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Fall 2024 Registration Information for Students

Now through Fall 2024 registration period

 Check my.harvard for immunization and advising holds

If you have an immunization hold, check your status in the HUHS Patient Portal.

  • If you need updated immunizations, call HUHS for an appointment at 617-495-5711 
  •  Processing Time: Care received outside of HUHS may take 10-15 business days to process

If you have an advising hold, meet with your academic advisor. Advisors can now lift holds.


 Review changes to registration

New course information in Canvas

Basic syllabus details for each course will be available in Canvas during registration. You will be able to view details such as assignments, grading, course goals/format, and more in the my.harvard to help you make enrollment decisions.

Discussion sections and labs

For Fall 2024 Registration, some courses, especially those offered annually and with generally predictable enrollments, you will select your section time as you register. Other courses with less predictable enrollments or space constraints (like lab courses), will prompt you to enroll in the untimed placeholder section when you register. You will be asked to submit section time preferences during registration. Sections will be finalized shortly after the end of registration. 

Limited enrollment courses

Once limited enrollment courses are full (courses that only permit a specified number of students to register), you will no longer be able to enroll. Some of these courses may offer additional features which will be indicated in the my.harvard course search:

  • Waitlists: If a course chooses to offer a waitlist, you may add yourself to the waitlist when the add/drop period opens.
  • Reserved seats: These courses may reserve seats for specific groups of students such as cross registrants or incoming students.
  • Petitions: Limited enrollment petitions timelines can be found here. There are defined FAS dates for limited enrollment course processes. Some programs, such as General Education, First Year Seminars and Expos Writing Program may have different deadlines for their selection processes. Please consult with individual courses to confirm deadlines.

 

 Clear holds in my.harvard impacting registration

  • You will see holds on your account during registration and you may see a different set of holds again when check-in opens in August. While holds must be cleared to enroll in courses, a hold will not prevent you from submitting instructor permission.  

 Register for courses 

  • Basic syllabus details will be available on courses’ Canvas websites to help you make enrollment decisions. This will include details such as assignments, grading, course goals/format, and more. If basic syllabus details are missing, please contact the instructor. 
  • Discussion sections and labs: If you are taking a course with a discussion section or lab, you will need to register for a timed section. If you cannot find a timed section that works for you, you can enroll in a placeholder section during the registration process. Some courses may only offer untimed, placeholder sections and ask that you submit preferences from among a set of times. During registration and the August add/drop period, you can swap section enrollments if needed.  
  • Cross-registration: If you plan to cross register at another school, you will need to register for courses through two distinct processes (during FAS Fall Registration and during the other schools' registration). Cross registration for the Harvard Divinity School will open in April.     

 Important: Once the selected students have enrolled and the course has reached its enrollment limit, you will not be able to enroll. Instructor permission does not override a closed class. Starting with Fall 2024 registration, instructors can cancel approved petitions for students who have not enrolled in a class or are not on the waitlist for a class.

 Enter lotteries for limited enrollment courses

  • Some courses have enrollment limits or run course lotteries. Departments determine their own selection process, and you can check course Canvas sites and my.harvard course descriptions for details about the process and the individual course deadlines.
  • Petitions: Some programs may have different deadlines, so please consult with individual courses to confirm deadlines.

 

 Complete the online check-in process in my.harvard by September 3

  • Check-in opens on August 13,  before classes start.
  • Spring 2024 check-in is due on September 3.

 Clear new holds in my.harvard applied during start of term

Take time to clear any additional holds applied to your account during check-in. You must clear these holds by the start of term, or you will be prevented from making any enrollment changes and will have to pay associated fees. Further, if the hold persists you could be prevented from registering in an upcoming term.

 Adjust your schedule during open add/drop 

Open add/drop period: You will be able to make changes to your schedule without instructor permission during the open add/drop period.

  • Waitlists: If a course offers a waitlist, you may add yourself through first week of classes.
  • You can swap discussion section and lab enrollments
  • You can cross register for other Harvard schools and MIT when their enrollment opens. Please consult individual school calendars for more details.

