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SPECIAL STUDENT STATUS

Faculty of Arts and Sciences courses are open to individuals who have sound reasons for not wishing to enter a degree program, who hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent, and who are able to present evidence of fitness for admission at the graduate level. Such persons are admitted by, and registered as Special Students in, the Graduate School. Information and applications are available from the Special Student and Visiting Fellows office, Holyoke Center 350, 617-495-5392. Special Student status is a non-degree status in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Persons denied admission to degree programs in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences cannot apply for Special Student status for the same academic year.

Special Student status is normally limited to one academic year, September through May, with extension possible only by reapplication. Students may take up to four half-courses per term. US immigration regulations require that all foreign nationals holding Harvard-sponsored F-1 visas be registered full-time (four half-courses per term). Students are expected to follow the plan of study to which they were admitted.

Although Special Students are admitted to courses offered by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, they are not degree candidates in either Harvard College or in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. They do, however, enjoy many of the same privileges of degree candidates in the University. The registrar will provide a transcript of credits earned.

Special Students may apply for admission to a degree program through the regular admissions process, but status as a Special Student carries no commitment whatsoever regarding subsequent admission to any part of the University.

Tuition is charged on a per-course basis, according to the Graduate School’s full tuition schedule. The 2009–2010 rates are: 

*Please note that some language courses are listed in the catalog as intensive (e.g., Italian Bab, Intensive Elementary Italian: Special Course). All intensive courses are listed as full courses and therefore will be charged at the two-course rate (i.e., $8,420).

† All Harvard University students are automatically enrolled in the Harvard University Student Health Plan (HUSHP), which consists of two parts: HUSHP Basic: Harvard University Health Services Fee, and HUSHP Supplemental: BCBS Hospital/Specialty and Medco Prescription Drug Coverage. Charges are applied to the student’s term bill. Students who meet certain requirements may be eligible to waive all or a portion of HUSHP. All waivers must be completed online prior to the waiver deadlines (fall term deadline 9/30; spring term deadline 2/28). For detailed information on the HUSHP policies, benefits, limitations, and online waiver, visit the Student Health Insurance website.

There is no tuition reduction for courses that are not taken for credit (TIME courses; see Chapter V). Medical insurance requirements and policies governing billing and overdue bills are the same for Special Students as for degree candidates.

No financial aid is available for Special Students from any part of the University. Students are advised to seek aid from outside sources. A Special Student who is later admitted to a degree program in GSAS may be eligible for academic and financial credit for work done as a Special Student. Such credit is granted only for graduate-level courses that would have been appropriate to the GSAS degree program in which the student is enrolled. Upon completion of one term in the degree program, students may petition their departments for credit for work done as a Special Student. A maximum of eight half-courses may be used for credit for PhD or a two-year master’s program; a maximum of four half-courses may be used for a one-year master’s degree. GSAS PhD candidates who receive academic and financial credit for work done as a Special Student become eligible for reduced tuition sooner in their degree program. Students should consult with their financial aid officer about how the tuition charges are affected in their case.

For more information about the Special Student status, please see the website. 

VISITING FELLOW STATUS

Persons holding the PhD degree (or its equivalent), or those with comparable professional experience, may apply to be Visiting Fellows in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. This status is also open to advanced doctoral candidates from other universities who have completed all coursework and would like to pursue dissertation research at Harvard. Although Visiting Fellows are sometimes invited by departments or research centers to participate in seminars or other organized activities, they are expected for the most part to pursue their research independently. Visiting Fellows are independent researchers who may also audit courses.

Visiting Fellows are registered in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and have access to the libraries, the athletic facilities, Faculty Club, and other general facilities of the University. They pay the reduced tuition of $8,760 for the 2009–2010 academic year ($4,380 per term). All Harvard University students are automatically enrolled in the Harvard University Student Health Plan (HUSHP), including Visiting Fellows. Charges are applied to the student’s term bill. Visiting Fellows who meet certain requirements may be eligible to waive all or a portion of the HUSHP. All waivers must be completed online prior to the waiver deadlines (fall term deadline 9/30; spring term deadline 2/28). For details on HUSHP benefits, limitations, and the online waiver, please visit the Student Health Insurance website.

Visiting Fellows are not degree candidates and do not take courses for academic credit. Although they may attend courses, they cannot sit for the final examinations and do not receive grades. Visiting Fellows and other auditors are normally not permitted to attend basic skills courses such as languages or computer science. Those who wish to learn new skills (such as languages) or take courses for academic credit should apply for Special Student status. Information and applications for Visiting Fellow status are available from the Special Students and Visiting Fellows office, Holyoke Center 350.

Visiting Fellows register as graduate research students. They are not members of the Harvard faculty. Office space is extremely limited and few departments have extra offices for Visiting Fellows. Carrel or desk space is occasionally available in Widener Library; applications should be made to the Widener stack division, if possible before the beginning of a term.

Visiting Fellow status is normally limited to one academic year (September through May), with extensions possible only by reapplication.

For more information about Visiting Fellow status, please see the website.