What is January Term? 

January Term at HGSE (also referred to as “J-Term” and more officially across Harvard as “Winter Session”) is part of a University-wide initiative to create meaningful for-credit and noncredit opportunities for student learning and development during a two week period. At HGSE, we are proud to have one of the most vibrant January learning environments at Harvard.  

Are there additional costs associated with participating in January Term? 

No. Spring active students enrolled under the Spring flat tuition rate may take January courses at no extra charge. Noncredit activities at HGSE are generally included in regular tuition but may have fees for materials or for no-shows or late cancellations in popular offerings. Some activities offered by other Harvard schools may charge additional fees.  

Do January Term course credits count against the Spring Term maximum of 10 credits for part-time students and 20 credits for full-time students? 

January Term credits do not count against Spring Term credit maximums for part-time and full-time students. Students may take a 2 or 4 credit course in January Term, and these credits will not reduce their maximum available credits for the Spring Term.  

May I take more than one January Term module or course? 

January Term modules are intensive and require concentrated work over a brief period of time. For that reason, students are encouraged to enroll in only one January Term module or course at a time (including courses through cross-registration). Students may choose to enroll in more than one course during January Term only if the faculty members of the courses they plan to take allow students to take additional courses concurrently, but under no circumstances will students be permitted to miss class meetings due to a conflict of class meeting times. Students may enroll in no more than 4 credits during January Term.  

Can I audit HGSE in-person courses? 

Please see this page on the RO website for updated information about the HGSE auditing policy.

I will complete my Ed.M. requirements in Fall and am a February degree candidate. Am I able to enroll in January Term courses? 

Congratulations on completing your degree requirements at the end of the Fall term! Since you have completed all your degree requirements by the end of the Fall term, you will not have an active status for upcoming terms, including January term; therefore, you will not be able to enroll in January or Spring courses.  

Can students from other schools cross-register into HGSE January Term courses? 

Many HGSE January Term courses allow cross-registration. Cross-registrants must follow all the same process steps (e.g., application for course admission, meeting enrollment deadlines, etc.) as HGSE students, in addition to any requirements for cross-registration into any University course (such as obtaining an instructor permission in order to enroll). Harvard College does not permit cross-registration of undergraduate students in January Term.  

Who should I contact for more January Term Enrollment information? 

Please contact the Office of the Registrar at registrar@gse.harvard.edu