Three female students participating in a small class

Visiting Undergraduate Students

Contacting VUS Admissions

Following University guidance regarding COVD-19, the Admissions Office staff are working remotely until further notice. The VUS Admissions team will be available to answer questions by email at adm-vus@fas.harvard.edu Monday through Friday between the hours of 9am and 5pm EST. We will not be available by phone.

The Visiting Undergraduate Students (VUS) Program at Harvard College welcomes students enrolled in colleges and universities around the world to spend a semester or full year studying at Harvard.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you are currently enrolled full-time at an accredited college or university you may apply to spend one or two semesters studying at Harvard College. This program is not for High School Graduates who wish to study at Harvard for a Gap Year. Additionally, since the VUS Program is for full-time undergraduate students only, if you have already achieved the equivalent of a bachelor's degree, you would not be eligible. However, you might be eligible to be a "Special Student" at the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. For more information on this program, please visit their website: http://www.gsas.harvard.edu/programs_of_study/special_students_admissio…

About the VUS Program

Add Harvard College to your undergraduate experience by spending a term or full academic year studying as a Visiting Undergraduate Student (VUS). We welcome the unique insights visiting students bring from their current universities around the world.

In addition to enrollment in courses at the college, you can take advantage of our many museums, laboratories, theaters, and extracurricular activities, all in the rich cultural and historical setting of Cambridge and Boston.

You should consider applying to the VUS program if you:

Are currently enrolled in full-time, undergraduate study in the U.S. or abroad
Have a strong academic and personal record at your current university
Feel your interests would be well served by undergraduate courses which may not be offered normally in your home institution but are offered by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). View our course catalog for full listings.

Please note that visiting undergraduate students are not eligible for financial aid, so you will need to be prepared to cover all tuition and other costs.

Your Visiting Undergraduate Student application should demonstrate strong educational reasons for studying at Harvard College. Our committee considers:
- Evidence of academic strength and personal integrity
- Your academic preparation for your proposed plan of study
- Approval of your current college or university
- Breadth of interest both in and beyond the classroom
- Availability of space in the types of courses you wish to undertake
- A strong knowledge of the English language
Typically, you will apply during your second or third year of undergraduate study.

Application Timeline

Admission to the VUS program is offered twice per year. Students can apply to start in the fall or the spring term. Students applying for fall admission can enroll for either one semester or the full academic year. Applications must be postmarked by the date of the deadline. Ordinarily, you are not allowed to defer admission, so please apply for the appropriate term.

Fall term or full academic year

Application opens: February 1
Application deadline: April 1
Notification of admission: We will notify applicants as soon as we are able to during the summer

Spring term*

Application opens: by September 1
Application deadline: October 15
Notification of admission: by December 1

*At this time, no decision has been made about the format of the VUS program for the upcoming academic year, i.e., whether VUS students will be remote or on campus. Please keep checking this page for the latest information.

How To Apply

Detailed VUS Application Steps

As you fill out the Visiting Undergraduate Student Application, you will need to:
- Prepare a Tentative Course Plan: This plan, considered part of your application, is an indication of the kinds of courses you would like to undertake at Harvard. It is not binding. Please consult our course catalog in preparing your plan, selecting courses in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Consider both the General Education section and departmental listings. With a few exceptions noted on the application, most courses are open to visiting students. Because some courses are limited in enrollment, require the instructor’s permission, or have prerequisites, adjustments to your course selection are to be expected during registration week. Admission to our program does not guarantee your enrollment in any particular course. Course schedules and information about limited enrollment for each academic year are not available until late summer. Many courses remain the same from year to year and any course not being offered is usually identified. However, if your course plan is dependent on a particular course, please contact the department to ensure it is being offered during the term for which you are applying and to determine the likelihood of being able to enroll in it. In addition, if you need a detailed course syllabus you will have to contact the department directly.
- Write a brief Statement of Purpose.
- Submit an updated Resume or Curriculum Vitae.
- Submit your Application: As soon as you submit your application you will gain access to the Applicant Portal where you can monitor the status of your application. Please check the portal regularly.
Our office cannot confirm the receipt of supporting documents until your application has been submitted.
The Dean's Letter of Permission certifies that:
- You have the permission of your current university to study at Harvard
- You are in good academic and personal standing
- Upon satisfactory completion of the courses taken at Harvard, you will be granted degree credit
If you are from an international school system in which promotion is based upon standardized exams, you should also send a certified copy of your exam results. For example: British A levels, French Baccalaureate, Gaokao Results, International Baccalaureate, etc. Credentials must be in English or accompanied by a certified translation. Transcripts will be verified.
Students whose native language is not English ARE REQUIRED to submit a TOEFL score not more than two years old. Official tests results must be submitted directly to the Admissions Office from ETS (code #3434). We will not accept any other language proficiency tests in lieu of the TOEFL. While not required, candidates who have taken SAT I, SAT II, or ACT tests are encouraged to submit their results, reported directly from the College Board (code #3434) or the American College Testing Service (code #1840)

