Contingency Plans for GSD International Students

A group of people walk down an internal staircase in the GSD trays.

At the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD), in-person instruction on campus is fundamental to our approach to design education. Our school’s internationalism is equally important for the range of ideas, perspectives, experiences, and aspirations our international students bring to the classroom and our community. Because of recent actions taken by the federal government regarding international student visa sponsorship and entries, however, we have undertaken contingency planning to provide temporary options for students facing immigration or visa-related constraints to pursue their studies. These options include the possibility for affected students to take courses virtually. Please note that all courses will take place according to the normal course schedule, which extends from morning to evening Eastern Standard Time / Eastern Daylight Time.

For New, Incoming International Students Only

If you are a new, incoming international student and immigration-related constraints or denials prevent you from attending in person this fall, the GSD intends to offer two alternatives: you may either enroll in your program and begin your studies virtually (including any required pre-term workshops), or you may request a one-year deferral to enroll. If you request to begin your studies virtually, please note that all courses will take place according to the normal course schedule, which extends from morning to evening Eastern Standard Time / Eastern Daylight Time. On a case-by-case basis, students who begin their studies virtually will also be allowed to shift to in-person instruction if their status changes mid-semester.

Approval for either option is required. To pursue one of them, you will be asked to provide documentation of your situation and to submit a petition requesting your preferred option. The petition form will be available in your Admitted Student Portal  beginning July 15, with a final submission deadline of August 15. Please keep a close watch for future communications, and please know that we are here to support you and are committed to giving you every opportunity to attend in person.


For Returning International Students Only

If you are a returning international student and immigration-related constraints or denials prevent you from attending in person this fall, the GSD intends to offer two alternatives: you may continue your studies virtually, or you may request a leave of absence. If you request to continue your studies virtually, please note that all courses will take place according to the normal course schedule, which extends from morning to evening Eastern Standard Time / Eastern Daylight Time. On a case-by-case basis, students who begin their semester virtually will also be allowed to shift to in-person instruction if their status changes mid-semester, depending on the situation.

Approval for either option is required. To pursue one of them, you will need to provide documentation of your situation and submit a request that includes your preferred option to [email protected] no later than Friday, August 15, 2025.


Next Steps For All International Students

All international students, returning and incoming should:

  • As soon as possible, continue with the normal visa application process, and/or renew your visa as needed.
  • New, incoming international students, please use this form to keep the Harvard International Office (HIO) updated on your visa status as your application progresses.
  • Returning international students should notify the Registrar’s Office as soon as possible if they encounter any difficulties obtaining a visa or entering the United States. New, incoming international students should reach out to [email protected].
  • Please watch your email closely and please visit this page as well as the HIO’s website regularly for updates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Virtual Option

A virtual option will be offered but only to students unable to come to the United States due to visa or entry restrictions. Students interested in pursuing this option must also be approved to do so. They may submit a petition to request it between July 15 and August 15.

If you opt for the virtual option and your visa issues are resolved after the semester begins, you will likely be able to transition to in-person classes at the GSD in Cambridge. You must be in touch with the GSD’s Registrar’s Office to discuss your specific circumstances if this is a transition you wish to pursue.

At this time, the only courses students should count on being able to attend virtually are GSD courses. It is unclear what instruction modes other Harvard Schools will be offering. It appears unlikely that MIT will be offering courses virtually.

No, you are required to continue your studies in-person and on campus once you are able to enter the U.S. on a student visa.

No, you are required to continue your studies in-person and on campus once you are able to enter the U.S. on a student visa.

You may participate in the pre-term workshops virtually, but you are expected to arrive in person in Cambridge as soon as possible.

The governmental authorities in some foreign countries may not officially recognize credits from courses taken online at international institutions. If you have questions about how the virtual option could affect recognition of your course credit by governmental authorities in your home country, we recommend consulting your local educational authorities.

No, your tuition amount will remain the same.

VISAS

The GSD’s top priority is to welcome all students to our campus in Cambridge. These contingency plans are necessary only in the event that international students are unable to come to the United States, and so these two options are only available for students who are unable to enter the U.S. due to visa complications.

No. A tourist visa is not valid for credit-bearing or full-time study. Students who enter the country with a tourist visa with the intention of studying in their academic program would be considered out of status, which would result in withdrawal from the GSD and may also have a negative impact on obtaining a future visa.

Transfers & deferrals

No, the GSD does not accept transfer credit. Although you can petition to waive a required GSD course because of prior enrollment in a course that covers that material, you would still need to replace that course’s units with an equivalent number of units from a different course completed while enrolled at the GSD. Having a course waived absolves students of a requirement for a specific course, but not the number of units needed to meet the degree requirements.

Yes, but it may mean you will be on leave for both the spring 2026 and fall 2026 semesters in order to maintain your core course sequencing (this is relevant for the following degree programs: MArch I, MArch I AP, MLA I, MLA I AP, MUP, MRE, MDE). The deadline for requesting a leave of absence for spring 2026 is November 1, 2025. Students who want to request a leave of absence should contact the GSD’s Registrar’s Office at [email protected].

At this time, we are still in the planning stages and cannot confirm whether a virtual option will be available for students in fall 2026.

No. If you successfully complete the English for Design course this summer, you would not be required to enroll again. We may, however, ask you to submit a Duolingo test result next spring and/or take a refresher course in your home country.

Training, Employment & housing

Students must study under their F-1 visa for two consecutive semesters before they are eligible for CPT. So, if you are able to join us in person for the Spring 2026 semester, and are also enrolled in the Fall 2026 semester, you would first be eligible to utilize CPT in January 2027.

Students must study under their F-1 visa for two consecutive semesters before they are eligible for OPT or CPT, and must be on an active F-1 visa during the time in which they utilize these opportunities. Please consult the Registrar’s Office at [email protected] with questions about how this might impact you specifically.

No. Students outside the U.S. will not be eligible to be hired as an employee at Harvard. This includes teaching assistants, teaching associates, teaching fellows, research assistants, and research associates.

Students assigned housing in Dane Hall who choose a leave of absence, deferral, or virtual option for the fall should notify [email protected] for further guidance.

Studio programs

Building on our experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are well-prepared to offer studio courses remotely through a synchronous online format. In addition, we are actively exploring collaborations with global partners to establish local hubs and provide supplementary resources.

Yes, the GSD will continue to offer travel studios.