Summer Term FAQ

Why is Harvard Griffin GSAS launching a summer term now? 

PhD students have always been enrolled and expected to be engaged in academics year-round. For many, the summer months include distinct academic activities. By formally creating a summer term, which will be visible on students' transcripts, programs can clearly assess and record summer academic work. This is not a new requirement for summer activity; it is a new way of recording it. Previously, the fall term for continuing students began on July 1, which meant summer was effectively split across two terms. Now, it will appear as its own, separate term. This has been requested by programs and students for many years, and we are happy to be able to move forward with this large project.  

What are the new term dates? 

Official dates are published in the Harvard Griffin GSAS Handbook for Students and the academic calendar. Beginning in spring 2027, the academic calendar for PhD programs will be as follows:  

• Spring Term: From the first day of spring classes through the last day of spring final exams.  
  • January 25, 2027–May 15, 2027.
• Summer Term: From the first business day after the last day of spring final exams through the last business day before the start of fall classes. 
  • May 17, 2027–August 31, 2027.
• Fall Term: From the first day of fall classes through the last day of fall final exams. 
  • September 1, 2027–December 18, 2027.

You will notice a short period between the end of fall and the start of spring during which enrollment is not reported. Harvard Griffin GSAS expects continuing PhD students to be enrolled and engaged in academic work full-time year-round. However, this period has historically been flexible due to the University’s closure schedule. Programs must work directly with students to determine the most appropriate academic arrangements for these weeks. Students who return from a fall-only leave cannot resume academic enrollment until the first reported day of the spring term.  

Can a student take a leave for summer term only? Can a student return from a spring term leave in summer instead of waiting until fall? 

Yes. With the introduction of the summer term, students may take a leave that applies to summer only, and/or students on a spring or full-year leave may return in the summer and do not need to wait until the fall term. Details and procedures are outlined in the “Leave of Absence: Returning to School” section of the Harvard Griffin GSAS Handbook for Students. As a reminder of the Harvard Griffin GSAS policy on leaves of absence: “Voluntary leaves of absence generally are not approved for longer than two years.” 

How do health insurance and tuition work with the introduction of the summer term? 

There is no additional tuition charged for the summer term. Students will continue to be billed for fall and spring only.  

Regarding health insurance: 

• If you were a registered student for the Spring term and did not waive the Student Health Insurance Plan:  
  • Your coverage will continue through July 31.   
  • Fall coverage automatically renews on August 1.   
  • You do not need to take any action.   
  • Log in to the Student Insurance Portal to check your health insurance status.    
• If you were a registered student for the Spring term and waived the Student Health Insurance Plan:   
  • You must retain your comparable health insurance through the summer term (8/31).   
  • If you lost your other coverage, you may re-enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan, using your loss of other coverage as a qualifying life event.  
  • Learn more about how to re-enroll in the Student Health Insurance Plan due to a loss of other coverage.   
• If you are taking a leave of absence, and your last date of attendance falls between May 1 and July 31:   
  • Your Student Health Insurance Plan coverage will remain active until July 31.  
  • You do not need to take any action unless you want to purchase the coverage while on a leave of absence. 
  • Learn more about how to purchase health insurance while on a leave of absence.    
• If you are returning from a leave of absence (fall/spring or spring only) and enrolling as an active student for the summer term:  
  • Per Massachusetts law, you must have health insurance as a registered student, which includes the summer term.    
  • Health insurance for the fall term does not begin until August 1.   
  • If you need health insurance for May 1 through July 31, please follow the steps below to secure coverage: 
    1. Contact studaff@fas.harvard.edu by April 15 to submit your enrollment request to the Harvard University Student Health Program Office.  
    2. You will be enrolled in both parts of the Harvard University Student Health Program, which includes the Student Health Fee and the Student Health Insurance Plan. Coverage will be effective on May 1 for students who return from a leave of absence for the summer term.  
    3. You will be charged for three months of coverage (May 1–July 31), and the charges will be applied to your spring term student bill.  
    4. If you are still within the period that you have guaranteed tuition and fee funding per your notification of financial support that you received at the time of your admission, these charges will be covered as part of our financial aid commitment to you. 

