Rescinding Admissions

By accepting the offer of admission, students join a community ideally characterized by free expression, free inquiry, intellectual honesty, respect for the dignity of others, and openness to constructive change, and they thereby agree to abide by the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Policies. For example, academic dishonesty, sexual and racial harassment, the use of physical violence, or lying to an officer of the University are violations of the principles on which the University is founded.

Occasionally, candidates for admission will make inaccurate or incomplete statements or submit false material in connection with their application. In most cases, these misrepresentations or omissions are discovered during the admission process and the application is rejected. If a misrepresentation or omission is discovered after a student is admitted, the offer of admission ordinarily will be withdrawn. If a misrepresentation or omission is discovered after a student has registered or has completed courses, the offer of admission ordinarily will be rescinded, the course credit and grades will be revoked, and the student will be required to leave the school. If the discovery occurs after a degree has been awarded, the offer of admission ordinarily will be rescinded, and the course credit, grades, and degree will be revoked. The determination that an application is inaccurate, incomplete, or contains misrepresentations or omissions rests with the Office of Admissions (in consultation with Harvard Griffin GSAS senior leadership), which has the authority to resolve the matter outside the student disciplinary process. The Office of Admissions (in consultation with Harvard Griffin GSAS senior leadership) also may rescind an offer of admission in other circumstances, including without limitation if: there is a discrepancy between the transcripts originally provided as part of the application and the official versions (or translations) submitted after acceptance; the admitted candidate did not satisfactorily complete any courses and degree programs in progress at the time of application; or the admitted candidate has engaged in academic or personal conduct that calls into question their honesty, maturity, or moral character or is otherwise inconsistent with the expectations for conduct set forth in the Harvard Griffin GSAS Policies. Newly admitted candidates are expected to inform the Office of Admissions of any past or present conduct that is inconsistent with these standards.