| Special Students |
Admissions
Admission to Special Student status may be for general studies, within
the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, or for affiliation with a specific
FAS department or academic committee. Admission as a Special Student is
not a guarantee of enrollment in specific courses. Course enrollment is
subject to the permission of the instructor. While most courses listed
in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Course Catalog are available to
Special Students, please note that some departments and instructors
have set limitations on specific courses. Please refer to the List of
Restricted Courses. Actual course enrollment is determined after
registration. Scholars intending to do research who hold a doctorate, or have equivalent professional experience, or are advanced doctoral candidates having completed all required coursework, should apply for Visiting Fellow status. However, those who wish to develop new skills (e.g., languages, mathematics) or who would like to take courses for academic credit should apply for Special Student status, as Visiting Fellows may not enroll in courses for credit. UndergraduatesStudents currently enrolled in undergraduate programs elsewhere who wish to take undergraduate courses at Harvard should contact the Visiting Undergraduate Office, 86 Brattle St. (617-495-9707).
ALB candidates at the Harvard Extension School who have been
recommended by the Undergraduate Program Office may apply to be
considered for Special Student status. ApplicationsAs of December 2008, we have changed our application procedure to allow students and fellows to apply on-line. We will no longer accept paper applications. Our new on-line application also provides for submission of supporting documents such as transcripts and letters of recommendation on-line.As always, applications and supporting materials must be submitted by the deadlines indicated (March 1 for fall term and full academic year applications, and October 1 for spring term applications). An application will not be considered complete until all the required materials have been received by the Special Student/Visiting Fellow Office. Applicants are notified by mail of the decision, and those who accept an offer of admission are then informed of registration procedures and other relevant information including housing, visa requirements, etc. Official transcripts should be requested by the student from (1) the institution from which the student received his or her bachelor's degree, (2) any previous work done at Harvard (e.g., Extension School, Summer School), and (3) any other transcripts, degree or non-degree, which are relevant to the proposed course of study as a Special Student. Applicants for special student status are also required to submit three letters of recommendation, and applicants for visiting fellow status are required to submit one letter of recommendation. The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required, but Special Student applicants may provide their scores if they wish to do so. A TOEFL IBT score is required of International Students unless they are able to provide confirmation of one year of study at an English language institution. |
