Questions?

Stanford OHS does not have a minimum test score or specific eligibility requirement. More information about criteria and how we assess applicants can be found here.

Once a recommender is added to your online application form, a link will be automatically emailed to your recommender to complete the online recommendation form on your behalf. Keep in mind that it is each applicant's responsibility to ensure recommenders have submitted the online form by the deadline.

In order to accommodate our active, global student body, we create a new master schedule every year based on the time constraints of returning and enrolled new students. Our success rate in meeting these requests is over 90%. As a result of this accommodation, the schedule changes dramatically each year while most courses are offered every year. Learn more and find schedule examples on our College-Style Schedule & Enrollment webpage. 

Yes. Stanford OHS does accept non-U.S. students. As an online school, students can attend Stanford OHS from their home country. We do not require attendance in person. Stanford OHS is not involved in student visa arrangements. International & Homeschooled Applicants

Yes. Stanford OHS does accept homeschooled students. Review our resources page for more information about applying as a homeschooled student. International & Homeschooled Applicants

Yes. Any transcripts or recommendations for students who have attended international schools must be translated to English by a third party prior to application submission. International & Homeschooled applicants

No. Stanford OHS is not a diploma completion program, nor is it a school for adult learners. We serve academically talented students who are in grades 7–12. Those looking for a program for adult learners should contact the admissions office at their local university or community college for approved online GED/high-school completion programs.

No. We offer a residential summer program for our currently enrolled students, but Stanford OHS does not offer a summer academic term. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies offers online and residential enrichment programs in the summer, more details about these programs can be found on the SPCS website. SPCS summer enrichment programs are not offered for academic credit, and are not eligible for transcripts.

Deadlines can be found on our Apply page.

Yes. International families should complete a financial aid application through School and Student Services (SSS) and should provide all government tax forms and wage statements for the prior year. Further instructions can be found on our Financial Aid page.

The Stanford OHS curriculum offers advanced coursework in all academic disciplines. As a school we have replaced a number of our AP courses with courses designed for Stanford OHS students. These courses have been very well-received by colleges and universities, and, based on this success, we will phase out all AP courses by Fall 2024. Students are able to take AP Exams even if they are enrolled in a different, non-AP course at a comparable level. Students will need to register for and take AP Exams at a local school.

Our placement tests are carefully calibrated to make sure students are placed into courses in which they will thrive. If you did not place into the course you want to take, consider taking the course recommended by your academic advisor in the same subject or in a related one. If you have questions about your placement, your academic advisor can put you in contact with the relevant division head.

Students in grades 7–8 occasionally place into a high school level Stanford OHS course. A placement test will determine a middle school student's readiness to take a high-school level class. This is more common in mathematics than in other academic divisions, where it is rare. Please note that middle school students may not take high school Core classes.

Students' grade levels are set by their graduation year, regardless of which courses they are taking.

Students complete labs at home using commonly available materials or lab kits sent to students' homes.

The course catalog lists the prerequisite requirements for each class. If you are a new student, or if you are taking a subject for the first time at Stanford OHS, you will take a placement test to determine the best fit.

We build our schedule from scratch every year. Each spring, we collect our students' approved course requests, as well as information on student and instructor schedule availability. Then we use software to create specific course sections that best accommodate these requests. Finally, students are enrolled in these sections, and the schedule is published.

No, but our residency requirements require that a certain amount be taken depending on your grade level. You will work with your academic advisor to determine how any transfer credit may be applied.

Students can find the Stanford OHS graduation requirements on the Graduation Requirements page. 

Counselors provide students the opportunity to discuss their concerns and aspirations privately. We follow guidelines established for professional school counselors regarding the disclosure of information to appropriate outside professionals when needed to protect the safety of students or other individuals, or as otherwise required by law.

Counselors are available by email, phone, and live videoconferencing.

Our Wellness Office addresses students’ academic success as well as their social and emotional needs as adolescents. We support Stanford OHS students through a variety of services, including one-on-one short-term confidential counseling, check-ins with students regarding course assignments and workload, referrals to both in-house and outside counseling services, and consultation with parents, instructors, and other educators.

Each counselor works with either high school students (grades 9–12) or middle school students (grades 7–8). Students are normally assigned to a counselor by their last name. Stanford OHS middle school students who continue into high school have the opportunity to work with the same counselor throughout each segment of their studies.

Extensive information on topics such as stress, nutrition, mindfulness, dating, grief, and mental health issues is available to enrolled Stanford OHS students through the counseling pages located in our learning management system.

Students and families may schedule meetings with counselors by email or by using an online scheduling system. Appointments can also be made through a form on the Stanford OHS Gateway website.

Stanford OHS students attend diverse and reputable institutions both in the United States and abroad, ranging from small private liberal arts colleges to large public universities. Our college acceptance and matriculation page details the institutions to which our students have been accepted and matriculated over the past three years.

• Each fall, we host admissions officers from a variety of colleges and universities to visit with Stanford OHS students. In addition to these visits, we are regularly in touch with admissions offices to answer any questions that arise and ensure that they have the materials and information they need in order to understand Stanford OHS.
  
  At the time of application, we compile a comprehensive school report for each Stanford OHS graduate, which provides a clear narrative of the student’s academic path, how the student has engaged with our school, how it has benefited them, and the ways in which it has made them a strong candidate for admission. Beyond the narrative letter written on behalf of each student, we provide general information about Stanford OHS academics in the School Profile.

The College Counseling Office acts as the main point of support for graduating students as they research and apply to colleges. The counselors advise about college lists, review application essays, and discuss general application logistics. In addition to meeting with individual students and families, our college counselors conduct periodic grade-level meetings and hold a college counseling class for juniors. The office is responsible for compiling and submitting all school-based application materials, including writing a school recommendation letter. College counselors also serve as a point of contact between Stanford OHS and college admissions offices.

Single-course and part-time students should use the college counselor or guidance counselor at the high school from which they will graduate as their main source of support through the college application process.

All students, regardless of enrollment status, are given access to the resources published by the College Counseling Office and are enrolled in periodic grade-level presentations for Stanford OHS families. All juniors and seniors are permitted to attend the fall visits to Stanford OHS by college admissions staff members.