General Information
Career Discovery is open to anyone graduating high school in 2013 or older with an interest in design or planning. A high level of academic skill is necessary to take full advantage of our program.
Program dates:
June 10 - July 19, 2013
The online application deadlines are as follows:
For international applicants: on or before April 1, 2013
For all other applicants: on or before April 30, 2013
We encourage you to submit your application early as applications are reviewed and accepted in the order that they are received.
Financial Aid
A limited amount of need-based financial aid is available to a small number of students each year. Financial aid takes into account many factors; however, as a guide, if the applicant’s and parents' (if appropriate) combined adjusted gross income exceeds $40,000, an award is unlikely. Career Discovery financial aid is not federally subsidized and is available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents only. International students are not eligible to apply.
FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION (PDF)
Financial Aid applications are not submitted online, but should be mailed to the Career Discovery office by April 30, 2013 or earlier at the address below. Please Note: Financial Aid applications will not be reviewed if a complete program application has not also been submitted. Late financial aid applications will not be considered.
Certification and Academic Credit
Each successful Career Discovery participant receives a certificate from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and a written evaluation from his or her instructor. Although the GSD cannot offer undergraduate academic credit for Career Discovery, some colleges and universities will award academic credit for a student’s participation in our program.
International Students
All international applications must be received by April 1, 2013. International applications received after April 1 will not be considered.
International students are required to enter the U.S. on an F-1 student visa. You will be required to certify program fees and living expenses in the amount of $4,185.00USD before the visa document may be issued. Please consult the American Embassy in your home country immediately upon acceptance into Career Discovery in order to begin the visa process.
If you are currently studying in the U.S. and will not be graduating this year, you do not need to apply for a new visa from Harvard; you may attend on your current F1 visa. You must, however, ask your school's international office for approval to attend our program.
If you are currently studying in the U.S. and will be graduating in Spring 2013, you will need to complete a transfer form, which you may download at:
http://www.hio.harvard.edu/hioforms/FJStudentTransferForm.pdf
Please be sure to attach the photocopies of your immigration documents (forms I-20, DS-2019 or I-797, I-94 card, visa stamp) with your school's letter and/or visa transfer form.
International students must demonstrate proficiency in English by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Students are expected to receive a minimum total score of 104 on the TOEFL iBT, with individual section scores of 26 or above. If TOEFL iBT is not available, you must take the paper-based TOEFL. Applicants must achieve a minimum total score of 600 on the paper-based TOEFL and a minimum of 60 on each of the three sections.
When requesting that scores be sent to Harvard University, use the institution code for the Graduate School of Design (3455).
Please visit http://www.ets.org/toefl/ for more information about the TOEFL, and please contact the Career Discovery office if you have any questions.
Housing
We encourage participants to use Career Discovery housing in the nearby Harvard Law School dormitories or arrange to live near the University. Dormitory housing is supervised by student proctors; the cost of a single room is $1,200. Students using Harvard housing are asked to move in one day before the program begins and move out one day after the program ends. Upon your acceptance to the program, you will be given the option to select housing.
Please note: Dormitory space is limited and will be issued in the order that applications are received. When dorm space is not available, students will be responsible for obtaining off-campus accommodations. Refunds will not be given to a participant who chooses to withdraw from the housing option after June 7, 2013.
Immunization Regulations
All Career Discovery participants must comply with Massachusetts and University regulations requiring proof of immunization against certain communicable diseases. Participants must submit a completed Career Discovery Immunization Form signed by their healthcare provider to the Career Discovery Manager by May 24. Forms will be made available after admittance.
Commuting
We discourage commuting because of the intensity of the program. If you must commute, we recommend public transportation because parking in Cambridge is notoriously difficult. A few permits for on campus parking are available for purchase; for information see www.uos.harvard.edu/transportation/parking/.
Campus Security
The Harvard University Police Department publishes an annual security booklet entitled Playing It Safe, which describes Harvard’s security policies, provides campus crime statistics, and outlines some of the counseling programs offered by the University. You may obtain a copy of the booklet at www.hupd.harvard.edu/playing_it_safe.php/.
Nondiscrimination Policy
In accordance with Harvard University policy, the Graduate School of Design does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, veteran status, or handicap in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in its programs and activities. For inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy, please contact the Director of Human Resources, Graduate School of Design, 48 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA 02138; 617-495-4323. In addition, inquiries regarding the application of nondiscrimination policies on race, color, national origin, age, sex, or handicap may be referred to the Regional Director, Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, J.W. McCormack Post Office and Courthouse, Room 222, Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02109-4557.
