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7-Week SSP & 2-Week Pre-College Program are still accepting applications until April 10, or earlier if all course waitlists are full. 4-Week SSP Application is closed.

International Student Guidelines Summer 2024

Click to Find Requirements for:

Adult and College Students

Secondary School Program Students

Pre-College Program

Current Visa Holders

Adult and College Students

If you are an international student coming to the United States to attend a Harvard Summer School session on campus, enrolling full-time in undergraduate or graduate credit courses, you must:

  1. Obtain a Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility (see sample) from Harvard Summer School and
  2. Apply for an F-1 student visa (see sample) at a US embassy or consulate in your home country for your entry to the United States.

This includes international students who have attended Harvard Summer School in the past.

If you already have a visa, please see Current Visa Holders.

Please Note:

Harvard Summer School is unable to sponsor F-1 student visa applications for the 4-week summer term. A Form I-20 will NOT be issued by Harvard Summer School for students registered in the 4-week summer term. 

If you are in the United States on a visa that permits academic enrollment, please follow the guidelines of the US Department of State regarding the permitted enrollment load and confirm your eligibility with your current sponsoring institution. Please note, neither the ESTA visa waiver nor the B-1 or B-2 visa allows full- or part-time, for-credit study.  ESTA and B-2 visas are only for international travelers whose main reason for visiting the United States is tourism, and B-1 visas are for business travel. Attempting to enter the United States in ESTA, B-1, or B-2 visa status to earn credit is a violation of US visa policy and you risk being denied entry to the United States. This is true for non-degree students as well as admitted degree candidates. Only non-credit study is permissible with a B class visa or ESTA visa waiver.  

If you are not currently in the United States and would like to study on campus, you must participate in full-time, for-credit, on-campus courses during the 7-week or 3-week sessions so you can apply for a Form I-20 for the F-1 student visa with Harvard Summer School.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Because visa appointment wait times and visa processing times vary from country to country, you must meet all I-20 requirements early to ensure you can obtain your visa from a US embassy or consulate in time to arrive in Cambridge, MA for the start of your Summer School session.

Step 1: Complete Pre-Registration Steps

  • Browse on-campus courses offered on the DCE Course Search and Registration page, available in January.  Create a list of your first-choice and second-choice on-campus courses in the event your first choice courses later become unavailable or undesirable.
  • Meet the English proficiency requirement if English is not your native language.
  • Check that your passport is valid for your intended stay in the US. Some nationalities are required to have a passport that is valid 6 months beyond the traveler’s intended stay. If you need to renew your passport, do so now.
  • Complete pre-registration in your MyDCE dashboard when it becomes available in mid-February. You will not be able to register for any courses until pre-registration is completed.
  • If the name on your student account does not match the name in your passport, please complete this form and submit it to the Registrar’s Office. 

Final Deadline: April 22, 2024

The I-20 request process can take several days. We recommend you complete these steps several weeks before the above deadline to ensure you have enough time to complete your request.

Step 2: Meet the I-20 application requirements

  • Register for I-20 eligible courses. Your courses must be held on the Harvard campus and you must adhere to the following credit requirements:
    • 8 credits in undergraduate (UN) or graduate (GR) courses in the 7-week session; or
    • 4 credits in undergraduate (UN) or graduate (GR) course(s) in a 3-week session; or
    • one 4-credit capstone course during the seven-week session for admitted Harvard Extension School degree candidates only.

“On campus or online” courses are eligible for an I-20, but students must attend the on-campus format.

Online only, web conference, online with required on-campus weekend courses, waitlisted, conditionally registered, pending prerequisites, and Study Abroad courses are not eligible for an I-20.

Harvard Extension School admitted degree candidates: “On campus or online” courses do not count toward the Harvard Extension School degree program on-campus requirement.

Final Registration Deadline: April 22, 2024

Please register as soon as possible to ensure adequate processing time for your I-20 request.

  • Complete the I-20 Questionnaire

International students who meet the I-20 application requirements above will receive an email 1 business day after their summer registration in I-20 eligible courses.  Students who do not receive this email should contact Visas@Summer.Harvard.edu to identify how to become I-20 eligible. It is the student’s responsibility to request the Form I-20.

Students wishing to start the I-20 application process prior to the opening of registration may receive the questionnaire by requesting it from Visas@Summer.Harvard.edu.  However, students will not receive their I-20 until after they are registered in an I-20 eligible course load as described above.

