International Student Guidelines Summer 2024

• Browse on-campus courses offered on the DCE Course Search and Registration page, available in January.  Create a list of your first-choice and second-choice on-campus courses in the event your first choice courses later become unavailable or undesirable.
• Meet the English proficiency requirement if English is not your native language.
• Check that your passport is valid for your intended stay in the US. Some nationalities are required to have a passport that is valid 6 months beyond the traveler’s intended stay. If you need to renew your passport, do so now.
• Complete pre-registration in your MyDCE dashboard when it becomes available in mid-February. You will not be able to register for any courses until pre-registration is completed.
• If the name on your student account does not match the name in your passport, please complete this form and submit it to the Registrar’s Office. 

Final Deadline: April 21, 2025

The I-20 request process can take several days. We recommend you complete these steps several weeks before the above deadline to ensure you have enough time to complete your request.

• Register for I-20 eligible courses. Your courses must be held on the Harvard campus and you must adhere to the following credit requirements:
  • 8 credits in undergraduate (UN) or graduate (GR) courses in the 7-week session; or
  • 4 credits in undergraduate  (UG) or graduate (GR) course(s) in the 4-week session; or
  • 4 credits in undergraduate (UN) or graduate (GR) course(s) in a 3-week session; or
  • one 4-credit capstone course during the seven-week session for admitted Harvard Extension School degree candidates only.

“On campus or online” courses are eligible for an I-20, but students must attend the on-campus format.

Online only, web conference, online with required on-campus weekend courses, waitlisted, conditionally registered, pending prerequisites, and Study Abroad courses are not eligible for an I-20.

Harvard Extension School admitted degree candidates: “On campus or online” courses do not count toward the Harvard Extension School degree program on-campus requirement.

Final Registration Deadline: April 21, 2025

Please register as soon as possible to ensure adequate processing time for your I-20 request.

• Complete the I-20 Questionnaire

International students who meet the I-20 application requirements above will receive an email 1 business day after their summer registration in I-20 eligible courses.  Students who do not receive this email should contact Visas@Summer.Harvard.edu to identify how to become I-20 eligible. It is the student’s responsibility to request the Form I-20.

Students wishing to start the I-20 application process prior to the opening of registration may receive the questionnaire by requesting it from Visas@Summer.Harvard.edu.  However, students will not receive their I-20 until after they are registered in an I-20 eligible course load as described above.

Final I-20 Questionnaire Deadline: April 24, 2025

Completing the I-20 Questionnaire immediately upon receipt will help ensure your I-20 request is completed on time.

• Submit all required documents for your I-20 Application

After you submit the I-20 Questionnaire, you will gain access to the I-20 Document Portal. Documents required for your I-20 Application include:

• A clear copy of the biographical page of your passport
• Copies of required financial documentation
• If your spouse and/or child(ren) will come with you to the United States, a picture of the valid biographical page of each dependent’s passport

If you currently hold an F-1 student visa from another school in the United States and will not be returning to that school in the fall semester, you must transfer your SEVIS record to Harvard Summer School. This SEVIS record transfer process requires you submit the following:

• Completed Harvard Summer School Transfer In Form
• Copies of all pages of your most recent I-20
• Copy of your most recent I-94 electronic arrival record
• If your spouse and/or child(ren) will come with you to the United States, a picture of the valid biographical page of each dependent’s passport.

Final Document Submission Deadline: April 30, 2025

Your I-20 Application will be processed two (2) to three (3) weeks after you have met all the I-20 application requirements above.  The I-20 Document Portal will allow you to review the status of your application during this time. The Harvard International Office (HIO) will email your Form I-20 at the address you provided when creating your student account once your application is approved.

• Immediately review all biographical information on your Form I-20.

If any information is incorrect, email Visas@Summer.Harvard.edu immediately so the information can be corrected and a new I-20 can be issued.

Your name on the I-20 will match the machine-readable zone of your passport. Last names are separated by << from first names.  If no << exists, the entire name will be entered as your last name. Spaces are represented by a single <.

• Print all pages of your Form I-20 and physically sign the “Student Attestation” section of the document. Your signature must be a physical signature written with ink on a printed Form I-20; the HIO’s signature will be electronic which at this time is acceptable to the US government.
• Review the PDF included in the email from HIO with your Form I-20

You must obtain a US visa stamp in your passport at a US embassy or consulate abroad before you enter the United States, preferably in your country of citizenship.

