You’d think that if you finally got into Harvard, the last thing you’d want to do is leave. Seriously. You spent years grinding for that crimson sweatshirt, so why pack a bag for Prague or Kyoto the second you get there? It feels counterintuitive. But honestly, Harvard study abroad programs are basically the worst-kept secret for students who realize that as great as the Widener Library is, it doesn't actually contain the whole world.
There's this weird myth that Harvard is a closed ecosystem. People assume you're trapped in the "Harvard Bubble" for four years of intense, sleepless networking. That's just not true. About half of every graduating class ends up doing some kind of international work, research, or study. Whether it’s a summer in Venice or a full semester in Seoul, the school actually pushes you out the door. They want you to leave. They even pay for it.
Why Harvard study abroad programs aren't just for "vacationing"
Let’s be real. Some people hear "study abroad" and think of someone drinking espresso in a piazza while "finding themselves." At Harvard, the Office of International Education (OIE) is pretty strict about making sure you’re actually, you know, studying. You can’t just pick a random school and hope for the best.
The university has a curated list of approved programs. If you want to go off-list, you have to petition for it, which is a whole thing. The goal is to make sure the rigor matches what you’d get in Cambridge. Take the Harvard Summer Program in Seoul, for example. You aren’t just wandering around Myeong-dong; you’re often taking courses like "Two Koreas" alongside local students at Ewha Womans University. It's intense. It’s gritty. You’re learning about the DMZ while standing a few miles away from it.
The money thing (and it’s a big deal)
Here is the part that usually shocks people. If you’re on financial aid at Harvard, that aid follows you. Period.
Harvard is committed to a "transfer of aid" policy for semester-term programs. If it costs more to live in London for a term than it does in a Harvard House, the school often adjusts your package to cover the difference. This makes Harvard study abroad programs some of the most accessible in the Ivy League. It levels the playing field. It means the kid from a small town on a full ride has the same shot at a semester in South Africa as the kid with a trust fund.
Summer programs are a bit different, though. Since summer isn't a standard term, you usually apply for separate funding. But the Harvard Global Support Services and various centers—like the Reischauer Institute or the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies (DRCLAS)—hand out millions in grants. You just have to be willing to do the paperwork.
The sheer variety of ways to get out
You aren't stuck with just one "type" of experience.
Harvard splits things up. You’ve got your term-time study abroad, your Harvard-led summer programs, and your independent research or internships.
Term-time study is for the deep thinkers. You enroll in a foreign university—think Oxford, Sciences Po, or the University of Havana—and you become a student there for four to five months. You aren’t in a "Harvard bubble" abroad; you’re just a regular student. It's terrifying. It’s also where the most growth happens because no one is there to hold your hand when the Parisian bureaucracy gets annoying.
Then you have the Harvard Summer School (HSS) programs. These are "faculty-led." A Harvard professor basically takes a group of 15 to 30 students to a specific city. You take two courses, often for eight credits, and the city becomes your classroom. Imagine studying the history of the Roman Empire while sitting in the literal Forum. It’s curated, but it’s high-quality.
Research and Internships: The "non-study" study abroad
Some people don't want to sit in a lecture hall. I get it.
Harvard’s Mignone Center for Career Success is the hub for international internships. You could be working at a tech startup in Tel Aviv or a healthcare non-profit in Peru. These aren't always for credit, but they are often funded. Then there's the research. If you’re writing a thesis on 18th-century French architecture, Harvard might literally pay for your flight and a month of housing in Paris so you can look at the actual buildings. It’s a level of resource-richness that’s honestly kind of insane.
The hurdles nobody warns you about
It’s not all easy.
The biggest headache? Credit transfer. Harvard is famously picky about what counts toward your concentration (your major). Just because you took a "History of Cinema" class in Madrid doesn’t mean the History Department in Cambridge will accept it. You have to get pre-approval. You have to save every syllabus. You have to advocate for yourself.
And then there’s the social FOMO.
Harvard’s social life is built around the "House System." When you leave for a semester, you’re missing out on House formals, late-night dining hall chats, and the general vibe of your cohort. Some students find it hard to reintegrate when they come back. They feel like they’ve aged five years while their friends are still worried about the same campus drama. It’s a trade-off.
How to actually make this happen
If you're looking at Harvard study abroad programs, don't wait until your junior year to start asking questions. That's the classic mistake.
- Start at the OIE website. It’s the gatekeeper. Look at the "Approved Programs" list first before you get your heart set on some obscure school in the Alps that Harvard doesn't recognize.
- Talk to your Resident Dean. You need their blessing to leave. They’ll check your GPA and your disciplinary record. If you’re on thin ice, you probably aren’t going anywhere.
- Follow the money. Look at the specific regional centers. If you want to go to Brazil, talk to DRCLAS. If you want to go to Tokyo, go to the Reischauer Institute. These places have their own pots of money that are separate from the main financial aid office.
- Mind the deadlines. For summer programs, deadlines usually hit in late January or early February. For fall semesters abroad, you're looking at a March deadline. Miss it by a day? You’re staying in Cambridge.
What really stays with you
At the end of the day, Harvard is a pressure cooker. It’s an amazing, life-changing pressure cooker, but it’s still one. Getting out—seeing how people in Santiago or Berlin or Singapore view the world—is the only way to realize that the "Harvard way" isn't the only way.
Most students who come back from these programs describe a shift in perspective. They’re less stressed about the "A-" and more interested in the global context of what they’re learning. They realize that Harvard is a tool, not the destination.
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Actionable steps for prospective and current students
- Visit the Smith Campus Center: The Office of International Education is on the 7th floor. Go there and talk to a human.
- Check the "H-IO" database: Look for student evaluations of past programs. See which ones were actually worth the hype and which ones were just disorganized.
- Draft a "Change of Enrollment" petition: If you're going during the term, this is your most important document. It’s where you prove that your time away will be academically equivalent to a term in Cambridge.
- Attend the Study Abroad Fair: Usually held in the fall, this is where you can talk to "Returnees"—students who just got back. They’ll give you the real tea on housing, food, and whether the professors are actually good.
Don't let the fear of missing out on campus keep you from the world. Harvard is still going to be there when you get back. The library isn't moving. The statue of John Harvard will still have a shiny shoe. But you? You’ll be different. That's the whole point.