Please note: all links on this page that lead to PDFs or to another party's website will open that website in a new browser window.
Stanford is committed to you and to offering a competitive benefits package to meet your needs and that of your family's. As a matter of fact, your benefits at Stanford represent almost 30% of your total compensation.
From wide-ranging health and life coverage to attractive investment savings programs for your future to child care assistance and tuition grant benefits, Stanford strives to offer a benefits program befitting this world-class institution. (You'll also find the benefits links in the Medical & Life section of the Benefits web site.) Make sure you know what your benefits are, how to enroll, and how to make changes moving forward!
Other "perks" of working at a world-class institution, ranging from use of our outstanding recreational/athletic facilities to financial support for your continued learning to free use of our full service recycling center are also highlighted.
Learn about your benefits
- Compare Plans and Costs
The Benefits website has comparison charts for our medical and dental plans, as well as their costs, and the Educated Chooser tool to calculate your health care costs:
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
Set aside a portion of your pre-tax paycheck for eligible health care or dependent day care expenses, and learn about the child care subsidy grant.
- Retirement Savings Plans
Learn how tax deferred contributions can build a larger savings account today through the Stanford Contributory Retirement Plan on the Benefits website.
At any time during your employment (including before you arrive), you can contact Stanford Benefits by email, online request form, or by telephone.
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Benefits resources on the Stanford Benefits Website
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Enroll in your desired plans
- Use MyBenefits to enroll in health and welfare benefits plans.
- Find out what documentation you need to submit to show any family members you cover meet our eligibility requirements.
- Use the Stanford Retirement Manager to enroll in retirement savings plans
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Maximize your benefits: Managing and making changes
During Open Enrollment in the Fall you'll have the chance to make changes to your benefits. But if you experience certain "life events," you may be able to make changes to your health and welfare benefits without having to wait. The Benefits website can help you to:
Learn more about qualifying life events and what they mean to you.
Learn about the maximum IRS annual retirement contribution limits, investment options, and distribution options available in the retirement savings plans.
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Other Perks of Working at Stanford
The following links will lead you to more information on a variety of benefits you can make use of at Stanford.
- BeWell@Stanford
BeWell is an employee incentive program that rewards you with cash for your efforts to stay healthy. Check out the classes, health self-assessment, blogs, events, and references to support your wellbeing.
- Cell Phones
If you own or are buying a cell phone for business use or personal use, Information Technology Services has negotiated discounts with leading mobile service providers. See also the Discounts in Our Local Communities page on this site for specific cell discounts.
- Commute Planning Assistance
Let a commute professional help you figure out the best way to get to work and get some cash back in your paycheck. Request a commute plan from your front door to Stanford, and learn about free or discounted transit, Stanford carpools and vanpools, and commute incentives.
- Continuing Studies
Stanford Continuing Studies offers a range of subjects taught by instructors and faculty in the community; see the "Continued Learning Support" section below for more information.
- Discounted Computer Purchases
Use your Stanford ID card to make purchases of computing equipment! See the Purchasing a Computer site, which includes information about purchasing software, too.
- Educational Assistance Programs
Staff Training Assistance Program, Staff Tuition Reimbursement Program, Tuition Grant Program. See below (Continued Learning Support) for an overview, then visit the Educational Assistance Programs site for full details on eligibility and application processes.
- Faculty and Staff Help Center
Confidential counseling, workshops and peer support groups for you and legal dependents.
- Health Improvement Program
Exercise classes, healthy living workshops, and online resources.
- Libraries
Trust us, you'll find what you're looking for in one of the 20+ libraries or online catalogs.
- Recreational facilities
Drop your gym membership and take advantage of the free world-class athletic and recreational facilities.
- Stanford Athletics
Faculty and staff are eligible to receive a special discount on season tickets for select sports. Visit the Stanford Athletics Ticket Office for more information on season tickets and other faculty & staff promotions.
- Stanford Bookstore
Stanford employees receive a 10% discount on clothing, gifts, general books, and office supplies with a Stanford ID Card at checkout at the Stanford Bookstore. Shop online, too. View the details in this letter to new employees (pdf).
- Stanford Campus Recreation Association
Faculty and staff are eligible to join SCRA; take advantage of a private swim and tennis club on the main campus! SCRA has a 25 x 25 meter pool with two diving boards kept at 82 degrees year round, 7 tennis courts and a spacious clubhouse with fitness and community rooms. They offer full memberships or a winter swim membership for those who like to swim regularly in nice, warm water.
- Stanford Federal Credit Union
You are eligible to join the
Stanford Federal Credit Union. Full-service banking, including checking and savings accounts, CDs, Health Savings Accounts, auto loans and home loans.
- Stanford Memorial Church
Stanford Memorial Church offers weddings, marriage blessings, same gender commitment ceremonies, vow renewals and more. All faiths welcome. For complete information including eligibility and policies, review the Office for Religious Life Weddings site.
- Time Off
Review the various forms of time off, including vacation, sick, holidays and floating holidays.
