International Visiting Fellows Frequently Asked Questions

What are the application deadlines?

Fall term and entire academic year: March 1

Spring term only: October 1

Do I need to take the TOEFL to be a Visiting Fellow?

Applicants for the Visiting Fellow status are required to submit a TOEFL score. Other requirements include: the completed application form, letter of recommendation, transcripts, and a summary of research plans.

Does Harvard offer scholarships or financial aid to Visiting Fellows?

Harvard does not offer funding to Visiting Fellows. Most international fellows applying from abroad are sponsored by a foundation, government grant, or company. All international fellows should be certain they can provide evidence of sufficient funding. Visa authorization is contingent upon the financial certification of funds to cover tuition and living expenses.

Will Harvard sponsor my visa?

Students who are not United States citizens must be sponsored on a student visa. Visa arrangements cannot be made until the applicant has been admitted and the necessary financial certification has been provided to the Special Student/Visiting Fellow Office by the applicant. Additional information about visa regulations can be obtained from the Harvard International Office .

How do I provide financial certification for the Harvard sponsored visa?

To certify grants from outside Harvard, the Special Students and Visiting Fellows Office must receive an official letter, in English, from the funding institution, giving the exact amount of the award in U.S. dollars, the date of the award, and any restrictions on the use of the money.


To certify personal funds, you must submit a letter from your bank certifying the amount of funds in your account. The amount of funds must be sufficient to cover tuition, fees and living expenses for the semester or academic year. The bank letter must be an original letter translated to English and the currency must be converted to US dollars. The second step in certification requires that, once you arrive in the US, you must open an account with a US Bank in Cambridge or Boston and transfer the required funds to this account. You must then obtain a letter from the bank certifying that you have done this and present this letter to the Special Students and Visiting Fellows Office prior to Registration.

Additional information regarding financial certification will be provided to International Visiting Fellows upon acceptance.

A listing of several Boston area banks includes:

Bank Of America
1414 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
www.bankofamerica.com

Cambridge Trust Company
1336 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
ph: 617-876-5500
www.cambridgetrust.com

Cambridge Savings Bank
Harvard Square
Cambridge, MA 02138
ph: 617-864-8700
www.cambridgesavings.com

Additional information regarding financial certification will be provided to International Visiting Fellows upon acceptance.

Does Harvard offer a host student program?

The GSAS Host Student Program pairs incoming students with advanced graduate students for informal advice about the Graduate School. Several Host Student events are planned at the beginning of each academic year.