 

Harvard Griffin GSAS Students

Now – Fall 2024 registration period

 Clear immunization and financial holds

If you have an immunization hold, check your status in the HUHS Patient Portal.

  • If you need a flu shot, call HUHS for an appointment at 617-495-5711 
  •  Processing Time: Care received outside of HUHS may take 10-15 business days to process

Financial holds will be tied to any balance related to the current term’s bill or recent charges. Term bills for the upcoming term will be due in the typical time frame. Future charges will not impact student ability to register for classes for the upcoming term.

 Review changes to registration

Cross registration and interfaculty programs

If you plan to cross register at another school or are in an interfaculty program, you will need to register for courses through two distinct processes. Please do not register for placeholder courses – Harvard Griffin GSAS students will not be penalized for not completing full-time registration during April. Late enrollment fees will be applied when the Fall term begins for those who are not enrolled.

  1. For any course offered through the FAS (or the Divinity School), you must register for that course during FAS Fall registration (please check with Divinity for their registration timeline).
  2. For any course you wish to take offered at another Harvard School (other than FAS or the Divinity), you will need to register at the start of the Fall term.

Discussion sections and labs

  • For Fall 2024 Registration, some courses, especially those offered annually and with generally predictable enrollments, you will select your section time as you register. Other courses with less predictable enrollments or space constraints (like lab courses), will prompt you to enroll in the untimed placeholder section when you register. You will be asked to submit section time preferences during registration. Sections will be finalized shortly after the end of registration.  

 

 Clear holds in my.harvard impacting registration

  • You will see holds on your account during registration and you may see a different set of holds again when check-in opens in August. While holds must be cleared to enroll in courses, a hold will not prevent you from submitting instructor permission.   

 Register for courses

  • Basic syllabus details will be available on courses’ Canvas websites to help you make enrollment decisions. This will include details such as assignments, grading, course goals/format, and more. If basic syllabus details are missing, please contact the instructor. 
  • Discussion sections and labs: Some courses may ask you to register for a timed section, or an untimed placeholder section. Some courses may only offer placeholder sections. During registration and the add/drop period, you can swap section enrollments if needed. 
  • Cross-registration/interfaculty programs: If you plan to cross register at another school or are in an interfaculty program, you will need to register for courses through two distinct processes (during FAS Fall registration and during the other schools' registration). 
    • Cross registration for the Harvard Divinity School will open in April. 
    • Please do not register for placeholder courses – Harvard Griffin GSAS students will not be penalized for not completing full-time registration during April. Late enrollment fees will be applied when Fall term begins for those who are not enrolled.
  • Request instructor permission: If your course requires instructor permission to enroll, request instructor permission in my.harvard. Required petitions for cross-registration or Independent Study must be approved for you to formally enroll in courses.

 Important: Beginning with Fall 2024 Registration, instructors can cancel approved petitions for students who have not enrolled in a class and are not on the waitlist for a class.

March Graduates and Master's in Passing:

 Students completing a Master’s in Passing do need to register for Spring courses.

 Students graduating in May 2025 do not need to register for Fall courses. Once you apply to graduate, you will no longer receive registration reminders.

 

 Complete the online check-in process in my.harvard by September 3

  • Check-in opens on August 13 before classes start.
  • Spring 2024 check-in is due on September 3.

 Clear new holds in my.harvard applied during start of term

Take time to clear any additional holds applied to your account during check-in. You must clear these holds by the start of term, or you will be prevented from making any enrollment changes and will have to pay associated fees. Further, if the hold persists you could be prevented from registering in an upcoming term.

 Adjust your schedule during open add/drop

Open add/drop period: You will be able to make changes to your schedule without instructor permission during the open add/drop period.

  • You can swap discussion section and lab enrollments
  • If you plan to cross register at another school or are in an interfaculty program, you can cross register for other Harvard schools and MIT starting the Fall term, and when their enrollment opens. Cross registration for the Harvard Divinity School will open in April. Please consult individual school calendars for more details.