A degree candidate who wishes to enroll as a part-time student must complete an application for part-time study and submit it to the GSAS Office of Student Affairs for approval. See the academic calendar for deadlines.

• Before applying for part-time study, students should discuss their plans with their advisor and with their financial aid officer.

Part-time study may be approved if the student:

• needs to care for small children at home;
• experiences personal ill health or severe illness of other family members;
• is under extreme financial strain and has dependents;
• is a master’s student in their final term of enrollment.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Part-time students are charged the appropriate per-course rate until the equivalent of two years of full tuition has been paid. Thereafter, they register and are charged reduced tuition as full-time students. They must have paid a minimum total of two years of full tuition and two years of reduced tuition prior to receipt of the PhD unless the degree was completed in fewer than four years from initial registration. If a student who has been part-time completes the PhD in fewer than four years, the student will be charged what a full-time student would have paid over the same period of time.

International Students

Foreign nationals with student visas who are not officially permanent residents of the United States may register for part-time study if they:

• are in their final term of enrollment
• have three or fewer courses remaining

The application must be signed by the Harvard International Office.

Health Insurance

According to Massachusetts law, part-time students must participate in a qualifying student health insurance program or in a health plan of comparable coverage. All Harvard students are automatically enrolled in the Harvard University Student Health Program (HUSHP) and fees are applied to their student account.

Degree Requirements

Common Requirements

GSAS students are required to:

• Remain continuously registered and enrolled.
• Maintain a satisfactory grade-point average.
• Provide evidence that satisfactory progress is being made toward the degree.

Continuous registration may be interrupted by academic terms of withdrawal.

All GSAS programs have residence requirements, both financial and academic, and many programs have language requirements (see departmental requirements for your program).

• Financial credit will not be granted for tuition paid to other universities or to other Harvard Schools.
• After completing one term as a GSAS student, former special students or students who took FAS courses under the Tuition Assistance Plan (TAP) may be eligible to apply for financial and academic credit for coursework.

Satisfactory Progress

Students are considered making satisfactory progress if they:

• Complete expected requirements
• Achieve a minimum grade-point average of B (3.0) 

Programs may require additional conditions. See Departmental Requirements for more information.

• GSAS students must make satisfactory progress to be eligible for financial aid.

Unsatisfactory Progress

Students who have not met conditions as outlined above or stated by their department, degree requirements, or deadlines may be considered to be making unsatisfactory progress and may be withdrawn from their program.

• Students making unsatisfactory progress may not teach or receive financial aid (including federal Title IV funding).
• Students making unsatisfactory progress are considered to not be in good standing with the University.
• Students may not remain in “unsatisfactory” progress and those who do may be withdrawn from their program.

GRACE STATUS

A student making unsatisfactory progress may, with departmental endorsement, be granted the status of “grace” for one year. At the end of the grace period, the student must be making satisfactory progress, otherwise they will be considered to be making unsatisfactory progress.

• In most cases, only one period of grace will be granted to a student.
• Students in “grace” status may not hold teaching appointments.
• Students in “grace” remain eligible for institutional aid, except for federal Title IV loans and/or work-study (only students making satisfactory progress are eligible for federal Title IV funding).