Canadian students: You are not required to obtain an F-1 student visa for entry into the United States, but you still must obtain a Form I-20 from Harvard Summer School.

• Schedule an appointment at your local US embassy or consulate. Each US embassy or consulate website will outline specific steps on scheduling this appointment.  You can view visa appointment wait times by city.

• Allow ample time to obtain your visa.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, visa appointment wait times and processing may be delayed in general.  Also, the US Department of State has indicated that the process of issuing visas to some individuals might be longer due to security clearances. This is known as administrative processing. Please check with the US embassy or consulate at which you will apply for your F-1 visa for its specific processing times.

• Review the list of required documents listed on the F-1 student visa category section of the specific embassy or consulate’s website.

The visa application will require, among other things:

• Completion of the DS-160 form.  Learn more about how to complete the DS-160 form
• Your signed Form I-20 from Harvard Summer School (see sample)
• Valid passport
• The same financial documents submitted to Harvard Summer School
• I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt

The I-901 SEVIS Fee ($350) is a US government fee paid to the Department of Homeland Security after you receive your Form I-20 from the Harvard International Office. All applicants who require an F-1 visa to enter the United States must pay the SEVIS fee before going to a US embassy or consulate for their visa interview. You can pay the SEVIS fee online by using a credit or debit card, or by alternate means detailed on that same site. Harvard’s school code needed to pay the SEVIS fee is BOS214F00162000. 

• Once you receive your F-1 visa, review all the biographical information printed on your F-1 student visa immediately. If any of the information on your visa does not match the information in your passport or is incorrect, contact both InternationalOffice@Harvard.edu and the US embassy/consulate that issued you the visa immediately. 
• Attend your F-1 visa appointment and wait to receive your F-1 student visa in your passport. It can take approximately one (1) week after your appointment to receive your visa, but processing times may vary per embassy/consulate.
• If a dependent (spouse and/or unmarried children aged 21 or younger) will accompany you to Harvard Summer School, they must apply for an F-2 Visa. Additionally, they must have their own original Form I-20 from Harvard Summer School. A dependent may travel to the United States with you or independently after your arrival to the United States. Canadian dependents do not need an F-2 visa stamp in their passports, but will need a dependent I-20.

• Purchase travel arrangements after you have received your F-1 student visa in your passport.  Harvard Summer School does not recommend purchasing travel arrangements prior to obtaining your visa. While this may result in more expensive travel costs, obtaining your visa first will reduce the chance of canceling plans due to unexpected circumstances during your F-1 student visa application process.
• International students residing on-campus are automatically enrolled in the Harvard Summer School Accident and Sickness Insurance Plan with Global Assistance Services. This plan, provided by On Call International, fulfills the minimum requirements for insurance coverage while attending Harvard Summer School. This insurance cannot be waived as it is automatically included in the HSS Room & Meal Plan fee. The coverage period begins the day before move-in and the coverage period ends the day after move-out.  If you plan on staying in the U.S. for personal reasons before and/or after the coverage period dates, you are responsible for arranging your own insurance coverage. Please see Travel Insured International for quotes on additional insurance coverage.
• International students residing off campus are not automatically enrolled in the Harvard Summer School Accident and Sickness Insurance Plan with Global Assistance Services. Instead, international students who have obtained a Harvard Summer School-sponsored I-20 will need to purchase a U.S.-based insurance that fulfills the minimum requirements for coverage for the full duration of your time at Harvard Summer School and in the U.S. Please see Harvard International Office for more information about short-term coverage options that would meet the minimum requirements for the duration of your stay.
• Prepare for entry into the United States. As an F-1 student visa holder, you may enter the United States no more than 30 days before the Program Start Date listed on your Form I-20.  F-2 dependent visa holders must not enter the United States before the F-1 student does.

When you enter the United States, you must present:

• A valid passport
• An original Form I-20 with your physical signature on the printed form.
• A valid F-1 visa (except for Canadians)
• I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt.

DO NOT PACK THESE DOCUMENTS IN YOUR CHECKED LUGGAGE.

• Go through immigration (Customs & Border Protection) at a US Port of Entry.

