• Travel for you (the admitted student) from your home or school, if you live at school, to Harvard, and back to home (or school). We cannot pay for other family members’ travel costs.
• Arriving Sunday April 14, and leaving Monday April 15. (Visitas starts Sunday - no hosts will be available Saturday night except in very limited circumstances).
• The lowest coach fare available. (If you plan to travel by train, bus or car, we can typically cover up to the cost of the lowest equivalent flight fare - please see below).

If you have special circumstances that would require you to book a trip that deviates from the instructions above (medical, religious, one way travel, traveling directly to another school’s visiting program etc), please fill out this Trip Proposal Form before booking.

If you booked your own travel before receiving our offer to pay for your travel, it is possible that we will be able to reimburse some of your costs. Please fill out this Trip Proposal Form with a thorough description of your costs if you would like to request reimbursement.

1. Register for Visitas before making your travel plans.
2. Check your email inbox for an invitation from our travel site, Egencia, which will include your username and a link to activate your account. (Remember to check your spam folder! Please allow several hours for this email to arrive.)
3. Log in to Egencia and pick your plane or train itinerary. The details will be emailed to us for approval. Remember that we will only approve travel that fits the Harvard-funded travel criteria above. If you are requesting an itinerary outside these bounds, please first submit the Visitas Trip Proposal Form.
4. Once your itinerary has been approved, Egencia will notify you by email (usually within 24 hrs, longer on weekends) that ticketing is complete.

1. Register for Visitas before making your travel plans.
2. Fill out our Trip Proposal Form to request approval for reimbursement BEFORE booking.
3. Once your travel has been approved, book your own bus travel, keeping in mind the parameters above.
4. Save your receipts!
5. You will receive a set of forms to fill out to process your reimbursement after Visitas, which will be due no later than June 1, 2024.

Qualifying admitted students who receive approval (see below) to drive round-trip from home to campus may be reimbursed for related travel expenses up to the equivalent of the lowest cost train or flight fare. Harvard College will reimburse for personal car usage at the current federal mileage reimbursement rate of $0.67 per mile. Please note: Gas is included in the federal rate; gas receipts will not be reimbursed. Travelers must provide a printed report of the actual trip route with calculated miles documented. Related reasonable expenses may be submitted, such as parking and highway tolls, and will be reimbursed up to the approved amount.

1. Register for Visitas before making your travel plans.
2. Fill out our Trip Proposal Form to request approval for reimbursement BEFORE booking.
3. Make your own travel arrangements, keeping in mind the parameters above.
4. Save your receipts! Print a report of your actual trip route with calculated miles documented (e.g. Google Maps).
5. You will receive a set of forms to fill out to process your reimbursement after Visitas, which will be due no later than June 1, 2024.

What if I can’t make it to Visitas and want to come on a different date in April?

There is no designated program for visiting campus besides Visitas. It is possible to come to campus at another time, but no hosts will be provided. If you still wish to visit on a different date, and are willing to arrange and fund your own alternate housing, meals, and activities, then we are happy to book your ticket through Egencia as long as you book with 7 days advance notice. Please fill out our Trip Proposal Form with details of your travel and accommodations.

What if I need to change my itinerary after I have confirmed my Harvard - funded travel ?

Please carefully select your flights. In general, airlines charge up to $200 to cancel or exchange a ticket. Normally, this would be considered a personal expense that you pay. If you anticipate a serious hardship that will prevent you from using your original booking, please immediately contact us at faoweb@fas.harvard.edu for advice.

What if, prior to receiving Harvard’s offer, I have already finalized my flight arrangements, or I am arriving by car or bus, can I submit reasonable receipts for reimbursement?

Yes. Please submit our Visitas Trip Proposal Form. Once your request for pre-approval has been reviewed, a reimbursement form and related instructions will be made available to you by email. Completed reimbursement forms must be submitted by June 1, 2024.  If your travel expenses are approved, a reimbursement check will be mailed within 3-4 weeks.

I’m coming for Visitas, may I arrive early or stay late?

No. The program begins on Sunday, April 14 and it is our expectation that students will arrive that morning or afternoon. The first event is at 10am on Sunday. Saturday night arrivals are generally not available, but will be considered on a case-by-case basis for those with extenuating circumstances. If students have religious or medical extenuating circumstances, they should first contact the Admissions Office at visitas@fas.harvard.edu. If your visit has been cleared by the Admissions Office, please submit the Visitas Trip Proposal Form. We will deny any request for Harvard funded travel outside of the official Visitas program dates that has not been pre-approved by the Admissions Office.

Can a family member travel with me?

Visitas programming is designed for admitted students. As such, there will be very limited programming for families and guests. We encourage your family members to enjoy the virtual offerings that the Admissions Office has put together for them from the comfort of their homes. 

How should I book a ticket if I don’t have access to the internet?

If you are unable to use our Egencia Travel online booking site, please call (800) 373-4979, and a Harvard Egencia travel consultant will be happy to assist you in booking your air or train travel; the cost of your travel will be billed to our account.  The Egencia travel consultant will ask you for your name and email address for security purposes and validate this via your stored profile (if further identification is required, reference “Harvard College / site ID # 15111”).

What should I pack for my weekend at Harvard?

Pack casual and pack light. Be prepared to pay up to $35 (in cash) at the airport ticket counter for your first piece of checked luggage, and even more for additional bags. If you are able, forego larger luggage in favor of a small bag that you can carry onboard, which will save you time and money at the airport. (Unfortunately, we cannot reimburse airline baggage fees.)

How do I get to Cambridge from Boston Logan Airport?

By Taxi: 20-30 minutes, $45-50.

By Subway: 40-50 minutes. Trip is free coming from the airport, $2.40 on the return trip. (Suggested route.)

1. Take the Silver Line shuttle bus (free) from outside your airport terminal to the South Station subway stop on the Red Line.
2. Take the Red Line outbound toward Alewife to Harvard (six stops).

How do I get to Cambridge from railroad and bus terminals (South Station)?

Take the Red Line inbound toward Alewife to Harvard (six stops), $2.40.