Stanford University Parents & Families Guide

Getting your bearings

Stanford University's campus is in Stanford, California, with Palo Alto and Menlo Park just outside along El Camino Real. Stanford's Family Weekend travel page names two main airports. San Jose Mineta International (SJC), about 20 miles south, is the closest. San Francisco International (SFO), about 25 miles north, has the widest choice of flights. Oakland (OAK) works too, but it is farther and has fewer transit links.

If you would rather not rent a car, Caltrain stops in Palo Alto, and Stanford's free Marguerite shuttle, open to the public, covers the short ride from there onto campus.

How the year is built

Stanford uses quarters rather than semesters. Autumn quarter classes began Tuesday, Sept 22, 2026. Winter quarter starts Monday, Jan 4, 2027, and spring quarter starts Monday, March 29. Every quarter ends with an End Quarter Period and a week of exams, and Commencement is Sunday, June 13, 2027.

The date that surprises many families who live far away is the winter closure. According to R&DE Student Housing, all undergraduate residences close at noon on Saturday, Dec 12, the day after autumn exams end, and students cannot return until Saturday, Jan 2. That is three weeks your student needs somewhere to be. Housing stays open over the late March spring break.

Family Weekend is in February

Many colleges host families in October. Stanford holds its one Family Weekend in winter quarter instead. The 2027 dates are Friday, Feb 26 and Saturday, Feb 27. Everyone must register ahead, there is no registration at the door, and Stanford does not hold a hotel block, so you reserve your own room.

Where your student lives

Housing and dining belong to Residential & Dining Enterprises, usually called R&DE. All frosh, Stanford's word for first year students, live in mixed gender residence halls or houses that range from 27 to 274 residents, and assignments are made in random order after the forms deadline. R&DE guarantees frosh twelve quarters of campus housing and transfer students nine. Rooms come furnished, with twin extra long beds in undergraduate singles.

Your first phone number

Stanford Student Affairs runs a Families Helpline at 650.725.0649, or email mykidis@stanford.edu. When you are not sure which office owns a question, start there. The Stanford Families page also links to campus emergency updates and Family Weekend.

What is in this hub

The pages that follow cover the full 2026 to 27 calendar, flights and where parents stay, move in and move out with storage options, health and safety around campus, and a parent FAQ with a contact directory.