Help/FAQs
- Can anyone attend Harvard Summer School, or is it only for Harvard students?
- How do I know what courses I am qualified to take?
- Does the Summer School offer English as a second language?
- If my first language is not English, am I required to take the TOEFL?
- Can I obtain an I-20 from the Summer School?
- When I finish a course, do I receive a certificate?
- Can I transfer Harvard Summer School credits to another institution?
- Is financial aid available?
- I have a disability. What resources and services are available?
- As a Summer School student, do I get a computer account?
- Do students have access to Harvard athletic facilities?
- I’ll be attending one of the short (four-week) sessions, and I play a musical instrument. May I perform with the Pops Band in their summer concert?
- May I audition for the chorus or the orchestra if I am coming to Cambridge in July for short session II?
- Do you have programs for youth?
- What do I need to know about housing?
- How do you protect the personal information that I submit online?
- Will you give my e-mail address to a third party?
- What are “cookies”?
Can anyone attend Harvard Summer School, or is it only for Harvard students?
The Summer School is open to all individuals interested in a first-rate academic experience. With the exception of certain special courses and programs, courses are open admission, which means that no transcripts, letters of recommendation, or essays are required.
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How do I know what courses I am qualified to take?
Students should take all required or recommended placement tests and make sure they meet all listed prerequisites. Students should also consider the course numbering system in choosing appropriate courses. Most Summer School courses are open admission. Students have a choice of credit statuses: undergraduate (UC), graduate (GR), or noncredit (NC).
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Does the Summer School offer English as a second language?
Each summer several hundred students from many backgrounds come to the Harvard Summer School for intensive, noncredit language study in classes offered by the Institute for English Language Programs (IEL). For more information, refer to the IEL website.
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If my first language is not English, am I required to take the TOEFL?
Yes. The Test of English as a Foreign Language is required for students whose first language is not English. See English Proficiency.
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Can I obtain an I-20 from the Summer School?
To apply for an I-20, students must enroll in a full-time program of study. For more information, see Visas.
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When I finish a course, do I receive a certificate?
The Summer School does not issue certificates for individual courses.
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Can I transfer Harvard Summer School credits to another institution?
Harvard Summer School courses and credits are accepted toward degrees at most colleges and universities. See Transferring Summer School Courses for more information.
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Full-time students of other institutions should arrange for financial assistance for enrollment at Harvard Summer School through their home school financial aid offices. For more information call (617) 495-4293. Secondary School students should inquire about financial aid after acceptance. For information about tuition and other payment options, see Tuition and Payment.
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I have a disability. What resources and services are available?
The disability services coordinator works with students, faculty, and staff to identify and provide appropriate support services for students with documented disabilities. See Disability Services for more information.
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As a Summer School student, do I get a computer account?
Yes. All Summer School students receive computer accounts on the Harvard network, giving them access to an e-mail account and to Harvard computer resources.
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Do students have access to Harvard’s athletic facilities?
Yes. Students are entitled to free use of many University recreational facilities, including swimming pools, basketball and volleyball courts, weight rooms, and playing fields for soccer, softball, and touch football.
Members of the Pops Band must attend five weekly rehearsals. Thus, unless students enrolled for just one of the short sessions live nearby and attend rehearsals during the session in which they are not enrolled, they may not perform in the concert.
Due to the intensive rehearsal schedule of the chorus and orchestra, students attending either short session may not audition for these groups unless they are able to attend all scheduled rehearsals.
Do you have programs for youth?
The Summer School offers high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors an opportunity to sample college through the Secondary School Program.
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What do I need to know about housing?
Except for secondary school students who are required to live in campus dormitories, Summer School students may live either on campus in dormitories or Houses, or they may seek private housing off campus. A meal plan is included in campus room and board and cannot be waived. Students living off campus may also purchase a meal plan. Information about housing and dining is available in the Campus Life section.
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How do you protect the personal information that I submit online?
When you browse or enter information on our website, we store that information on a different system apart from where our website resides. Once you register for courses, the privacy of your educational record is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
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Will you give my e-mail address to a third party?
We do not sell, trade, or rent any of your information to others.
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Cookies are small pieces of information stored on your hard drive so that the web server can “remember” you the next time you visit a website. The cookies created by Harvard Summer School websites do not contain any personally identifying information and therefore do not put your privacy at risk.
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