Check-In and Registration for Resident Students

On this page:

• Registration and Enrollment Policy
• Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018 S.2248 Section 103.1.(b)
• Registration Holds
• Registration Late Fees 
• Related Contacts and Forms 

Students who are registered and enrolled in courses (including independent study Reading and Research/Writing courses) and who are engaged in full-time degree work in the Boston/Cambridge area are considered resident students. Resident students must check in and register via my.harvard.edu ordinarily for 16 credits regardless of whether they are taking courses, conducting research, or teaching (see the Academic Calendar for deadlines).

Students engaged in degree work full-time away from the Boston/Cambridge area, primarily with non-Harvard resources for the majority of an academic term, must apply for traveling scholar status.

• A term-long course that meets every week typically equals four credits.
• Students should have accepted their financial aid and the associated terms and conditions prior to registration.  Contact the Office of Financial Aid if you have questions. 
• Resident students may apply to waive the Harvard University Student Health Insurance Plan provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. 
• Students should meet with an advisor to discuss enrollment plans prior to registration.
• Students who do not check in by the deadline will incur a $50 late check-in fee.
• Students who do not enroll in credits by the deadline will incur a $50 late enrollment fee and will be charged tuition from the beginning of the term. Students who do not enroll by the seventh Monday of a term may be placed on an involuntary leave of absence for failure to register.
• Students enrolling after the course registration deadline must follow the add process in my.harvard and may require a petition signed by the course instructor and student's academic program.
• Students cannot register at another Harvard School or academic institution or enroll in more than one degree program at Harvard Griffin GSAS or elsewhere (students participating in a combined degree program should see Study at Another Harvard School in the Non-Resident Student section).
• In certain circumstances, Harvard Griffin GSAS may require that prior to enrollment, a student meet the terms or conditions set forth in a written contract. See Leaves of Absence for more information.

Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018 S.2248 Section 103.1.(b)

As of August 1, 2020, Harvard University adheres to the requirements of and complies with S2248 PL 1150497 Section 103. Harvard University does not impose late fees on any student and will not impose a late fee on students utilizing Chapter 33 and Chapter 31 benefits. Additionally, Harvard University will not prevent a student from attending classes or demand payment in advance for funds expected to be paid by the VA until at least 90 days post-certification. Under this policy, Harvard University defines a covered individual as any student that has notified the University that they are eligible to receive Chapter 33 or Chapter 31 benefits in writing prior to the start of the academic term in which they plan to use those benefits. Covered individuals will see the amount anticipated from the VA on their student account in the form of Anticipated Aid for Chapter 33 or a third-party deferment for Chapter 31. If the VA fails to pay 90 days post-certification, Harvard reserves the right to require payment from the student directly.

Registration Holds

Students cannot register if they have a hold on their student account. Failure to clear a hold by the course registration deadline will result in late fees.

1. An Advising Hold indicates that a student has not been approved by an advisor to register. Students should contact their advisor or department. 
2. A Financial Hold indicates an unpaid or unaddressed student account balance. Students should contact their Financial Aid Officer.
3. A Medical Hold indicates a student has not submitted required immunization documents to HUHS Health Information Services/Medical Records.
4. An HIO Hold indicates that an international student has not presented the necessary credentials to the Harvard International Office.
5. An Admissions Hold indicates that a requirement has not been met. Contact the Office of Admissions for details. 
6. A Financial Responsibility Agreement (FRA) Hold indicates that the agreement has not been approved.
7.  A Title IX Training Hold indicates that required training has not been completed. You will receive an email with a link to the training. 
8. A Registration Survey Hold indicates that the assigned survey has not been submitted. 
9. An Enrollment Hold indicates that a student may need to connect with the Office of Academic Programs or Office of Student Services.

Registration Late Fees

The following late fees are assessed, if necessary, by the FAS Registrar’s Office during the fall and spring terms:

• Late check-in fee: Students who do not check in by the deadline indicated on the Academic Calendar will be charged a $50.00 late fee to their student account.
• Late enrollment fee: Students who do not complete credit enrollment by the deadline indicated on the Academic Calendar will be charged a one-time $50.00 fee to their student account.
• Late add/drop fee: Students who add/drop courses after the “add/drop without fee” deadline indicated on the Academic Calendar will be charged a $10.00 late fee to their student account. 

It is the student’s responsibility to review the Academic Calendar and meet these deadlines. Failure to review the calendar is not a valid reason to request a waiver of late check-in/registration fees. A student may request the late fees be waived under any of the following conditions:

1. A student is experiencing financial hardship and is actively engaging with the Office of Financial Aid.
2. Late financial aid grant or loan processing resulted in a registration hold that prevented registration.
3. Personal misfortune involving injury, illness, death in the family.
4. A student was actively engaged in military service or other similar public service duties during the check-in/registration period and such duties prevented registration.
5. University error prevented registration—for example, if a student was advised incorrectly by a faculty/staff member, which prevented registration.
6. A student attempted to check in and/or register on time and exercised reasonable diligence in an effort to complete registration within the designated period but was prevented from doing so by circumstances beyond their control.

Late fee waiver requests must be submitted by the last business day of the term in which the late fee was incurred. 

Please note: By the seventh Monday of the term, students must register for the minimum required course load, withdraw from their academic program, or submit an application for non-resident status. Those who fail to do so are subject to disciplinary action and may be placed on an involuntary leave of absence for failure to register for the remainder of the academic term. If you meet the above waiver eligibility, please complete the Late Fee Waiver Request Form and gather the relevant signatures before submitting to the Office of Student Success at studaff@fas.harvard.edu. Submission of a signed fee waiver request does not guarantee that any late fees will be waived.

Forms

Late Fee Waiver Request Form

Contact Info

Registrar's Office 
Faculty of Arts and Sciences 
Harvard University 
Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Campus Center  
1350 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 450 
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138

Tel: 617-495-1543 
Fax: 617-495-0815

Office Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday