Welcome Letter for International Students

June 2008

Dear New International GSAS Student,


Welcome to Harvard and to The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences!  To ease your transition to a new culture and community, I would like to answer several important questions that are frequently asked by new international students and to offer you some information about services specifically geared for international students.

· How can I get to Cambridge from the airport?

You can either take a taxicab, which should cost approximately $30-35, plus 15% for a tip, or use public transit.  There are two ways of coming to Harvard by public transit:
    A)    Take a free shuttle bus from your airport terminal to the Airport subway station, take the Blue Line subway Inbound to Government Center, change to the Green Line Inbound to Park Street, and change to the Red Line Outbound to Harvard. In order to use the subway a ticket needs to be purchased.  Tickets cost $2.00.
    B)    Take the Silver Line bus from your airport terminal to the South Station subway station. There, board the Red Line Inbound subway to Harvard. In order to use the subway you need to buy a ticket from a vending machine at the stop.  Tickets cost $2.00. (See HERE for a map of the subway system).

· What should I do when I first arrive in Cambridge?

Report to the Harvard International Office (864 Holyoke Center, 617-495-2789, see MAP) with your passport and visa documents.  The International Office staff will ask you to complete a brief registration form and will give you an informational booklet about orienting yourself to Harvard and to the Boston/Cambridge area.  They also will be available for advice on where and how to find appropriate housing.

The International Office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The office’s summer hours (until mid-August) are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
 

· Which orientation programs should I attend?

Several orientation programs will be of particular interest to you.  Below I have outlined the programs and have given a brief explanation of each one. Given the important nature of the information to be imparted at the orientations and the opportunity to meet fellow students, faculty and staff, I hope you will make every effort to attend. You should be aware that departments also run their own orientations and will contact you directly about these.

 1.        GSAS International Student Orientation       Friday, September 5
            Harvard Hall, Room 202                            1:30-5:00 p.m.
            Social Hour: Dudley House Dining Hall        5:00-6:30 p.m.
(SEE MAP)

An advisor from the International Office will be present to talk about visas and immigration regulations.  There will also be a panel composed of continuing international students who will talk about their experience with cultural and academic adjustments to the United States and Harvard.  The panelists will also present a session entitled “Getting Started” which will deal with nuts-and-bolts items such as winter clothing, telephones, and banking.

Following International Student Orientation there will be a Social Hour in Dudley House for international students and their guests. Come and meet other new international students as well as returning students.  Dinner at local restaurants will follow. Estimated meal cost: $15-$20.
 
 
 2.   GSAS Orientation for Incoming Students        Wednesday, September 10

        Welcome Remarks
        Sanders Theatre, Memorial Hall                    10:30-11:30 a.m.
        Lunch, Harvard Yard                                    11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
        SeptemberFest, Dudley House                      1:00-5:00 p.m.

The program provides an opportunity for you to meet fellow students and Harvard staff and to learn about the University and its resources. The session at Sanders Theatre begins with welcoming remarks from the Dean of the Graduate School, and the Master of Dudley House, the Graduate Student Center. Following this, we will move to tents in Harvard Yard for lunch.
In the afternoon we invite you to attend SeptemberFest at Dudley House. There you will be able to find information from various offices and services from around Harvard, sign up for Dudley House activities and events and enter drawings for prizes. We will also offer workshops on health care and libraries.

· How do I register as a student in GSAS?

Registration in GSAS for incoming students is a two-step process. First, you will indicate that you are ready to begin classes by registering online. The window for registering online will be open from Thursday, September 4 through Wednesday, September 10. You will enter the Registration site by beginning at www.my.harvard.edu and logging in with your Harvard ID and Personal Information Number (PIN). Click on the “Campus Resources” tab and follow the onscreen instructions and you will soon be registered.
Next, come to SeptemberFest on Wednesday, September 10 where you will receive your temporary ID card and will have your photo taken for your permanent ID card. In addition, you will be able to pick up your first stipend check, as well as copies of Courses of Instruction and the GSAS Handbook. Should you have any problems registering, representatives from offices such as the International Office, GSAS Admissions, and Student Billing will be present to help. If you do not have access to a computer before September 10, terminals will be available at SeptemberFest.
 

· I remember receiving information about a Host-Student Program and Dinner, but I didn’t do anything with it.  May I still attend the dinner?

All incoming international students should have received an invitation to participate in the Host-Student program, which pairs current GSAS students with incoming international students.  There is still time to participate in the program and to attend the dinner on Monday, September 8 by submitting an online application as soon as possible.  If you do so, please contact Susan Zawalich, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and let her know that you want to participate in the match-up program.  Because of space constraints, please do not come to the dinner without having first signed up. For questions about the program please contact Susan Zawalich, (617) 495-2255, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
 

· What is this Dudley House I keep hearing about?

Dudley House is the Graduate Student Center and is the focus for many events and activities designed for GSAS students. It is also the home of the Dudley Café, the dining hall where residents of the GSAS residence halls have their meals.  On Friday, September 12 beginning at 7 p.m. Discover Dudley will give you the opportunity to discover the House, meet other graduate students, the Dudley House Masters, Dudley Fellows, and staff.  In past years this event has proved to be one of the highlights of the opening days.  Don’t miss the fun! For more information about Dudley House, visit; http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~dudley/

· If I am not living in the GSAS residence halls, can I still eat in Dudley House?

Yes, there are a number of options that would allow you to eat at Dudley Café.  Please click HERE.
 

· What do I have to do about immunization?

You will already have received a certificate of immunization, which must be returned to the University Health Services prior to Registration.  If you have any questions regarding the immunization requirements or the forms, please contact the Medical Records Office at (617) 495-2053 or check the following website: the HUHS Website.

· Where can I find out information about health coverage?

You can access the University Health Services Website which contains a wealth of information about health coverage.

· When will I be able to use my computer account?

You should have already received from the Admissions Office an e-mail giving you your Harvard ID number.  The e-mail also contained information from FAS Computer Services about setting up your computer account and obtaining your PIN.  This information is available at: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/computing/getconnected.
You will need your PIN to access a number of online services and to log in to register. Should you not have received this e-mail with your Harvard ID, please contact the Admissions Office at  617-495-5315, or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it If you have had difficulty setting up your account, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

· I’m not very confident about my English skills, where can I get some help?

English as a Second Language (ESL) courses may be useful to some students.  The Graduate School will pay the tuition for one part-time Institute for English Language ESL course in the Harvard Extension School or the Harvard Summer School for any GSAS international student.  Alternatively, GSAS will pay for ESL tutoring at the Bureau of Study Counsel up to the cost amount of a part-time ESL course.  Students should inquire with Rise Shepsle, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, (617-495-1814, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) for more information.

Miscellaneous Items


· We have added to our Web site some responses from past international students to the question, “If there was something that you wish you had known before you came to GSAS, Harvard, Cambridge, or the United States, what would it be?”  I hope you will find the answers useful.  

· Each university has its own vernacular and Harvard is no exception. Even if English is your mother tongue, it takes a while to get used to Harvard Speak. Click HERE for a partial list of acronyms and terms used by the Harvard community and their definitions.

· Students who are living off-campus may be interested in purchasing a discounted monthly Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA, also known as the “T”) pass through Harvard.  GSAS offers this service to its students.  Information about the GSAS T-Pass program can be found HERE.

I hope this information will help guide you through your first days at Harvard.  Should there be anything I can do to help you with your transition to the University, please do not hesitate to contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   I look forward to your arrival in September.

                Sincerely,



                Garth McCavana
                Associate Dean for Student Affairs