When you enter the United States, you must show the above mentioned documents to a Customs & Border Protection (CBP) officer. Upon the officer’s review of your forms and after they ask you questions, they will decide whether or not to admit you into the US. Sometimes they will stamp your passport with a Port of Entry stamp, but all officers should scan your passport and update your electronic I-94 record of admission. 

Please note that the majority of US Ports of Entry are not administering a physical Port of Entry stamp in the passport. Boston Logan International Airport has confirmed that they will not be giving stamps and instead they will rely on updating the I-94 record of admission electronically.

If by chance the CBP officer stamped your passport, please check your stamp before leaving. The stamp must have the date you arrived in the U.S. and show “F-1 D/S.” If any of this information is not correct, speak to the CBP officer before leaving the Customs area.

• Check your I-94 Record.

The I-94 is an electronic online record of your arrival.  Once you arrive at your destination’s accommodations, save a copy for your records. You must check the following:

• Your date of arrival is correct.
• Your class of admission is “F-1” (or “F-2” for a dependent)
• The “Admit Until” date is “D/S”.

Your I-94 record is necessary to complete your final steps with the Harvard International Office.

If you have an issue retrieving your I-94 record, please contact the Harvard International Office directly at InternationalOffice@Harvard.edu.

Canadians: When you enter the United States, you will present your Form I-20, a valid passport, and your I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt at the port of entry. Please do NOT use your NEXUS card or the Global Entry program to enter the United States as this can lead to an incorrect immigration status that prohibits full-time study.  When in doubt, always present your Form I-20, passport, and I-901 SEVIS fee payment to an immigration officer so they can admit you to the F-1 student or F-2 dependent status upon entry into the country.

• Check in with a Harvard International Office (HIO) advisor on or before your Opening Weekend date. This is a government requirement for all students issued a Form I-20 and must be completed either online or in-person no later than the first Wednesday of classes. Students risk being dropped from their courses and asked to leave the United States if they do not successfully complete this requirement in time. Students will need to present the following information for a successful check-in: I-20, passport, I-94, and H-ticket. More information about the check-in process will be included in the email containing your approved Form I-20.

HIO Check-in Deadline for students whose classes start in June: TBA

HIO Check-in Deadline for students whose classes start in July: TBA

7-week & 3-week Summer Session I Opening Weekend: Saturday, June 21, 2025

3-week Summer Session II Opening Weekend: Sunday, July 13, 2025

If you are registered for both 3-week sessions, you only need to check in once during the Opening Weekend in June.

• Attend your Harvard Summer School course(s). The most up-to-date information when courses will be held for Harvard Summer School can be found on our academic calendar.

If you find that you need to switch courses for any reason, you must complete the Registration Changes Form and submit it to Visas@Summer.Harvard.edu.

Harvard Summer School may cancel your registration if you do not attend all class meetings during the first week of classes.

• Browse on-campus Secondary School Program courses offered on the DCE Course Search and Registration page available in January. Create a list of your first-choice and second-choice on-campus courses in the event your first choice courses later become unavailable or undesirable.

• Check that your passport is valid for your intended stay in the US.  Some nationalities are required to have a passport that is valid 6 months beyond the traveler’s intended stay. If you need to renew your passport, do so now.
• Complete pre-registration in your MyDCE dashboard when it becomes available in mid-February. You will not be able to register for any courses until pre-registration is completed.
• If the name on your student account does not match the name in your passport, please complete this form and submit it to the Registrar’s Office. 

Final Deadline: April 21, 2025

The I-20 request process can take several days. We recommend you complete these steps several weeks before the above deadline to ensure you have enough time to complete your request.

• Register for I-20 eligible courses. Your courses must be held on the Harvard campus and you must adhere to the following credit requirements:
  • 8 credits in undergraduate (UN) courses in the 7-week session
  • 4 credits in undergraduate  (UG) or graduate (GR) course(s) in the 4-week session

“On campus or online” courses are eligible for an I-20, but students must attend the on-campus format.

Online only, web conference, online with required on-campus weekend courses, waitlisted, conditionally registered, pending prerequisites, and Study Abroad courses are not eligible for an I-20.

Final Registration Deadline: April 21, 2025

Please register as soon as possible to ensure adequate processing time for your I-20 request.

