Resident advisors (RAs) are graduate students who live in the residence halls to provide support to fellow students.
Responsibilities
Resident advisors:
- Act as liaisons with the Harvard Griffin GSAS Offices of Residential Life, Student Services, Dean of Students, and various other offices.
- Help residents, particularly new residents, adjust to their environment at Harvard and in the residence halls.
- Remain available to address both urgent and non-urgent matters.
- Manage and report emergency situations (e.g., illness, accidents, facilities issues) within the residence halls in a timely manner.
- Maintain a visible presence in the residence halls and the Commons at Lehman Hall.
- Inform residents of housing policies, rules, and regulations, and monitor their compliance.
- Ensure repairs and facilities problems are reported via the Presto work order system, a call to Operations, and/or in Weekly Reports, and monitor progress.
- Serve in a 24/7 RA on-call rotation (approximately three weeks during the academic year).
- Staff at least three key distribution shifts during the move-in period (August 21–30, 2026) and at other times as necessary.
- Monitor and respond to lockout requests via the lockout Google group email, in-person requests, and notices from the Office of Residential Life staff on weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Attend monthly meetings and additional ones as necessary that are organized by the Office of Residential Life. RA meetings are typically held on the first Wednesday of each month from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. A second meeting is held occasionally, and class schedules and other commitments need to be arranged accordingly.
- Plan, organize, and host social events at least bi-weekly for the floor they oversee.
- Participate in events organized by Residential Life, Student Services, fellow RAs, Graduate Residence Hall Council, Student Council, and the Student Center Fellows, such as the Halloween Party, Thanksgiving Lunch, Diwali, Warm Welcome Back, and the end-of-year party.
- Organize and coordinate activities and meetings within your assigned RA liaison role at least once per semester.
- Pick up information and materials from the Office of Residential Life (Lehman Hall, Room 203) between Thursday morning and 2:30 p.m. on Friday, and ensure they are posted and/or distributed by 5:00 p.m. on Friday.
- Submit paperwork, online forms, expense forms/receipts, and weekly report forms on time.
Eligibility
In order to be eligible, applicants must:
- Be a full-time Harvard graduate degree-seeking candidate who has lived in the residence halls for at least one full term at the time of application and will continue to be registered full-time for the 2026-2027 academic year, OR
- Be a Harvard Griffin GSAS degree-seeking student who is registered at Harvard Griffin GSAS for the 2026–2027 academic year.
Non-degree and Extension School students are not eligible to apply. Students holding other positions, such as GRHC Officer, CCE Fellow, Student Center Fellow, First-Year Proctor, or Resident Tutor, are not permitted to serve as RAs simultaneously.
RAs must be present for the meetings and events below. Please confirm your availability on these dates before applying.
- August 11–September 4, 2026, and May 14–28, 2027: RAs must be in residence.
- August 13–19, 2026: RA Training.
- August 21–30, 2026: Move-in period.
- January 11–22, 2027: January @Harvard Griffin GSAS. RAs are expected to remain in the residence halls for at least five days of the term.
- January 21, 2027 (11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m): Resident Advisor winter retreat.
Application and Selection Process
The 2026–2027 Harvard Griffin GSAS resident advisor application is open. Application submissions are due by 11:59 p.m. (EST) on Saturday, January 31, 2026.
Apply to be a resident advisor
Duration and Benefits
RAs are selected for the academic year and may reapply for the following year as long as they continue to be enrolled in a graduate degree program at Harvard. Reappointment is not guaranteed.
RAs in Child, Conant, and Richards halls are provided with a free small single room and weekly meal stipend, Monday through Friday, at the Commons at Lehman Hall for the academic year. RAs in Perkins Hall, which houses a larger number of students per floor than the other residence halls, may choose between a small or large room.