Final I-20 Questionnaire Deadline: April 25, 2024

Completing the I-20 Questionnaire immediately upon receipt will help ensure your I-20 request is completed on time.

  • Submit all required documents for your I-20 Application

After you submit the I-20 Questionnaire, you will gain access to the I-20 Document Portal. Documents required for your I-20 Application include:

If you currently hold an F-1 student visa from another school in the United States and will not be returning to that school in the fall semester, you must transfer your SEVIS record to Harvard Summer School. This SEVIS record transfer process requires you submit the following:

Final Document Submission Deadline: May 2, 2024

Step 3: Receive and Review your Form I-20

Your I-20 Application will be processed two (2) to three (3) weeks after you have met all the I-20 application requirements above.  The I-20 Document Portal will allow you to review the status of your application during this time. The Harvard International Office (HIO) will email your Form I-20 at the address you provided when creating your student account once your application is approved.

  • Immediately review all biographical information on your Form I-20.

If any information is incorrect, email Visas@Summer.Harvard.edu immediately so the information can be corrected and a new I-20 can be issued.

Your name on the I-20 will match the machine-readable zone of your passport. Last names are separated by << from first names.  If no << exists, the entire name will be entered as your last name. Spaces are represented by a single <.

  • Print all pages of your Form I-20 and physically sign the “Student Attestation” section of the document. Your signature must be a physical signature written with ink on a printed Form I-20; the HIO’s signature will be electronic which at this time is acceptable to the US government.
  • Review the PDF included in the email from HIO with your Form I-20

Step 4: Apply for an F-1 Student Visa

You must obtain a US visa stamp in your passport at a US embassy or consulate abroad before you enter the United States, preferably in your country of citizenship.

Canadian students: You are not required to obtain an F-1 student visa for entry into the United States, but you still must obtain a Form I-20 from Harvard Summer School.

  • Allow ample time to obtain your visa.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, visa appointment wait times and processing may be delayed in general.  Also, the US Department of State has indicated that the process of issuing visas to some individuals might be longer due to security clearances. This is known as administrative processing. Please check with the US embassy or consulate at which you will apply for your F-1 visa for its specific processing times.
  • Review the list of required documents listed on the F-1 student visa category section of the specific embassy or consulate’s website.

The visa application will require, among other things:

  • Completion of the DS-160 form.  Learn more about how to complete the DS-160 form.
  • Your signed Form I-20 from Harvard Summer School (see sample)
  • Valid passport
  • The same financial documents submitted to Harvard Summer School
  • I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt

The I-901 SEVIS Fee ($350) is a US government fee paid to the Department of Homeland Security after you receive your Form I-20 from the Harvard International Office. All applicants who require an F-1 visa to enter the United States must pay the SEVIS fee before going to a US embassy or consulate for their visa interview. You can pay the SEVIS fee online by using a credit or debit card, or by alternate means detailed on that same site. Harvard’s school code needed to pay the SEVIS fee is BOS214F00162000

  • Once you receive your F-1 visa, review all the biographical information printed on your F-1 student visa immediately. If any of the information on your visa does not match the information in your passport or is incorrect, contact both InternationalOffice@Harvard.edu and the US embassy/consulate that issued you the visa immediately. 
  • Attend your F-1 visa appointment and wait to receive your F-1 student visa in your passport. It can take approximately one (1) week after your appointment to receive your visa, but processing times may vary per embassy/consulate.
  • If a dependent (spouse and/or unmarried children aged 21 or younger) will accompany you to Harvard Summer School, they must apply for an F-2 Visa. Additionally, they must have their own original Form I-20 from Harvard Summer School. A dependent may travel to the United States with you or independently after your arrival to the United States. Canadian dependents do not need an F-2 visa stamp in their passports, but will need a dependent I-20.

