Summer Study Abroad

OCS’s competitively allocated funds may be used to support the 20+ Harvard Summer School Study Abroad courses taught by Harvard faculty or summer study abroad programs offered through other institutions (see Harvard’s suggested programs list). OCS funds programs with a minimum duration of 5 weeks, although the majority of funds support programs of 8 weeks or longer. The OCS Summer Study Abroad Grant (deadline: February 17, 2012) is comprised of several funds, including the David Rockefeller International Experience Grant, which is a need-based grant aimed at students who have not previously received Harvard international funding. Depending on a student’s financial aid status, grants for summer study abroad range from $1,500 to the cost of program fee plus airfare. Last year OCS funds helped to pay for over 300 Harvard College students to study abroad in the summer.

HOW TO APPLY FOR FUNDING

To be considered for OCS funding students need to

• Apply directly to all summer programs they are considering attending, meeting all program application requirements and deadlines.
• Complete the OCS Summer Study Abroad Grant Application via the online Centralized Application for Research and Travel (CARAT) and print the cover sheet, CARAT forms, and supplemental materials.
• If required, collect letter(s) of recommendation from Harvard affiliates.
• For non-Harvard programs, applicants seeking credit must also complete the Pre-Approval of Transfer Credit for Summer Study 2012 Form.
• Bring all required materials to OCS (54 Dunster Street) between 9:00am and 3:00pm on the due date:  Friday, February 17, 2012. Early applications will be accepted in room 16 at 77 Dunster Street.

RECEIVING CREDIT FOR SUMMER INTERNATIONAL STUDY

 

Harvard Summer School

Students enrolled in a Harvard Summer School Study Abroad course will receive a letter grade (or pass/fail notation) which will be automatically entered on their Harvard College transcript.  Harvard Summer School courses may be used for General Education or Concentration credit with proper Harvard College approval. For details on individual program information sessions, please check the Harvard Summer School website.

Non-Harvard Study Abroad

Students enrolled in a non-Harvard program must request the transfer of credit from an outside institution to their Harvard transcript. Students are required to take non-Harvard courses for a letter grade, but transfer credit will appear as pass/fail on the Harvard transcript and will not count towards students’ GPA.

Students must apply for transfer credit, using the Pre-Approval of Transfer Credit for Summer Study 2012 Form. Although students must submit this form before enrolling in a study abroad program, final credit approval cannot be processed until after the coursework has been completed, reviewed by an adviser, and Harvard has received an official copy of the transcript from the host institution.  Students should arrange for a copy of their transcript to be sent to Jeff Hayes (77 Dunster St., Cambridge, MA 02138) and, in addition, should order a copy of the transcript for their own records, as transcripts sent to Harvard will not be returned to the student. Students may also need additional copies of their transcript for graduate school applications, fellowship competitions, etc.

For students applying for Harvard funding, the Pre-Approval of Transfer Credit for Summer Study 2012 Form must be submitted along with the funding application due on February 17, 2012. For students not applying for Harvard funding and who wish to receive transfer credit for non-Harvard summer abroad coursework, the Pre-Approval of Transfer Credit for Summer Study 2012 Form is due by April 13, 2012 to room 16 at 77 Dunster Street.

Other Resources

• Funding Sources Database
• Centralized Application for Research and Travel (CARAT)
• Harvard Summer School
• Non-Harvard Suggested Summer Abroad Programs
• Office of International Education
• OIE Study Abroad Events Calendar

Looking for the right study abroad program for you? Check out Abroad101, a study abroad review website featuring detailed program evaluations covering everything from academics to language and cost of living. Abroad101 lets you read reviews from fellow Harvard students as well as students at other schools, so you can access everything you need to make the most informed program choice!
Disclaimer: As with other sites supporting user-generated content, Abroad101 publishes student feedback on study abroad programs that are strictly the individual views and experiences of those students. Harvard University does not claim responsibility for the views expressed by these students or for the language used to express such views. Please bear in mind that experiences will vary by student according to his or her preparation and/or goals. Please also note that Abroad101 publishes student feedback on a wide range of study abroad programs, some of which are not on Harvard's Suggested Programs list.