Non-Matriculated Student Eligibility
While Stanford Student Housing is primarily intended for the use of Stanford students who are enrolled in a degree program (matriculated students) and is often in very high demand, we are able to accommodate some graduate students who are enrolled at Stanford but not pursuing degrees (non-matriculated students) in university housing once we meet demand from matriculated students.
Post-doctoral fellows, visiting scholars, and other students who are enrolled at Stanford, but who are not pursuing degrees, might be eligible for housing after all matriculated students have been accommodated.
Stanford provides three different types of graduate student housing. Select the links below to view eligibility requirements for each type.
Non-matriculated students are not eligible to renew their contracts in student housing and are not likely to be assigned until later in the autumn quarter. Demand for housing goes down each quarter throughout winter, spring and summer. You are more likely to receive housing later in the year. However, most non-matriculated students will need to move out in August.
Post-doctoral fellows are encouraged to apply for the Oak Creek apartments available through the Faculty Staff Housing Office as they have priority for that rental housing program.
Through our Community Housing website, we can also provide resources to help you find off-campus housing opportunities.
Enrollment Requirements
You must be enrolled during each quarter you live on campus. You do not need to be enrolled in courses when you check in, but you must be eligible to enroll and must not have any enrollment or housing holds. International students with an administrative hold from the Bechtel International Center will be permitted to check in.
Staff are not eligible to live in student housing. If your post doc position transitions into a staff role, you are no longer allowed to remain in your apartment.
In situations where both spouses/partners are Stanford students, only one student must be enrolled to maintain eligibility for housing.
Non-matriculated Application Process
To apply, please file a housing application for either Single Graduate Housing, Couples without Children, or Students with Children Housing using the myHousing portal.
- Log into the myHousing portal
- Select Graduate Housing Application
Spring Quarter 2025-26 - We are currently accepting rolling applications from non-matriculated students for spring 2026 through April 30, 2026. Students assigned for spring will typically have a contract that starts in spring and extends for just one or two quarters until the end of the summer 2026 term. Students hoping to stay for the following year will need to reapply for housing for 2026-2027 once the application is available for non-matriculated students and may not be assigned for autumn before their summer contract ends.
Summer Quarter 2025-26 - Non-matriculated students may apply for the first-round of summer 2026 starting April 1, 2026. The first-round deadline is April 30, 2026 and the results are available May 23, 2026. Students assigned for summer will typically have a contract that only covers summer quarter. Students hoping to stay for the following year will need to reapply for housing for 2026-2027 once the application is available for non-matriculated students and may not be assigned for autumn before their summer contract ends.
Autumn Quarter 2026-27 - Non-matriculated students are not able to apply at the same time as matriculated students for the first- or second-round of autumn due to the demand from matriculated students starting in the autumn. They may not submit an application for autumn 2026-27 until July 2, 2026 as part of the rolling assignment round. We make autumn 2026-27 assignments until October 23, 2026.
Winter Quarter 2026-27- Non-matriculated students may apply for the first-round of winter 2026-27 starting on April 1, 2026. The first-round deadline is October 23, 2026 and the results are available November 14, 2026. We make winter 2026-27 assignments until February 5, 2027.
Spring Quarter 2026-27- Non-matriculated students may apply for the first-round of spring 2026-27 starting on April 1, 2026. The first-round deadline is February 5, 2027 and the results are available February 27, 2027. We make spring 2026-27 assignments until April 30, 2027.
Non-matriculated students will be assigned after the demand from matriculated students has been accommodated, even in quarters when they can apply in the first-round.
See theLottery.stanford.edu for more application information.
Please keep in mind that you may not be able to submit an application for university housing until your appointment officially begins.
Sublicensing: Stanford graduate students can sublicense their apartments for one quarter per year if they will be away. Non-matriculated students with SUNet IDs can view available spaces on the sublicense webpage. Non-matriculated students can only sublicense an on-campus student housing space once demand has been met from matriculated students.
Non-Student Summer Housing: During the summer period housing is available on campus in student housing, but at higher non-student prices. Information and an application are available on the Stanford Conferences website.
Looking for Off-Campus Housing on Your Own
- The Community Housing office accepts rental listings from people in the community. See the web site for information on how to view the rental listings.
- SU Post is a website (not run by Stanford University) which contains housing listings.
- Craig’s List is a popular website which has many rental listings.