• Complete the I-20 Questionnaire.

International students who meet the I-20 application requirements above will receive an email 1 business day after their summer registration in I-20 eligible courses.  Students who do not receive this email should contact Visas@Summer.Harvard.edu to identify how to become I-20 eligible as it is the student’s responsibility to obtain the Form I-20.

Students wishing to start the I-20 application process prior to the opening of registration may receive the questionnaire by requesting it from Visas@Summer.Harvard.edu.  However, students will not receive their I-20 until after they are registered in an I-20 eligible course load as described above.

Final I-20 Questionnaire Deadline: April 24, 2025

Completing the I-20 Questionnaire immediately upon receipt will help ensure your I-20 request is completed on time.

• Submit all required documents for your I-20 Application.

After you submit the I-20 Questionnaire, you will gain access to the I-20 Document Portal. Documents required for your I-20 Application include:

• A clear copy of the biographical page of your passport
• Copies of required financial documentation

If you currently hold an F-1 student visa from another school in the United States and will not be returning to that school in the fall semester, you must transfer your SEVIS record to Harvard Summer School. This SEVIS record transfer process requires you submit the following:

• Completed Harvard Summer School Transfer In Form
• Copies of all pages of your most recent I-20 (see sample)
• Copy of your most recent I-94 electronic arrival record.

Final Document Submission Deadline: April 30, 2025

Your I-20 Application will be processed two (2) to three (3) weeks after you have met all the I-20 application requirements above.  The I-20 Document Portal will allow you to review the status of your application during this time. The Harvard International Office (HIO) will email you the Form I-20 once your application is approved.

• Immediately review all biographical information on your Form I-20.

If any information is incorrect, email Visas@Summer.Harvard.edu immediately so the information can be corrected and a new I-20 can be issued.

Your name on the I-20 will match the machine-readable zone of your passport. Last names are separated by << from first names.  If no << exists, the entire name will be entered as your last name. Spaces are represented by a single <.

Print all pages of your Form I-20 and physically sign the “Student Attestation” section of the document. Your signature must be a physical signature written with ink on a printed Form I-20; the HIO’s signature will be electronic which at this time is acceptable to the US government.

You must obtain a US visa stamp in your passport at a US embassy or consulate abroad before you enter the United States, preferably in your country of citizenship.

Canadian students: You are not required to obtain an F-1 student visa for entry into the United States, but you still must obtain a Form I-20 from Harvard Summer School.

• Schedule an appointment at your local US embassy or consulate. Each US embassy or consulate website will outline specific steps on scheduling this appointment.  You can view visa appointment wait times by city.

• Allow ample time to obtain your visa.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, visa appointment wait times and processing may be delayed in general. Also, the US Department of State has indicated that the process of issuing visas to some individuals might be longer due to security clearances. This is known as administrative processing. Please check with the US embassy or consulate at which you will apply for your F-1 visa for its specific processing times.

• Review the list of required documents listed on the F-1 student visa category section of the specific embassy or consulate’s website.

The visa application will require, among other things:

• Completion of the DS-160 form. Learn more about how to complete the DS-160 form.
• Your signed Form I-20 from Harvard Summer School
• Valid passport
• The same financial documents submitted to Harvard Summer School
• I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt

The SEVIS fee ($350) is a US government fee paid to the Department of Homeland Security.  All applicants who require an F-1 visa to enter the United States must pay the SEVIS fee before going to a US embassy or consulate for their visa interview.  You can pay the SEVIS fee online by using a credit or debit card, or by alternate means detailed on that same site. Harvard’s school code needed to pay the SEVIS fee is BOS214F00162000.

• Attend your F-1 visa appointment and wait to receive your F-1 student visa in your passport. It can take approximately one (1) week after your appointment to receive your visa.

• Once you receive your F-1 visa, review all the information printed on your F-1 student visa immediately.  If any of the information on your visa does not match the information in your passport or is incorrect, contact both InternationalOffice@Harvard.edu and the US embassy/consulate that issued you the visa immediately.

