Launching International Programs

The PIFIE committee has developed the following guidance to inform interested faculty of the Harvard College policies and procedures relevant to launching international programs for undergraduates. Such programs might be comprised of academic coursework, research, service, or an internship (or some combination). 

Note that the PIFIE Committee is not the governing body for any policies outlined herein.

For Programs with Academic Credit

There are two ways in which students can receive credit toward their Harvard degree for courses taken abroad: 

  1. Transfer credit
    Faculty interested in creating a program that involves coursework at a foreign institution must have the courses approved by the Office of International Education (OIE) for general elective credit. Courses taught at a foreign institution must be letter graded and will be recorded on the Harvard transcript as “credit.” 
  2. Harvard courses, Harvard credit
    Faculty interested in creating a program that involves Harvard faculty-taught courses abroad for letter-graded, Harvard credit, must have the course(s) approved by an academic department’s curriculum review committee. Currently, the only entity that facilitates the offering of departmentally-approved, Harvard-credit courses taught abroad is the Harvard Summer School. 

Summer vs. term-time teaching abroad

  • Summer
    Faculty who wish to lead an academic program abroad in the summer (for which Harvard courses and grades are offered) generally offer courses through the Harvard Summer School. Programs should be proposed at least 18 months in advance, in collaboration with the faculty member’s department. Faculty are compensated by HSS. For more information on how to propose a course for the Harvard Summer School, please contact Matilda West, Director of Summer Study Abroad Programs.
  • Term-time
    Faculty who wish to lead international term-time programs (during a semester in which the faculty member is not on leave but proposes to be on site abroad) are required to obtain approval to be relieved of their on-campus teaching obligation from their department chair as well as the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences or the Dean of their School. 

For Programs without Academic Credit

Programs not offering academic credit, be they research, internship, or service programs, are not generally evaluated by an academic curriculum review committee. Non-academic programs are usually developed in coordination with a regional or international center, or an administrative unit that can offer faculty help in program development, budgeting and billing, health, travel, and safety matters, and communication with students in recruiting, selecting, and placement for the program.

For All Programs

Global Support Services

The Office of Global Support Services at Harvard is the place to start when planning an international program.  Here you can learn about country risk ratings, the Undergraduate Travel Policy, and have individual consultations with experienced international safety and security experts.   

International Travel Restrictions 

Harvard’s student travel policy sets forth restrictions for undergraduates and post-baccalaureate fellows traveling with Harvard sponsorship and traveling on trips organized or led by a Harvard faculty or staff member.  Faculty should become familiar with the Global Support Services (GSS) Travel Risk Ratings.  Harvard-sponsored travel to high risk regions is prohibited and travel to elevated-risk regions is generally permitted, but subject to restrictions.  For more information on the Harvard College International Travel Policy and the Travel Risk Ratings, visit the GSS website.  

Harvard Use-of-Name Policy 

The University governs the use of the Harvard name for any type of program, initiative or activity via the Harvard Trademark Program. The Trademark Program works with Harvard faculty and staff to help ensure both policy compliance and effective branding. Faculty who wish to use the Harvard name in a new program should be familiar with the Use-of-Name Policy and contact the Trademark Program. 

Program Cost Recovery and Student Fees

There are a variety of approaches to the cost recovery for programs abroad, but almost all programs recoup some or all of the program costs through student participation fees. Faculty will need to determine an appropriate fee structure and collection process, usually facilitated by an administrative unit such as the Harvard Summer School or an international or area studies center. 

Harvard offers comprehensive need-based financial aid to eligible students to support study abroad costs during the academic year, such that the cost for studying abroad during term-time will not be higher than it would be for a semester on campus. Student funding for summer international experiences generally comes from grants offered by various Harvard entities (e.g. Office of Career Services, academic departments, international and area studies centers). For more information on student grants for international experiences, please visit the OIE website. 

 

International and Area Studies Centers 

The following international and area studies centers and institutes may be able to provide you with in-country contact information, guidance, and other useful information.