Venue Reservation
There are many wonderful venues on the Stanford campus to host events, large and small. Choosing a venue is generally one of the first steps in event planning, but before you place a venue reservation request, please review the Planning Guide and Stanford Event Organizer Requirements policy to be sure you understand your responsibilities as an event organizer.
The information on this page is for faculty and staff looking to reserve venues for non-academic events in accordance with university policies. Registered student groups interested in reserving space should contact the Office of Student Engagement.
Venue reservation process
One of the first things you should do when planning your event is to reserve your venue. Do this early, as soon as you have your event date, as venues on campus book up fast. Because the venue reservation process at Stanford is decentralized, it can be confusing and somewhat challenging to determine which venues are available, who manages them and how to reserve them. It may take some work to find a venue, but there are a few good places to start.
Please note: The Office of Special Events & Protocol (OSEP) does not reserve campus venues. For venue availablility and reservations, follow the process outlined below.
Check the SERENE Discovery Tool
If you are a school, institute, or department event planner looking for a space for your next event but don't know where to start, there is no better place the new SERENE Discovery Tool. This tool offers a searchable database of venues based on criteria like size, location, and amenities. While there is no comprehensive listing of all campus event spaces, some of the most frequently requested sites and how to reserve them can be found using the new SERENE Discovery Tool.
Search the SERENE Discovery Tool for Venues (SUNet login required)
Check 25Live
Many Stanford venues, but not all, are reserved using 25Live, which is managed by the Registrar's Scheduling Office (Reg-Events). Many different types of spaces are available to reserve through 25Live such as classrooms, conference rooms, auditoria and outdoor spaces. Detailed information about the space like capacity, special features and photos, can be found in 25Live. Visit the Student Services website for more information and instructions on how to use 25Live.
*Note: Not all spaces listed in 25Live are managed by the Registrar's Office, and may require the approval of the space-granting entity. For spaces managed by the Registrar's Office, please view the Turnaround Time outlined on their website to understand their process for reviewing and approving event requests.
Venue considerations
Determine which venues suit the needs of your event and whether or not they are available on the dates that you desire. When looking for a venue, you will want to consider the size, location, availability, cost, accessibility, technical setup and any additional venue policies that may apply. You should also consider how current/future construction projects may impact your venue selection. Additionally, your catering plans may influence your venue choices as some may require use of specific vendors at their facilities.