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.

Special Students bring a broad range of experiences and backgrounds to Harvard and their reasons for participating are similarly varied. Some students wish to strengthen their academic background before applying to graduate degree programs; others wish to change the focus of their studies and choose Special Student status as an opportunity to explore new disciplines. Special Student status is also appropriate for individuals seeking personal enrichment or career advancement.

Students wishing to concentrate their studies in one of the other nine Harvard graduate schools (e.g., the Graduate School of Education, the Harvard Business School) should contact the appropriate admissions offices directly. Note that non-degree status varies greatly from one Faculty to another. For a limited number of courses and not more than half of one's total program per term Special Students registered in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences may cross-register at another Harvard graduate school (as well as M.I.T. and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University), with the exception of the Harvard School of Public Health, which does not permit cross-registration by non-degree students.  Permission for cross-registration at any Harvard school must be obtained from the Special Student/Visiting Fellow Office and the registrar of the other graduate school. Enrollment in such courses cannot be guaranteed in advance of 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.

Undergraduates

Students 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.

Applications

As 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.
 
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