- WorkLife Office
Services and grant programs to help you achieve a comfortable work/life balance. Includes child care, adoption grant, referral services, and more.
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Special Programs
- The Health Improvement Program (HIP) and Be Well @ Stanford offer an array of exercise and healthy living classes, events, online resources, and an employee incentive program to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.
- Stanford University Occupational Health Center cares for the occupational health needs of Stanford University faculty and staff, and is dedicated to providing outstanding clinical care to improve the health and safety of university employees. Any employee of Stanford University can use the center for work related issues.
- The Career Counseling Network offers individual guidance, coaching, and counseling with a professional counselor for your career planning needs. The Staff Training Assistance Program can be used for fees up to an annual maximum. The Owning Your Career at Stanford (pdf) program offers you ways to explore the myriad of career options available at Stanford.
- On-site Child Care Programs are offered, including day care and nursery school.
- The Stanford Commute Club rewards employees who use alternative transportation instead of purchasing a long-term parking permit. By joining the program, commuters receive Clean Air Cash or Carpool Credit, Zipcar driving credit, Enterprise Rent-A-Car vouchers, and automatic enrollment in the Emergency Ride Home program.
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continued learning support
As a committed professional, you'll want to take advantage of the support Stanford offers its employees, whether to gain job-related skills, get a degree, or just soak up some new knowledge. In addition, there are several Educational Assistance Programs for eligible employees.
Skills Development/Training Opportunities
- The Training Opportunities Guide (TOG) includes workshops, classes, online learning and other training options specifically for staff, and is delivered quarterly where you get your ID mail. View the pdf version online in Axess; click the STARS (Training) tab.
- Complete the Training Needs Assessment tool on the STARS (Training) tab in Axess to identify the required training (see the Action Steps section of this site for more details). In discussions with your manager, identify required, recommended, and developmental training.
- Information Technology Services' listing of key training providers on campus can help you identify training providers that deliver topics that could be useful to your continued learning.
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Staff Training Assistance Program (STAP)
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Immediately upon your hire into a benefits-eligible position at 50% time or more, are training funds of up to $800 for regular employees and $700.00 for employees who are covered by the SEIU Collective Bargaining Agreement . Effective FY13, $100 of STAP funds for employees covered by the SEIU Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) are reallocated for the Apprenticeship Program (see CBA for more information). STAP funds can be used for on or off campus training and development that's approved by your supervisor. Going to a conference? Want to take a Stanford Continuing Studies course? Taking an adult education course? Learning a new software program through ITS Tech Training? All of these are examples of ways you could use your STAP funds. STAP funds are renewed each September 1st for the new fiscal year (9/1 to 8/31). Talk to your manager!
- Login to Axess to check your STAP Balance at any time; click the STARS (Training) tab and the STAP Balance link.
- See all the details about STAP, the Staff Tuition Reimbursement Program (STRP) and the Tuition Grant Program (TGP) on the STAP website.
Stanford Continuing Studies
- Open to all in the Stanford community and neighboring cities, courses are taught by Stanford faculty and instructors and offered evenings and weekends or online.
- Subject areas include liberal arts and sciences, such as learning to speak a new language, studying films, writing, acting, and screen writing courses, and more. Visit the Stanford Continuing Studies site.
Audit a Stanford academic course
- Academic courses are typically offered during the day on a quarterly basis. If you work during the day, you must have managerial approval, and then must get the instructor of the course to approve you to audit.
- Auditing is free, with no academic credits, but the chance to learn what Stanford students are learning could be useful to your work.
- Check with the Registrar's Office for full details.
- Print out the academic course application form (pdf).
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Valuable Campus Services
Many departments offer services or programs you might want to use—the main campus is the size of a small town, so check out these websites!
- Have a stress-free commute to your new job by checking out all your transportation options, from vanpooling to commuter buses, free ride matching services for carpooling, or use the car sharing service, Zipcar (Stanford has more Zipcars than any other campus in America). There's even a car rental agency, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, on the main campus.
- Banking institutions with offices or ATMs on campus.
- The Office for Religious Life offers concerts, services, a walking labyrinth, and the opportunity to get married in historic Memorial Church.
- Surplus Sales offers items that campus departments are getting rid of, at inexpensive prices—everything from computers to desk chairs to lab glassware.
- The Recycling Center is a full recycling facility that is open to the public for free, so bring items on the weekend!
- Tresidder Student Union has a variety of services, including ATMs and banking offices, a hair salon, the Stanford Ticket Office, an awesome bike shop, as well as great places to eat.
An informal site called SAVE (Stanford Administrators Vendors Exchange) lists vendors for various services, from a notary to shuttle services, might be useful once you're here and want a quick way to look up recommended vendors. The listings are from staff trying to help other staff and are not official recommendations.
Discounts offered to Stanford staff
Discounts are listed where known, and are subject to change based on the establishment's practices, so discounts could be different or no longer offered. Visit the Discounts Offered to Stanford Staff page.
Please help keep this list accurate! Send updates to learningdev@stanford.edu with information about existing discounts or new discounts to share with others.
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