Academic Calendar 2023-2024

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GSAS Policies
  • Introduction

    Policies detail the regulations, rules, and procedures that apply to students, including departmental-specific requirements. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the policies and following the procedures outlined. Student group leaders are also expected to read and follow the policies and procedures outlined in the Student Groups at Harvard Griffin GSAS Handbook. Harvard Griffin GSAS reserves the right to make changes to the Policies at any time without advance notice. These changes may affect such matters as tuition and other fees, degrees, and programs offered (including the modification or possible elimination of degrees and programs), degree and other academic requirements, academic policies, rules pertaining to student conduct and discipline, fields or areas of concentration, and other rules and regulations applicable to students.

  • Academic Requirements
  • Admissions
  • Conduct and Safety
  • Financial Aid
  • Registration

The 2023-2024 Harvard Griffin GSAS Academic Calendar can also be found on the FAS Registrar's website. 

When an official deadline falls on a holiday observed by the University, the effective deadline is the next business day.

Fall 2023 

June 30, Friday

July 1, Saturday

July 31, Monday

August 1, Tuesday

  • Final degree applications for November 2023 degree candidates due through my.harvard
  • Final application for a November 2023 secondary field due through my.harvard

August 9, Wednesday

  • Fall check-in opens in my.harvard
  • Crimson Cart opens to allow shopping for courses for fall 2023 term

August 15, Tuesday

  • Harvard Griffin GSAS deadline for paying fall tuition and fees

August 21, Monday 

  • Course registration opens to allow enrolling in fall 2023 courses
  • Deadline for all students, including special students and visiting fellows, to check in for the fall 2023 term. Students who fail to check in will be charged a late check-in fee of $50. 

August 31, Thursday

  • Fall full-term course registration for all students due. ​Students must submit enrollments for minimum course load (typically 16 credits) at my.harvard by 11:59 p.m. EDT. Students who do not submit enrollments by this time will be charged $40 for each week late. If students incur a late registration fee as a result of an administrative delay, they can apply for a fee waiver through the Office of Student Affairs.
  • Enrollment deadline for fall term HUSHP coverage for dependents

September 5, Tuesday

  • Academic year begins for incoming Harvard Griffin GSAS students. First meeting of fall term courses. 

September 6, Wednesday 

  • Deadline for electronic submission of approved dissertations for November 2023 degree candidates who wish to have the Student Health Fee and Student Health Insurance Plan removed from their student account. Submissions must be made by 11:59 p.m. EDT. Students who submit dissertations on or before this date will have health coverage canceled retroactive to July 31, 2023.
  • After this date, students must obtain permission from all instructors to enroll in courses.

September 7, Thursday

  • November 2023 degree candidates can submit their dissertation electronically, will retain the Student Health Fee and the Student Health Insurance Plan through January 31, 2023, and will be charged accordingly.  

September 9, Saturday

September 12, Tuesday 

  • Deadline to add or drop a fall course; instructor permission needed after this date

September 26, Tuesday (3rd Monday)

  • Deadline to add or drop a fall course without paying a fee

September 30, Saturday

  • Fall Harvard University Student Health Insurance Plan late waiver deadline

October 2, Monday

October 9, Monday (5th Monday )

  • University Holiday: Columbus Day (federal); Indigenous Peoples’ Day (City of Cambridge) 

October 23, Monday (7th Monday ) 

  • Last day to add (or enroll in) fall 2023 courses. To add a course after this date, an approved Petition to Add must be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs. 
  • Last day to change to or from SAT/UNS grading option for designated language courses
  • Students who fail to register by this date for a minimum required course load, withdraw from their academic program, or submit an application for non-resident status for the fall 2023 term are subject to disciplinary action and may be placed on an involuntary leave of absence, also known as an administrative leave of absence, for the remainder of the academic term. 

October 24, Tuesday

  • Degree recommendations from academic programs for November 2023 degree candidates are due

October 25, Wednesday

November 1, Wednesday

  • Course registration opens to allow enrolling in spring 2024 courses

November 6, Monday (9th Monday)

  • Last day to drop a fall course via my.harvard. To withdraw from a fall course after this date, an approved Petition to Withdraw must be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs. A notation of WD will be recorded on the student’s transcript for the course if the petition is approved. 

