Tutoring & Academic Support

In addition to help from professors' and TAs' office hours, various kinds of tutoring and academic skills coaching are available for all students and explained below. Tutoring and coaching are used by students in all years and at all levels of understanding. 

One-on-One Appointments

You can make a one-on-one appointment with a tutor for oral communication, writing, or subject tutoring by using our SUTutor system.  Tips on using SUTutor are below.

Get Tutoring in a Subject

Peer subject tutoring (drop-in and by appointment) is offered for undergraduates only.  CTL Peer Tutors are undergraduates who tutor other undergraduates in specific courses, usually the large intro courses in popular subjects as well as foreign languages.  A list of courses is on our FAQ page.  See who tutors what.

• Our dorm-based residential tutors offer regular drop-in hours to undergraduates.  No appointment is needed; just show up at the designated location and sign in!   For the most up-to-date drop-in availability in a given subject, check our SUTutor system.
• One-on-one appointment tutoring: to find availability and make appointments, go to SUTutor.  See the SUTutor tips if needed.
• See our FAQ page for more information. 

Get Help with a Writing Project

Spring tutoring will begin Sunday, April 8.  Stanford provides several different resources for students who would like one-on-one advice about a writing project.

• Read about writing support at Stanford.
• Make an appointment at the Writing Center.
• Check out Writing Tutor Drop-In Hours.

Get Help with an Oral Presentation

The Oral Communication Program offers courses, workshops and appointments for Stanford students who want to improve their oral communication skills. Our Oral Communication Tutors (OCTs) provide consultations at our Speaking Center in Meyer Library, Suite 123.

• Make an Oral Communication Tutor (OCT) appointment. (Select "OCP:OralCommTutoring" as the Center.)
• Read how to get help with an oral presentation.
• Take an Oral Communication course.

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Academic Skills Coaching

Not all student academic skills are intuitive. Developing your skills in time management, note-taking, test preparation, overcoming procrastination, reading comprehension, and deep transformative learning, will contribute to your success at Stanford.

An academic coach, like an athletic coach, observes your strategies and techniques, makes observations and suggests changes to your approach, and provides encouragement as you implement new ways of learning. One-on-one sessions are a great opportunity to learn how to fine-tune your unique ways of learning. Request an appointment.

Check out our study tips!  At our Printables page, sort by "Unit" (rightmost column) and find the "CTL" handouts.

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Request to Join a Study Group  

Studying with other students in your class can help you do better.  Submit a request to join - or start - a study group, and the CTL Office will match you up with other interested students in the same class.

How to use SUTutor:

• Go to SUTutor and log in.
• Click on "Search Availability".
• In the "Center:" dropdown menu, select the kind of tutoring you want.  If you are looking for oral communication or writing tutoring, you're shown the availabilities.
• If you're looking for subject tutoring, you also need to select for the course you want help in under "CHOICE REQUIRED."  For the course to show up as an option, you must be currently enrolled in it in Axess.  Remember, only undergraduates can use peer subject tutoring.
  • TIP:  If you don't see the course you're enrolled in on your list, contact our office at [email protected]  for help. (That email is only for subject tutoring.)
  • TIP:  If you can't find an appointment, try searching for drop-in hours by choosing "CTL: Residential Drop-in."
• Look for any dates and times that work for you.  If you want drop-in tutoring, you're all set - no appointment is needed.
• If you're making a one-on-one appointment, click on the time slot and an appointment entry screen appears.  Save your appointment and you're all set. You will receive a confirmation email.

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