Step 5: Prepare for Travel and Enter the United States

  • Purchase travel arrangements after you have received your F-1 student visa in your passport.  Harvard Summer School does not recommend purchasing travel arrangements prior to obtaining your visa. While this may result in more expensive travel costs, obtaining your visa first will reduce the chance of canceling plans due to unexpected circumstances during your F-1 student visa application process.
  • Purchase health insurance. Massachusetts law requires that students enrolled in an institution of higher learning in Massachusetts participate in a health benefit plan. You must purchase a health insurance plan for you and any dependents accompanying you. If you do not have adequate medical insurance, an unforeseen medical problem could result in catastrophic expenses that might prevent you from completing your education at HarvardIf you or your dependents arrive in the United States with a preexisting condition, including pregnancy, it is essential that you plan ahead for your health insurance needs. For example, the cost of a normal birth with no complications in the Boston area could range from $8,000 to $20,000 or greater, depending on the hospital. 
    • International students may be eligible to waive this requirement if they have health insurance plans with American-based carriers that meet the Commonwealth of Massachusetts standards. Foreign-based policies do not meet Massachusetts standards. 
    • The Harvard International Office has information regarding health insurance plans that meet Massachusetts requirements. 
  • Prepare for entry into the United States. As an F-1 student visa holder, you may enter the United States no more than 30 days before the Program Start Date listed on your Form I-20.  F-2 dependent visa holders must not enter the United States before the F-1 student does.

When you enter the United States, you must present:

  • A valid passport
  • An original Form I-20 with your physical signature on the printed form.
  • A valid F-1 visa (except for Canadians)
  • I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt.

DO NOT PACK THESE DOCUMENTS IN YOUR CHECKED LUGGAGE.

  • Go through immigration (Customs & Border Protection) at a US Port of Entry.

When you enter the United States, you must show the above mentioned documents to a Customs & Border Protection (CBP) officer. Upon the officer’s review of your forms and after they ask you questions, they will decide whether or not to admit you into the US. Sometimes they will stamp your passport with a Port of Entry stamp, but all officers should scan your passport and update your electronic I-94 record of admission. 

Please note that the majority of US Ports of Entry are not administering a physical Port of Entry stamp in the passport. Boston Logan International Airport has confirmed that they will not be giving stamps and instead they will rely on updating the I-94 record of admission electronically.

If by chance the CBP officer stamped your passport, please check your stamp before leaving. The stamp must have the date you arrived in the U.S. and show “F-1 D/S.” If any of this information is not correct, speak to the CBP officer before leaving the Customs area.

The I-94 is an electronic online record of your arrival.  Once you arrive at your destination’s accommodations, save a copy for your records. You must check the following:

  • Your date of arrival is correct.
  • Your class of admission is “F-1” (or “F-2” for a dependent)
  • The “Admit Until” date is “D/S”.

Your I-94 record is necessary to complete your final steps with the Harvard International Office.

If you have an issue retrieving your I-94 record, please contact the Harvard International Office directly at InternationalOffice@Harvard.edu.

Canadians: When you enter the United States, you will present your Form I-20, a valid passport, and your I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt at the port of entry. Please do NOT use your NEXUS card or the Global Entry program to enter the United States as this can lead to an incorrect immigration status that prohibits full-time study.  When in doubt, always present your Form I-20, passport, and I-901 SEVIS fee payment to an immigration officer so they can admit you to the F-1 student or F-2 dependent status upon entry into the country.

Step 6: Check in with the Harvard International Office and attend your course(s)

  • Check in with a Harvard International Office (HIO) advisor on or before your Opening Weekend date. This is a government requirement for all students issued a Form I-20 and must be completed either online or in-person no later than the first Wednesday of classes. Students risk being dropped from their courses and asked to leave the United States if they do not successfully complete this requirement in time. Students will need to present the following information for a successful check-in: I-20, passport, I-94, and H-ticket. More information about the check-in process will be included in the email containing your approved Form I-20.

HIO Check-in Deadline for students whose classes start in June: Wednesday, June 26, 2024. 

HIO Check-in Deadline for students whose classes start in July: Wednesday, July 17, 2024. 

7-week & 3-week Summer Session I Opening Weekend: Saturday, June 22, 2024

3-week Summer Session II Opening Weekend: Sunday, July 14, 2024

If you are registered for both 3-week sessions, you only need to check in once during the Opening Weekend in June.

  • Attend your Harvard Summer School course(s). The most up-to-date information when courses will be held for Harvard Summer School can be found on our academic calendar.

If you find that you need to switch courses for any reason, you must complete the Registration Changes Form and submit it to Visas@Summer.Harvard.edu.

Harvard Summer School may cancel your registration if you do not attend all class meetings during the first week of classes.

7-Week Secondary School Program Students

If you are an international student coming to the United States to attend the 7-week Secondary School Program Residential on campus in 2024, you must obtain:

  1.  A Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility (see sample) from Harvard Summer School, and
  2.  Apply for an F-1 student visa (see sample) at a US embassy or consulate in your home country for your entry to the United States.