Massachusetts law requires students to participate in a Student Health Insurance Program or a plan of comparable coverage. If you have comparable coverage, there is no action you need to take for the summer term.   

How does this change impact overall living expense funding for students? 

There is no change to the overall amount of living expense support Harvard Griffin GSAS offers to students. Students will receive the same amount of funding as outlined in their notification of financial support.  

However, as a result of the new calendar, adjustments in the way we pay stipends to students will be needed. The financial aid office will work with programs and students to both explain and implement these changes as the summer term approaches.  

How does enrollment work for the summer term? 

Students who will be in residence will self-enroll in my.Harvard for summer at the same time they register for the fall term. Summer enrollment will open and close on the same dates as fall enrollment. A summer add/drop period opens one week before the summer term begins; this is the final opportunity to register. 

The FAS Registrar’s Office Courses team will reach out to graduate program administrators in the coming weeks with information on how to create summer research and writing courses. Students remaining in residence during the summer must enroll in these summer credits.  

Students engaging in academics full-time but not in residence may be eligible to apply for non-resident status (traveling scholar or leave of absence) through the NORA portal for summer-only and should discuss with their program. 

Summer enrollment does not count toward minimum credit requirements. May degree candidates will apply to graduate in my.Harvard by mid-March and will be excluded from summer enrollment.  

Can I still take a vacation or travel during the summer?  

Yes. Summer enrollment doesn’t change the expectation that PhD students are engaged in their academic responsibilities full-time year-round. It only changes how that time is recorded. How much flexibility you have depends on your program, how long you’ll be away, and whether you’ll keep progressing in your academic work while you travel: 

• Short breaks: Students who are stepping away from academic progress for up to two weeks per term do not need to take a leave of absence. 
• Traveling while still working: If you plan to travel for an extended period but will keep making regular progress on your research, your writing, and/or engaging in other academic activities, in consultation with your advisor/program, that will further your progress toward the degree (for instance, engaging in qualifying exam preparation), you may be eligible to register as a traveling scholar for the summer term. Students should talk with their program first to discuss if this is an option.  
• Stepping away for more than two weeks: As outlined in the Handbook for Students, students who step away from academic progress entirely for more than two weeks in a term must take a leave of absence. 

FOR HGSU Student workers with appointments during the summer: Time off provisions for HGSU student worker appointments can be found in the "Holidays, Personal Days, and Vacation" article in the HGSU contract (Article 27). Student workers with 10- or 12-month salaried appointments can take 8 vacation days (for 10-month appointments) or 10 vacation days (for 12-month appointments) over the course of their appointment period. Salaried student workers may also be eligible for personal days. 

What happens if a student does not register or enroll for summer term?  

The Registrar’s Office will create a report for Harvard Griffin GSAS and program administrators, listing students who are not registered for summer. Harvard Griffin GSAS offices will send follow-up reminders to PhD students who have not enrolled. Students who do not enroll by the 5th Monday of the summer term and do not have an approved non-resident application will be placed on involuntary leave. The Office of Financial Aid may withhold summer fund disbursements if a student is not enrolled.  

What about students who have already applied in NORA for full-year nonresident status for 2026–2027 (fall and spring) or spring-only nonresident status for 2027?

Once the NORA portal is updated to include the summer term, the Office of Student Success will individually contact these students. Students will be asked whether they plan to continue their non-resident status through the summer or return to in-residence status. Based on their response, they will be directed either to apply in NORA for summer non-resident status or register in their program’s summer research/writing course. 

What is program faculty/staff responsibility in the summer term enrollment process? 

The FAS Registrar’s Office Courses team will follow up with graduate program administrators with instructions on how to build summer research/writing courses. Programs will be responsible for building out these courses at the same time as they are building fall 2027 course offerings. Summer research/writing courses must be 12 credits, must be graded SAT/UNSAT, and each program must designate a course head, or multiple course heads if there are multiple sections. Departmental staff can be added to sections to help submit grades at the end of the summer term. Faculty (or designated Course Head) are responsible for submitting summer grades before the end of August each year.