Office of International Education
1414 Massachusetts Avenue, 3rd floor
Phone: 617-496-2722
Email: oie@fas.harvard.edu
www.oie.fas.harvard.edu
Study Abroad
Over half of Harvard College students participate in an international experience during their time as an undergraduate, and study abroad is an essential part of every student's undergraduate education. Through studying abroad, students are afforded a transformative experience, as students can earn elective credit, and/or credit toward their concentration, secondary field, and/or language citation, while enrolled in a foreign university or through a study abroad organization. Details about academic year, semester, and summer study abroad may be found on the Office of International Education (OIE) website.
To learn more about study abroad, students should speak with the Office of International Education, as the OIE advises Harvard College students on all aspects related to study abroad, from helping them to find the right program best suited to their academic needs and interests, as well as providing pre-departure and on-the-ground resources orientation, funding support, academic advising while abroad, and ensuring a smooth re-entry back to Harvard. The OIE website has extensive resources for students and faculty, including information on approved programs and universities, course and credit guidelines, application instructions, pre-departure materials, and contact information for the OIE staff, concentration and language advisors, and student advisors and ambassadors who have recently returned from a semester or academic year abroad.
Planning is key to a successful study abroad experience, and it is never too early to begin integrating study abroad into individual academic plans, seeking advice from concentration, secondary field, and/or language advisors, and visiting the OIE for guidance. All students should seek assistance from the OIE as early as possible to begin planning the best study abroad experience for them. To ensure that credits from courses taken abroad will transfer back to Harvard for concentration or secondary field credit, students should work directly with the specific academic departments to understand specific course needs (students can request syllabi from study abroad programs and international universities). If a student is seeking elective credit for a course taken abroad, the course will be reviewed by the OIE, in consultation with the Office of Undergraduate Education and, when necessary, specific academic departments.
Who can Study Abroad?
Sophomores, juniors and seniors may participate in semester study abroad through enrolling directly into a foreign university, studying through programs sponsored by U.S. universities, or through organizations dedicated specifically to providing high-quality study abroad programming. The OIE maintains a list of approved programs on the website, which is reviewed and updated each semester and summer. If a student is interested in studying on a program or at a university that is not on the approved list, the student may petition to participate on it through the formal petition process.
Getting Started
To begin planning, students should meet with an advisor at the OIE during drop-in hours held daily (Monday-Thursday, 2:00 PM–4:00 PM), or through appointment, by emailing oie@fas.harvard.edu. Student Advisors, who are recently returned study abroad students, are also available through informal conversations, coffee chats, or during in-person drop-ins.
Procedures for Earning Degree Credit for Study Abroad
A maximum of 32-credit transfer credits may be earned from studying abroad. Credits earned are considered transfer credit and are applied to a student's academic record by the OIE upon completion of the study abroad experience (see more below). No more than 16-credits may be earned for each semester spent abroad, and no more than 8-credits may be earned for each summer study abroad.
Students may earn credit for concentration and/or elective credit and may also take courses which contribute to a secondary field or language citation. Courses taken during semester or summer study abroad may also count for the divisional distribution requirement. Specific information about these options is provided on the OIE website, the General Education website (see Term Time Study Abroad), and through the undergraduate advisors in the academic departments.
Students planning to study abroad in countries where English is not the primary language are encouraged to complete at least one year of study in the host country’s language before studying abroad (though not required to do so). Additionally, students are expected to take a language instruction course or course taught entirely in a language of the host country as part of their academic program during each semester or summer abroad. Students taking language courses abroad should be aware of the language policy for transferring credit back to Harvard
Students who study abroad for a semester or academic year are expected to take a full course load abroad as determined by the study abroad institution or program and approved by the OIE. The full course load should also align with the College's policies regarding an equivalent full course load (i.e., 16-credits per semester), which will be applied to their student record. Courses taken abroad must be taken for a letter grade, not Pass/Fail, and appear so on the study abroad transcript. However, neither the course names nor grades will appear on a student’s Harvard College transcript, and grades earned abroad do not factor into a student’s GPA. Study abroad transcripts are maintained in my.harvard as part of the student’s academic record and are reviewed by concentrations during the transfer credit evaluation process.
Applying for Study Abroad
Online application instructions are available on the OIE website. To ensure that academic advising conversations take place before the student receives approval to study abroad, it is expected that students will have consulted with their Resident Dean and departmental DUS regarding their proposed study abroad coursework and feasibility to go abroad. Students should meet with a study abroad advisor from the OIE for specific questions on this process.
To be approved for study abroad, a student must be in good academic and disciplinary standing during the semester immediately preceding the proposed period of study. Unless permission is granted by their Resident Dean in advance, a student may not study abroad for credit when the student is on probation for any reason or on a Leave of Absence.
To study abroad, students must complete both of the following:
- Apply directly to their study abroad program or university for admission by their specific deadlines.
- Apply to the Office of International Education for course approval and transfer credit by the following deadlines:
Semester Study Abroad
- October 1 for Spring semester study abroad
- March 1 for Fall semester study abroad
Summer Study Abroad
- Late January/early February (summer funding and credit)
- April 1 (only credit)
Students should begin the application process early and be mindful of their institution and program-specific deadlines.
Financial Aid and Semester Study Abroad
Students eligible for financial aid should consult their designated financial aid officer for more detailed information and should not let finances hinder their ability to study abroad as financial aid awards may be applied toward semester study abroad. Awards may be used to pay for study abroad tuition, room and board, program and visa fees, books, airfare, and other living expenses. Students will be billed directly by their study abroad institution or program for tuition, room and board, and other program-related fees. Students who study abroad during the academic year will be charged the student services fee, which will appear on their Harvard College term-bill. Students will also be billed automatically for health insurance, which may be waived with proof of comparable coverage by the designated deadline.
Summer Funding for Summer Study Abroad
Though financial aid for summer study abroad does not exist, Harvard College offers robust summer funding through the David Rockefeller International Experiences Grant (DRIEG). Students should consult the OIE website for details or speak with an OIE advisor if they have questions.
Students may consult the Office for Summer Opportunities Funding for more information about other summer funding opportunities.
Domestic Study
Harvard does not ordinarily grant credit for domestic study at other U.S. institutions, except in rare cases when such study is judged to offer an "exceptional opportunity” unavailable at Harvard. Information on the process for petitioning for credit for study out of residence within the U.S. can be obtained from the student’s Resident Dean; if the student’s petition is approved, the OIE will work with the student on transfer credit processes.
Students with specific questions about eligibility for domestic study out of residence should reach out to Camila Nardozzi, Director of the OIE, for more information.