This includes international students who have attended Harvard Summer School in the past.

If you already have a visa, please see Current Visa Holders.

Please Note:

Harvard Summer School is unable to sponsor F-1 student visa applications for the 4-week summer term. A Form I-20 will NOT be issued by Harvard Summer School for students registered in the 4-week summer term. 

If you are in the United States on a visa that permits academic enrollment, please follow the guidelines of the US Department of State regarding the permitted enrollment load and confirm your eligibility with your current sponsoring institution. Please note, neither the ESTA visa waiver nor the B-1 or B-2 visa allows full- or part-time, for-credit study.  ESTA and B-2 visas are only for international travelers whose main reason for visiting the United States is tourism, and B-1 visas are for business travel. Attempting to enter the United States in ESTA, B-1, or B-2 visa status to earn credit is a violation of US visa policy and you risk being denied entry to the United States. This is true for non-degree students as well as admitted degree candidates. Only non-credit study is permissible with a B class visa or ESTA visa waiver.  

If you are not currently in the United States and would like to study on campus, you must participate in full-time, for-credit, on-campus courses during the 7-week session so you can apply for a Form I-20 for the F-1 student visa with Harvard Summer School.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Because visa appointment wait times and visa processing times vary from country to country, you must meet all I-20 requirements early to ensure you can obtain your visa from a US embassy or consulate in time to arrive in Cambridge, MA for the start of your Summer School session.

Step 1: Complete Pre-Registration Steps

  • Browse on-campus 7-week Secondary School Program courses offered on the DCE Course Search and Registration page available in January. Create a list of your first-choice and second-choice on-campus courses in the event your first choice courses later become unavailable or undesirable.
  • Check that your passport is valid for your intended stay in the US.  Some nationalities are required to have a passport that is valid 6 months beyond the traveler’s intended stay. If you need to renew your passport, do so now.
  • Complete pre-registration in your MyDCE dashboard when it becomes available in mid-February. You will not be able to register for any courses until pre-registration is completed.
  • If the name on your student account does not match the name in your passport, please complete this form and submit it to the Registrar’s Office. 

Final Deadline: April 22, 2024

The I-20 request process can take several days. We recommend you complete these steps several weeks before the above deadline to ensure you have enough time to complete your request.

Step 2: Meet the I-20 application requirements

  • Register for I-20 eligible courses. Your courses must be held on the Harvard campus and you must adhere to the following credit requirements:
    • 8 credits in undergraduate (UN) courses in the 7-week session.

“On campus or online” courses are eligible for an I-20, but students must attend the on-campus format.

Online only, web conference, online with required on-campus weekend courses, waitlisted, conditionally registered, pending prerequisites, and Study Abroad courses are not eligible for an I-20.

Final Registration Deadline: April 22, 2024

Please register as soon as possible to ensure adequate processing time for your I-20 request.

  • Complete the I-20 Questionnaire.

International students who meet the I-20 application requirements above will receive an email 1 business day after their summer registration in I-20 eligible courses.  Students who do not receive this email should contact Visas@Summer.Harvard.edu to identify how to become I-20 eligible as it is the student’s responsibility to obtain the Form I-20.

Students wishing to start the I-20 application process prior to the opening of registration may receive the questionnaire by requesting it from Visas@Summer.Harvard.edu.  However, students will not receive their I-20 until after they are registered in an I-20 eligible course load as described above.

Final I-20 Questionnaire Deadline: April 25, 2024

Completing the I-20 Questionnaire immediately upon receipt will help ensure your I-20 request is completed on time.

  • Submit all required documents for your I-20 Application.

After you submit the I-20 Questionnaire, you will gain access to the I-20 Document Portal. Documents required for your I-20 Application include:

If you currently hold an F-1 student visa from another school in the United States and will not be returning to that school in the fall semester, you must transfer your SEVIS record to Harvard Summer School. This SEVIS record transfer process requires you submit the following:

Final Document Submission Deadline: May 2, 2024

Step 3: Receive and Review your Form I-20

Your I-20 Application will be processed two (2) to three (3) weeks after you have met all the I-20 application requirements above.  The I-20 Document Portal will allow you to review the status of your application during this time. The Harvard International Office (HIO) will email you the Form I-20 once your application is approved.

  • Immediately review all biographical information on your Form I-20.

If any information is incorrect, email Visas@Summer.Harvard.edu immediately so the information can be corrected and a new I-20 can be issued.

