Admitted Secondary School Students

Once accepted to the Harvard Secondary School Program, you must complete a number of steps before you can be officially enrolled in the program.

  1. Request housing if you have been admitted as a residential student.
  2. Register for your selected courses. You can get advice on course selection by phoning our office. Remember that residential students must stay enrolled in 8 credits (usually two 4-credit courses).
  3. Pay in full. Summer School tuition, room, and board expenses total approximately $10,690 for residential students.

Complete these tasks as soon as possible. The deadline is Monday, May 20, but don’t put it off. Space in the residences, and in many classes, is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis to students who meet all requirements listed above. So you are strongly advised to complete these tasks well before May 20.

If you plan to live on campus, you must request housing, register for courses (8 credits), and pay in full by May 20, or you will be withdrawn from the program.

If you plan to commute to campus or take a course online, you must register for your course(s) and pay in full by May 20, or you will be withdrawn from the program.

Key dates

  • Monday, March 4: Course registration begins. Housing may be requested online.
  • Monday, March 25: Last date for US citizens and permanent residents to apply for financial aid.
  • Monday, May 6: Last date for international students to complete I-20 requirements.
  • Monday, May 20: Last date to request housing (if planning to live on campus, and pending availability), register for courses, and pay in full.

See other important dates in the calendar.

Request housing early

After you are admitted, you must request housing online.

On-campus housing is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis to students who submit an online housing request and meet all requirements. We encourage you to complete these requirements early to ensure all materials are processed while space in Harvard’s residential buildings is still available. The last date housing may be requested (provided space is still available) is May 20.

Registering for courses

If you have been admitted to the program, you may register for courses from March 4 to May 20. Register online with credit card payment for faster service.

If you plan to live on campus you must enroll full time in 8 credits. If you are going to commute or live off campus and take courses online, you may enroll in either one 4-credit course or in 8 credits.

See a list of popular courses for SSP students.

Communication

SSP communicates only with students, not with parents or third-parties. We only communicate by e-mail.

Applicants and admitted SSP students should:

  • Make sure SSP e-mails are not being filtered as spam.
  • Check your e-mail daily.
  • Read SSP and Summer School e-mail messages carefully, and follow the instructions thoroughly and quickly.

Financial aid

Students who are US citizens or permanent residents may apply for SSP financial aid through March 25.

Immunizations

All students who attend the Summer School must comply with Massachusetts immunization regulations. Review the requirements now and submit your complete Form SSP-IM no later than May 28.

Opening Weekend

Saturday, June 22, and Sunday, June 23, mark the official opening of Harvard Summer School. Dormitories open on Saturday, and you are encouraged to check in that morning. Look for the arrival guide in the spring for more details.

On Opening Weekend, residential SSP students wait until all roommates arrive before determining who settles in which bedroom and sleeps in which bed. This is an excellent way to begin getting to know your roommates.

For advice and to find some calm outside the ferment of the first few days, you are welcome to visit us in our summer office. There you can see your assistant dean, talk with the proctors hanging out, and get to know other students. The first few days are hectic, and the office can be crowded, but we want to meet you.

Activities and resources

As an SSP student, you have access to a large number of activities and resources during your time at Harvard, such as movie nights, sculling lessons on the Charles River, and trips galore.

You can also attend a college fair and any number of college prep workshops to improve your understanding of the college-admissions process.

See Activities and College Prep for more details.