Welcome to Harvard

 

Congratulations on your acceptance into the Visiting Undergraduate Student Program. Here you'll find important information about processing your admission and preparing to come to Harvard.

Timeline

By October 14:

• Read through the Dudley Community Welcome Memo and carefully note the deadlines it contains.
• Reply to our offer of admission

By October 22:

• Set up your HarvardKey
• Set up your Harvard email

By November 11:

• International students: complete immigration forms.
• Get your Harvard ID Card

By December 1:

• Submit Medical Forms to HUHS Medical Records

Orientation

There will be several required VUS orientation modules beginning with a remote orientation, and an in-person orientation on January 24, 2025. Please consult the Dudley Community Welcome Memo for details about important early fall dates. 

Before You Arrive

Your HUID

Once you are admitted, your HUID will display in the applicant portal. If you do not see an HUID in your applicant portal, please email the VUS Admissions Office. 

Establishing Your HarvardKey

You will need a HarvardKey to access secure Harvard websites to check grades, view your term bill, access course materials, register for an email account, and much more. This code is different from the application access code you were assigned

To set up a HarvardKey:

• Confirm we have the correct email address on file. Log into the applicant portal with the Admissions Office to confirm or change your email address.

• Visit key.harvard.edu and follow the instructions listed there to obtain a HarvardKey.

• Be sure to set up two-step verification as it is required to access all HarvardKey-protected resources.

Create Your @College Email Account

Your Harvard email account is accessible both on campus and around the world as long as you are a student. Once created, it will become the official address through which the Harvard administration and faculty will contact you.

To get an email account

1. Accept your offer of admission. Please allow five to seven business days for your acceptance to be processed before attempting to activate your email account.
2. Create your HarvardKey, as shown above
3. Claiming your HarvardKey will prompt you to select an email address. Please allow five to seven business days for your acceptance to be processed before attempting to activate your email account

Please note: If you have special characters in your name that are in our system you may have issues setting up your HUID and email. If you would like to change your name in our system to match the spelling on your passport (which will include no special characters), please email the VUS Admissions office so that we can update your name in the Harvard system.

Get your Harvard ID Card

Once you have set up your HarvardKey, you will need to upload a photo for your Harvard ID Card. Visit the Campus Service Center website and follow the instructions there to complete your ID card application.

Please note that if you uploaded a photo or had your photo taken during Harvard Summer School, you are not required to upload a new photo.

Select and secure your personal computer

Visit Harvard University Information Technology for information on how to purchase computers, peripherals, accessories and software at special prices. 

Dudley Community

All Visiting Undergraduate Students (VUS) are affiliated with the Dudley Community during their time at Harvard. The VUS Program Manager has written an important Welcome Memo that should be carefully reviewed. It will answer most of the procedural questions you might have about arriving on campus.

The VUS Program Manager will be your primary point of contact during your time on campus and will coordinate your academic advising and housing. If you have any questions about those topics please contact the VUS Program Manager at vusprogram@fas.harvard.edu.

Housing

For the 2024-25 academic year, housing will not be offered to VUS students. You are responsible for finding your own housing near campus. Please review this Off Campus Housing Resources document for important tips about finding housing and the Dudley Community Welcome Memo for important tips about finding housing.

Health Insurance

Please review the important pages on the Harvard University Health Services website about required immunization and medical forms and health insurance. Note that the deadlines listed are for Harvard degree candidates that were admitted last spring. All VUS medical and insurance materials need to be submitted by December 1. Please check the HUHS website and this HUSHP flyer for the most up-to-date information as their policies are being updated for this upcoming year.

International Students

Shortly after you receive your admission decision, you will receive an email with information about how to apply for your student visa to Harvard sponsorship. Please carefully read through this email.

The Harvard International Office will hold an optional webinar on Wednesday, October 9 at 11am. You will receive an email with further details.

Note: International VUS program participants are ineligible to apply for off-campus work authorization (Curricular Practical Training, Optional Practical Training, Academic Training), given the non-degree nature of the program and the immigration regulations regarding such off-campus work authorizations. However, International VUS program students are encouraged to take advantage of the various on-campus opportunities or jobs that complement their coursework here at Harvard.