Your name on the I-20 will match the machine-readable zone of your passport. Last names are separated by << from first names.  If no << exists, the entire name will be entered as your last name. Spaces are represented by a single <.

Print all pages of your Form I-20 and physically sign the “Student Attestation” section of the document. Your signature must be a physical signature written with ink on a printed Form I-20; the HIO’s signature will be electronic which at this time is acceptable to the US government.

Step 4: Apply for an F-1 Student Visa

You must obtain a US visa stamp in your passport at a US embassy or consulate abroad before you enter the United States, preferably in your country of citizenship.

Canadian students: You are not required to obtain an F-1 student visa for entry into the United States, but you still must obtain a Form I-20 from Harvard Summer School.

  • Allow ample time to obtain your visa.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, visa appointment wait times and processing may be delayed in general.  Also, the US Department of State has indicated that the process of issuing visas to some individuals might be longer due to security clearances. This is known as administrative processing. Please check with the US embassy or consulate at which you will apply for your F-1 visa for its specific processing times.
  • Review the list of required documents listed on the F-1 student visa category section of the specific embassy or consulate’s website.

The visa application will require, among other things:

  • Completion of the DS-160 form. Learn more about how to complete the DS-160 form.
  • Your signed Form I-20 from Harvard Summer School
  • Valid passport
  • The same financial documents submitted to Harvard Summer School
  • I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt

The SEVIS fee ($350) is a US government fee paid to the Department of Homeland Security.  All applicants who require an F-1 visa to enter the United States must pay the SEVIS fee before going to a US embassy or consulate for their visa interview.  You can pay the SEVIS fee online by using a credit or debit card, or by alternate means detailed on that same site. Harvard’s school code needed to pay the SEVIS fee is BOS214F00162000.

  • Attend your F-1 visa appointment and wait to receive your F-1 student visa in your passport. It can take approximately one (1) week after your appointment to receive your visa.
  • Once you receive your F-1 visa, review all the information printed on your F-1 student visa immediately.  If any of the information on your visa does not match the information in your passport or is incorrect, contact both InternationalOffice@Harvard.edu and the US embassy/consulate that issued you the visa immediately.

Step 5: Prepare for Travel and Enter the United States

  • Purchase travel arrangements after you have received your F-1 student visa in your passport.  Harvard Summer School does not recommend purchasing travel arrangements prior to obtaining your visa. While this may result in more expensive travel costs, obtaining your visa first will reduce the chance of canceling plans due to unexpected circumstances during your F-1 student visa application process.
  • Purchase health insurance. Massachusetts law requires that students enrolled in an institution of higher learning in Massachusetts participate in a health benefit plan. If you do not have adequate medical insurance, an unforeseen medical problem could result in catastrophic expenses that might prevent you from completing your education at HarvardIf you arrive in the United States with a preexisting condition, it is essential that you plan ahead for your health insurance needs. 
    • International students may be eligible to waive this requirement if they have health insurance plans with American-based carriers that meet the Commonwealth of Massachusetts standards. Foreign-based policies do not meet Massachusetts standards.
    • The Harvard International Office has information regarding health insurance plans that meet Massachusetts requirements.
  • Prepare for entry into the United States. As an F-1 student visa holder, you may enter the United States no more than 30 days before the Program Start Date listed on your Form I-20.  F-2 dependent visa holders must not enter the United States before the F-1 student does.

When you enter the United States, you must present:

  • A valid passport
  • An original Form I-20 with your physical signature on the printed form.
  • A valid F-1 visa (except for Canadians)
  • I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt.

DO NOT PACK THESE DOCUMENTS IN YOUR CHECKED LUGGAGE.

  • Go through immigration (Customs & Border Protection) at a US Port of Entry.

When you enter the United States, you must show the above mentioned documents to a Customs & Border Protection (CBP) officer. Upon the officer’s review of your forms and after they ask you questions, they will decide whether or not to admit you into the US. Sometimes they will stamp your passport with a Port of Entry stamp, but all officers should scan your passport and update your electronic I-94 record of admission. 

Please note that the majority of US Ports of Entry are not administering a physical Port of Entry stamp in the passport. Boston Logan International Airport has confirmed that they will not be giving stamps and instead they will rely on updating the I-94 record of admission electronically.

If by chance the CBP officer stamped your passport, please check your stamp before leaving. The stamp must have the date you arrived in the U.S. and show “F-1 D/S.” If any of this information is not correct, speak to the CBP officer before leaving the Customs area.

