the start of the academic year.

What kind of housing and dining accommodations are provided for in-person participants?

As part of their participation in the program, in-person participants receive free housing in the Stanford dorms and three meals a day for the duration of the program in the summer dining hall.

What is the time commitment during the program?

In-person: Students should expect to dedicate themselves full-time to the residential program during the program dates.

Online: Students should expect to dedicate 8-10 hours per week per class to attend classes online, complete assignments, and attend online meetings, activities, and events with peers and instructors.

What classes will be offered? How many classes will students take?

We will be offering Chemistry, Math, and Writing classes, each of which is designed to introduce students to college-level work in that discipline. Students in the online sessions can choose to take one or two courses.  Students who attend our residential session will each take two courses during the session.

What if I don’t have a laptop to use during the program? 

Participants in the residential program will have access to computer clusters in their residence hall and will have access to laptops or tablets to borrow for the duration of the program.

Does the program offer opportunities beyond classes to get to know campus and classmates?

Yes! While taking their Bridge courses, students (whether in-person or online) will also be introduced to relevant Stanford resources and will participate in activities, both inside and outside class, designed to help them get to know each other better, create a sense of community with fellow participants, and build their sense of belonging at the university.  This emphasis carries over into the Sixth Week as well, which is tailored specifically to community-building and connecting more deeply with campus resources, including academic advising.

Will participants have the opportunity to connect with Stanford sophomores, juniors, and seniors?

On-campus participants will live in the dorms with student RAs, who are rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors, and grad student RAs (GRAs). These RAs and GRAs will be not only a presence in the dorm but will also be running activities and conversations as part of the program. In addition, there will be Course Assistants and TAs assigned to each of the different classes.   Online students will have opportunities to intersect with current students through scheduled activities and panels.