U.S. immigration updates: The June 20 and June 23 court orders allow Harvard to continue enrolling international students and scholars while the case moves forward. Harvard will continue to defend its rights — and the rights of its students and scholars.
Harvard Summer School offers more than 400 courses for adult and college students, in more than 60 different subject areas. Our open-enrollment courses are offered in online formats and in-person, so you can find the option that works best with your busy schedule.
All of our in-person and online classes offer:
Harvard faculty and industry experts dedicated to helping you expand your skills and sparking intellectual curiosity
A rigorous, inclusive learning environment filled with rich interactions
An intensive curriculum designed to be completed in a shorter summer session than a fall or spring semester
An international network of peers like you — driven, curious, and committed to growth
Access to Harvard’s renowned libraries, museums, and computer labs
Harvard Summer School has a variety of on-campus and online courses — both live and self-paced — so you can fit your course into your summer plans. Formats include:
On Campus
When you search “On Campus,” you’ll find:
On Campus only courses that meet live in a classroom on the Harvard campus.
Online Synchronous with a Required On-Campus Weekend, which have class meetings over Zoom plus a required weekend on campus.
Flexible attendance courses that offer the option to participate on campus. These courses may also give you the option to participate online synchronously or asynchronously. Please see the meeting information for details about which options are available for your course.
Labs & Section Meetings: For any course type, there may be separate labs, sections, or review meetings. The days and times of those are either listed in the descriptions, on the website, on the syllabus, or announced by the teaching staff once class begins.
Online Synchronous
Online synchronous participation happens over Zoom so you can see, hear, and speak with your classmates.
When you search “Online Synchronous,” you’ll find:
Live attendance web conference courses, held entirely live over Zoom.
Online Synchronous with a Required On-Campus Weekend, which have class meetings in Zoom plus a required weekend on campus.
Flexible attendance courses that offer the option to participate synchronously online. These courses give you the option to watch class recordings and participate asynchronously online. You may also be able to attend on campus. Please see the meeting information for details about which options are available in your course.
Labs & Section Meetings: For any course type, there may be separate labs, sections, or review meetings. The days and times of those are either listed in the descriptions, on the website, on the syllabus, or announced by the teaching staff once class begins.
Online Asynchronous
In online asynchronous courses, you are not required to attend class at a particular time. Instead, you can complete the course work on your own schedule each week.
When you search, “Online Asynchronous,” you’ll find:
Online courses that give you materials to work through each week with discussion boards or live section meetings for support.
Flexible attendance courses that offer the option to participate asynchronously. These courses may also give you the option to participate synchronously online or on campus. Please see the meeting information for details about which options are available in your course.
Labs & Section Meetings: For any course type, there may be separate labs, sections, or review meetings. The days and times of those are either listed in the descriptions, on the website, on the syllabus, or announced by the teaching staff once class begins.
Choose Your Course
You can study more than 60 different subject areas at Harvard Summer School, and in the format that best fits your busy schedule.
To find the course that’s right for you, browse our comprehensive 2025 course catalog or preview select topics here:
Once you’ve decided to take a course at Harvard Summer School, the next step is to register for your selected class.
Once your pre-registration is complete, you can add your course or courses to your shopping cart and submit your registration in the DCE Course Search and Registration platform.
Please be aware that some courses require that you complete eligibility assessments and submit additional documentation before you can register.
For more information on how to register, as well as helpful on-demand webinars, visit Course Registration.
When are the deadlines for signing up for Summer School Courses?
It is very important to pay attention to all registration, payment, and other deadlines as you begin the registration process, as all deadlines are strict and late registration is not permitted.
We encourage you to choose your course in advance and sign up early, as many of our most popular courses do fill up before registration closes.
Join our mailing list to be the first to know about deadlines and other helpful information.
Why Take a Course at Harvard Summer School?
Summer is a great time to learn a new skill, advance your career, get ahead in college credits, or simply explore a topic that fascinates you.
With over 400 courses to choose from, in a variety of flexible formats to fit your schedule, we know that you’ll find the right course for you at Harvard Summer School.
We look forward to getting to know you on campus or online over the summer!