The I-94 is an electronic online record of your arrival.  Print it and save a copy for your records.   You must check the following:

  • Your date of arrival matches your Port of Entry stamp.
  • Your class of admission is “F-1”.
  • The “Admit Until” date is “D/S”.

Your I-94 record is necessary to complete your final steps with the Harvard International Office.

If you have an issue retrieving your I-94 record, please contact the Harvard International Office directly at InternationalOffice@Harvard.edu.

Canadians: When you enter the United States, you will present your Form I-20, a valid passport, and your I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt at the port of entry. Please do NOT use your NEXUS card or the Global Entry program to enter the United States as this can lead to an incorrect immigration status that prohibits full-time study.  When in doubt, always present your Form I-20, passport, and I-901 SEVIS fee payment to an immigration officer so they can admit you to the F-1 student or F-2 dependent status upon entry into the country.

Step 6: Check in with the Harvard International Office and Attend your Course(s)

  • Check in with a Harvard International Office (HIO) advisor on or before your Opening Weekend date. This is a government requirement for all students issued a Form I-20 and must be completed either online or in-person no later than the first Wednesday of classes. Students risk being dropped from their courses and asked to leave the United States if they do not successfully complete this requirement in time. Students will need to present the following information for a successful check-in: I-20, passport, I-94, and H-ticket. More information about the check-in process will be included in the email containing your approved Form I-20.

HIO Check-in Deadline: Wednesday, June 26, 2024.  

7-week Summer Session Opening Weekend: Saturday, June 22, 2024

  • Attend your Harvard Summer School course(s). The most up-to-date information when courses will be held for Harvard Summer School can be found on our academic calendar.

If you find that you need to switch courses for any reason, you must complete the Registration Changes Form and submit it to Visas@Summer.Harvard.edu.

Harvard Summer School may cancel your registration if you do not attend all class meetings during the first week of classes.

Pre-College Program Students

Although Pre-College program courses are 30 course hours and taught at the college level by Harvard affiliated instructors, they are non-credit and recreational in nature.  Therefore, they do not qualify for F-1 student visas. If you are an international student coming to the United States to attend the Pre-College program on campus, you can enter using a tourist visa (B1/B2) or ESTA visa waiver.

If you do not yet possess a valid tourist visa or ESTA visa waiver, you must apply for one as soon as possible at a US embassy or consulate. However, it is completely up to the US embassy or consulate to grant such a visa. Because visa appointment wait times and visa processing times vary from country to country, you should obtain the tourist visa or ESTA visa waiver early enough to ensure you can arrive in Cambridge, MA for the start of your Summer School session.  Note that Harvard Summer School may prohibit or cancel your registration if you do not attend all class meetings during the first week of classes.

To schedule an appointment, follow the instructions on the website of the US embassy or consulate you will visit.  You can view visa appointment wait times online.

Students Who Already Have a US Visa

Many other types of US visas allow study incidental to the primary status, such as the A, J-1, J-2, F-2, H-1B, H-4, L, TN, and others.

Because the adherence to US visa policy is the responsibility of the student and their current visa sponsor, students who presently have one of the above visa categories should check with their current visa sponsoring organization on the limitations for their study (for example, you may only be allowed to take courses in a part-time status rather than full-time status). This includes students on OPT status.

If you are a current F-1 visa student enrolled full-time in a program or school in the spring, and you will be enrolled in the same institution in the fall, you do not need to request a new I-20 from Harvard Summer School and may enroll either part-time or full-time during the summer.

If you are currently in the United States on an F-1 visa and your I-20 will expire or your program will end before your Harvard Summer School session, you should request an I-20 from Harvard Summer School for your summer study. Follow the steps for your program above.

Neither the ESTA visa waiver nor the B1/B2 tourist visa allow for-credit study, either full-time or part-time.  ESTA and tourist visas are only for international travelers whose main reason for visiting the United States is tourism.  Attempting to enter the United States in ESTA or B1/B2 status to earn credit is a violation of US immigration regulations, and you may risk being denied entry to the United States.  This is true for non-degree students as well as admitted Harvard Extension School degree students.  Noncredit study is permissible on a tourist visa.  Noncredit courses do not count towards Harvard Extension School certificates or degrees.

Questions?

If you have questions or need additional help, send us an email at Visas@Summer.Harvard.edu.