Civic, Liberal, and Global Education
Students working in class

Students

The first-year COLLEGE requirement builds student community and provides a shared foundation for a Stanford education. Welcome to COLLEGE!

Compare all options for fulfilling COLLEGE during your first year at Stanford.

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"I would literally take the class again...if I could. The class made me question the whole college experience and education in general while drawing me into self-introspection about my own academic journey.”

Get Involved! Share program feedback or join an advisory board.

Returning from a Leave of Absence? Need to complete your THINK requirement?

The COLLEGE requirement has replaced the THINK requirement, effective Autumn 2021. If you entered Stanford in Autumn 2020 or before, but have not yet completed your Thinking Matters requirement, please email collegereq@stanford.edu to request a course placement. You can take either a THINK or COLLEGE course to complete the THINK requirement.

Class of 2026?

If you are entering Stanford in Autumn 2022 (or after), please know that there will be a two-quarter COLLEGE requirement, and expect the course offerings with COLLEGE to be substantially different from 2021-22. SLE and ITALIC continue to fulfill the two-quarter requirement; ESF will fulfill one of the two quarters.