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 currently in undergraduate programs elsewhere who wish to take undergraduate courses at Harvard should contact the Visiting Undergraduate Office, 86 Brattle St. (617-495-1551).

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.

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 permission of 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 who hold the doctorate or equivalent professional experience and who intend to do research in their professional fields should apply for Visiting Fellow status (separate application). In addition, this status is also open to advanced doctoral candidates who have completed all required course work and would like to pursue dissertation research at Harvard. However, those who wish to develop new skills (e.g., languages, mathematics) or who like to would take courses for academic credit should apply for Special Student status.