Take a Virtual Tour

Use our Virtual Tour to discover spaces that aren't even available on an in-person campus tour, such as classrooms, laboratories, residence halls, and more.

Explore Harvard

Tuition & Fees

When you spend a term or year at Harvard, you will need to pay the costs listed below. Visiting Undergraduate Students are not eligible for Harvard financial aid, and you must secure your own funding. In order to satisfy U.S. Immigration requirements, international students must demonstrate that they can afford all expenses, including tuition, fees, living expenses, and travel.

While you are responsible for securing your own off-campus housing, you will need to show that you can afford the room and board estimations shown below before arriving at Harvard.

Most Harvard College students are enrolled in four courses (16 credits) per term, but you may choose to enroll in fewer. If you are an international student, you are required by United States immigration laws to enroll in a full-time program of study in order to obtain your visa.

Tuition Rates Per Course for 2020 - 2021

Tuition Only
Course Rate	Per Semester	Per Year
1	$6,206.62	$12,412.50
2	$12,412.50	$24,825
3	$18,618.75	$37,237.50
4	$24,825	$49,653

Fees for 2020 - 2021

Fees Only
Cost	Per Semester	Per Year
Fees	$1,380.25	$2,760.50
Blue Cross Blue Shield	$1,961	$3,922
Tuition	$24,826.50	$49,653
Total	$28,167.75	$56,335.50

Housing & Advising

Visiting undergraduate students are not offered University housing. Accepted students must find their own lodging before they arrive in Cambridge.

Securing an apartment in the Cambridge area can be competitive and time-consuming.It is important to allow sufficient time to find accommodation. It is critical to secure housing before arriving at Harvard.

Harvard University Housing cannot secure off-campus housing for undergraduate students, but they do provide a number of online resources and can answer questions that are common for students who will be new to Cambridge. (e.g., Which residential areas are close to the mass transit system? Which locations are within walking distance to Harvard Yard? What is a reasonable rental rate? etc.). After you have been accepted and decide to matriculate, you can access a Harvard University affiliate database of private market rentals and sublets.

Advising

To help ensure your time at Harvard is successful, we provide advising resources specifically for Visiting Undergraduate Students.

Our advisers:

Give you an extensive orientation upon arrival and approve your final course selection
Meet with you by appointment throughout the term to discuss academic issues and monitor your progress
Hold regular open office hours
Help you access specialized advising resources
Organize social gatherings with other visiting undergraduates

Contact VUS Admissions

If you have any questions about the Visiting Undergraduate Students admissions, please contact us at adm-vus@fas.harvard.edu. We're here to help.

Visiting Undergraduate Students

Overview

Contacting VUS Admissions

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I eligible to become a Visiting Undergraduate Student (VUS)?

Is there financial aid for visiting undergraduate students?

Are visiting undergraduate students eligible for Harvard housing?

May I apply for both Transfer Admission and for the Visiting Undergraduate Students Program at the same time?

About the VUS Program

What we look for in a VUS applicant

Application Timeline

How To Apply

Detailed VUS Application Steps

Step 1: Submit the student portion of the Visiting Undergraduate Application.

Step 2: Submit two faculty recommendations.

Step 3: Submit a Dean’s Letter of Permission form

Step 4: Send an Official Secondary School Transcript

Step 5: Send an Official University Transcript

Step 6: Submit a TOEFL Score (for non-native English speakers only)

Take a Virtual Tour

Tuition & Fees

Tuition Rates Per Course for 2020 - 2021

Fees for 2020 - 2021

Housing & Advising

Advising

Contact VUS Admissions

Related Topics

Why Harvard

Academics

Faculty

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