2.10 Readmission

2.09 Withdrawal

A student who decides to withdraw from HMS must notify the Registrar’s Office in writing of the decision to withdraw. The letter must indicate the reason for withdrawal and the effective date of withdrawal.

The Academic Progress and Review Board (APRB) for the Master’s programs, under certain circumstances, may require a student to withdraw and also may recommend that a student be dismissed or expelled. In these cases, the APRB will determine the effective date of withdrawal and notify the student in writing (see Section 3.03 for more information). The Registrar will be copied on this correspondence. Students who have a balance of $1,000 or more on their term bill at the beginning of the add/drop period for any given term will be automatically considered to be withdrawn. The registrar’s office will notify these students in writing.

In any case of withdrawal, the student’s Harvard University ID card must be turned over to the Registrar’s Office and will be deactivated on the effective date of withdrawal. The amount of tuition to be charged will be based on the date of withdrawal and the tuition and fee adjustment schedule (See Section 5.03). Students who withdraw are responsible for paying all outstanding charges on their term bill. Students receiving financial aid will need to meet with their financial aid officer to discuss implications of withdrawal on student’s financial aid. Students who live in Harvard University housing and withdraw or are required to withdraw from HMS must vacate their housing by the effective date of their withdrawal. Students who are studying in the U.S. on a visa should immediately contact the Harvard International Office to understand the impact of withdrawal on their visa status.

2.10 Readmission

Any Master’s student who has withdrawn or has been withdrawn from an HMS Master’s program and wishes to reapply for the Master’s program must follow all of the processes and procedures of the regular admissions process for that program. In addition, applications for readmission must be supported by two new letters of recommendation as well as by transcripts of any formal academic training taken since leaving HMS. Any Master’s student who was required to withdraw ordinarily may not submit an application for readmission until two academic terms have passed. Master’s students who previously had been dismissed (Section 3.04) from an HMS Master’s program by vote of the HMS Faculty Council must petition the HMS Faculty Council for approval to be readmitted to HMS. A letter requesting readmission should be sent to the Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education as chair of the Academic Progress and Review Board for the Master’s Programs no later than six months prior to the requested readmission date. The letter should specify the reasons for the petition for readmission and must describe all remedial actions and activities undertaken by the former student. Any Master’s student who was dismissed ordinarily may not submit a petition to the HMS Faculty Council until two academic terms have passed.

In all requests for readmission, consideration for readmission is given to the record of each applicant, the length of absence, the activities undertaken during the absence, including any remediation activities, and the number of student places available in the program. Students are encouraged to contact the program director before seeking readmission to clarify any courses or exams to be taken, to specify the timeframe or duration to completion of the degree, to confirm consent of the program, and to determine what additional supporting documentation should be submitted with their application. Readmission, if offered, may be conditional, requiring performance of a specific task at a specific standard, either prior to or following readmission. Students who are offered readmission may be required to retake some or all courses as outlined in the programs' plan of instruction. Credits from previous enrollment may not be awarded; this will be determined by the program leadership in consultation with the Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education and the APRB.

To be offered readmission, a student must not have any outstanding debt to the university and may need to provide evidence of ability to pay tuition during the enrolled terms. Applicants should consult the Financial Aid Office in advance regarding financial aid issues related to readmission.