• Purchase travel arrangements after you have received your F-1 student visa in your passport.  Harvard Summer School does not recommend purchasing travel arrangements prior to obtaining your visa. While this may result in more expensive travel costs, obtaining your visa first will reduce the chance of canceling plans due to unexpected circumstances during your F-1 student visa application process.
• International students residing on-campus are automatically enrolled in the Harvard Summer School Accident and Sickness Insurance Plan with Global Assistance Services. This plan, provided by On Call International, fulfills the minimum requirements for insurance coverage while attending Harvard Summer School. This insurance cannot be waived as it is automatically included in the HSS Room & Meal Plan fee. The coverage period begins the day before move-in and the coverage period ends the day after move-out.  If you plan on staying in the U.S. for personal reasons before and/or after the coverage period dates, you are responsible for arranging your own insurance coverage. Please see Travel Insured International for quotes on additional insurance coverage.
• International students residing off campus are not automatically enrolled in the Harvard Summer School Accident and Sickness Insurance Plan with Global Assistance Services. Instead, international students who have obtained a Harvard Summer School-sponsored I-20 will need to purchase a U.S.-based insurance that fulfills the minimum requirements for coverage for the full duration of your time at Harvard Summer School and in the U.S. Please see Harvard International Office for more information about short-term coverage options that would meet the minimum requirements for the duration of your stay.
• Prepare for entry into the United States. As an F-1 student visa holder, you may enter the United States no more than 30 days before the Program Start Date listed on your Form I-20.  F-2 dependent visa holders must not enter the United States before the F-1 student does.

When you enter the United States, you must present:

• A valid passport
• An original Form I-20 with your physical signature on the printed form.
• A valid F-1 visa (except for Canadians)
• I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt.

DO NOT PACK THESE DOCUMENTS IN YOUR CHECKED LUGGAGE.

• Go through immigration (Customs & Border Protection) at a US Port of Entry.

When you enter the United States, you must show the above mentioned documents to a Customs & Border Protection (CBP) officer. Upon the officer’s review of your forms and after they ask you questions, they will decide whether or not to admit you into the US. Sometimes they will stamp your passport with a Port of Entry stamp, but all officers should scan your passport and update your electronic I-94 record of admission. 

Please note that the majority of US Ports of Entry are not administering a physical Port of Entry stamp in the passport. Boston Logan International Airport has confirmed that they will not be giving stamps and instead they will rely on updating the I-94 record of admission electronically.

If by chance the CBP officer stamped your passport, please check your stamp before leaving. The stamp must have the date you arrived in the U.S. and show “F-1 D/S.” If any of this information is not correct, speak to the CBP officer before leaving the Customs area.

• Check your I-94 Record.

The I-94 is an electronic online record of your arrival.  Print it and save a copy for your records.   You must check the following:

• Your date of arrival matches your Port of Entry stamp.
• Your class of admission is “F-1”.
• The “Admit Until” date is “D/S”.

Your I-94 record is necessary to complete your final steps with the Harvard International Office.

If you have an issue retrieving your I-94 record, please contact the Harvard International Office directly at InternationalOffice@Harvard.edu.

Canadians: When you enter the United States, you will present your Form I-20, a valid passport, and your I-901 SEVIS fee payment receipt at the port of entry. Please do NOT use your NEXUS card or the Global Entry program to enter the United States as this can lead to an incorrect immigration status that prohibits full-time study.  When in doubt, always present your Form I-20, passport, and I-901 SEVIS fee payment to an immigration officer so they can admit you to the F-1 student or F-2 dependent status upon entry into the country.

• Check in with a Harvard International Office (HIO) advisor on or before your Opening Weekend date. This is a government requirement for all students issued a Form I-20 and must be completed either online or in-person no later than the first Wednesday of classes. Students risk being dropped from their courses and asked to leave the United States if they do not successfully complete this requirement in time. Students will need to present the following information for a successful check-in: I-20, passport, I-94, and H-ticket. More information about the check-in process will be included in the email containing your approved Form I-20.

HIO Check-in Deadline: TBA  

7-week Summer Session Opening Weekend: Saturday, June 21, 2025

• Attend your Harvard Summer School course(s). The most up-to-date information when courses will be held for Harvard Summer School can be found on our academic calendar.

If you find that you need to switch courses for any reason, you must complete the Registration Changes Form and submit it to Visas@Summer.Harvard.edu.

Harvard Summer School may cancel your registration if you do not attend all class meetings during the first week of classes.