November 14, Tuesday

  • Conferral date for November 2023 degrees

November 15, Wednesday

  • Spring 2024 full-term course registration for all students due. ​Students must submit enrollments for minimum course load (typically 16 credits) at my.harvard by 11:59 p.m. EST.  

November 22, Wednesday

  • Thanksgiving recess begins

November 26, Sunday

  • Thanksgiving recess ends

December 1, Friday

December 5, Tuesday

  • Last day of fall term classes

December 6, Wednesday

  • Fall term reading period begins

December 10, Sunday

  • Last day on which students may submit an approved  Petition to Withdraw  from fall term course to the Office of Student Affairs. A notation of WD will be recorded on the student’s transcript for the course if the petition is approved. 

December 11, Monday

  • Fall term examinations begin 

December 20, Wednesday

  • Fall term examinations end 

December 21, Thursday

  • Winter recess begins. (Most University offices closed during recess.)   

Spring 2024

January 2, Tuesday 

  • University offices reopen 
  • Winter recess ends 

January 8, Monday

  • January@HarvardGriffinGSAS begins
  • Spring term online check-in opens in my.harvard
  • Open Add/Drop for Spring 2024 begins in my.harvard; instructor permission not needed to enroll in courses

January 19, Friday

  • January@HarvardGriffinGSAS ends

January 22, Monday

  • Deadline for all students, including special students and visiting fellows, to check in for the spring term. Students who fail to check in through my.harvard by 11:59 p.m. EST will be charged a late check-in fee of $50. 
  • Spring term begins. First meeting of spring term courses. 

January 23, Tuesday

January 29, Monday

  • Open Add/Drop deadline for Spring 2024. After this date, students must obtain permission from all instructors to enroll in courses. Students who do not submit enrollments by this time will be charged $40 for each week late. 

​January 30, Tuesday 

  • Degree recommendations by academic programs for March 2024 degree candidates due

January 31, Wednesday

February 5, Monday(3rd Monday) 

  • Deadline to add or drop a spring course in my.harvard without paying a $10 late add/drop fee 
  • Make-up examinations for fall 2022 term begin

February 19, Monday

  • University holiday: President’s Day

February 20, Tuesday (5th Monday)

  • Last day students from other Schools may file cross-registration petitions for spring term with the FAS Registrar’s Office. Some schools have earlier deadlines. 

March 4, Monday(7th Monday) 

  • Last day to add (or enroll in) spring 2024 courses. To add a course after this date, an approved Petition to Add must be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs. 
  • Last day to change to or from SAT/UNS grading option for designated language courses 
  • Students who fail to register by this date for a minimum required course load, withdraw from their academic program, or submit an application for non-resident status for the spring 2024 term are subject to disciplinary action and may be placed on an  involuntary leave of absence, also known as an administrative leave of absence, for the remainder of the academic term. 

March 5, Tuesday

March 6, Wednesday 

March 9, Saturday

  • Spring recess begins

March 17, Sunday

  • Spring recess ends

March 18, Monday(9th Monday) 

  • Last day to drop a spring course via my.harvard. To withdraw from a spring course after this date, an approved Petition to Withdraw must be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs. A notation of WD will be recorded on the student’s transcript for the course if the petition is approved. 

April 1, Monday

April 3, Wednesday

  • Course registration opens to allow enrolling in fall 2024 courses

April 17, Wednesday

  • Fall 2024 full-term course registration for all students due. ​Students must submit enrollments for minimum course load (typically 16 credits) at my.harvard by 11:59 p.m. EDT.

April 24, Wednesday

  • Last day of spring term classes 

​April 25, Thursday

  • Spring term reading period begins

May 1, Wednesday

  • Spring term reading period ends
  • Last day on which students may submit an approved Petition to Withdraw from spring term course to the Office of Student Affairs. A notation of WD will be recorded on the student’s transcript for the course if the petition is approved. 

May 2, Thursday

  • Spring term examinations begin

May 9, Thursday

May 11, Saturday

  • Spring term examinations end

May 16, Thursday

May 23, Thursday

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