Auditing Courses at Harvard
Harvard is composed of 13 schools: Harvard College and 12 graduate and professional schools. Fellows frequently audit courses at the Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Divinity School, and Harvard Business School, in addition to the Graduate School of Design.
Please note that the auditing process can vary by school and by instructor. As a general rule, you must obtain approval from the instructor (faculty member) in order to audit a class. When you reach out, be sure to copy or include the course’s teaching assistant, if applicable.
The following is information you can copy and share with faculty whose course you want to audit. Jamie can also to provide a letter directly to the professor, if needed. Contact her directly for assistance.
The Loeb Fellowship is a unique mid-career Fellowship within the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Each year, up to ten national and international accomplished practitioners, whose work advances positive social outcomes in the built and natural environment, are selected as Fellows for one academic year. In the middle of promising careers, Loeb Fellows step away from their hectic professional lives for the opportunity to audit classes throughout the vast network of Harvard and MIT; engage with faculty and students; participate in Fellowship events; and collaborate with their peers. Upon completing the academic year, they become part of a powerful growing network of colleagues passionately committed to revitalizing communities.
Over the last 56 years, Loeb Fellows have had the opportunity to audit courses throughout many Harvard and MIT schools. Should you like more information or have any questions regarding the Loeb Fellowship or the Fellows, please contact Jamie Blosser, curator of the Loeb Fellowship, at [email protected]. Thank you in advance for your consideration.
You can find a complete list of courses on My.Harvard.
Below are some of the schools we work with most often, along with links to their Registrar’s Offices and additional information about how to register to audit, including any required documentation or forms.
Graduate School of Design (GSD) 617-496-1237; [email protected]
Get permission: Contact the course instructor directly to ask for their explicit consent to audit the class.
Submit an Audit Petition Form, and Registrar approval by the end of the first week of classes.
Restrictions: Auditing is restricted to in-person lecture courses; studios cannot be audited.
College: 617-495-1543; [email protected]
Get permission: Contact the course instructor directly to ask for their explicit consent to audit the class.
Manual Access: If the instructor agrees, you do not enroll through my.harvard. Instead, ask the instructor to manually add you to the course’s learning management systems or Canvas materials.
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) 617-495-1543; [email protected]
Get permission: Contact the course instructor directly to ask for their explicit consent to audit the class.
There are three signatures you need to complete; contact the Registrar’s Office for the forms.
Business School (HBS) 617-495-6247; [email protected]
Get permission: Contact the course instructor directly to ask for their explicit consent to audit the class.
There is a fee to audit courses. The Loeb office will cover this cost internally. Ask the TA to connect with the Loeb office for additional questions.
Divinity School (HDS) 617-495-5760; [email protected]
Get permission: Contact the course instructor directly to ask for their explicit consent to audit the class and forward the permission to [email protected].
Sumbit Auditor Form by September 14th. There is a cost mentioned in the form, but it is waived for LOEB and a few other fellowship programs based here in Cambridge.
Kennedy School of Government (HKS) 617-495-1155; [email protected]
Get permission: Contact the course instructor directly to ask for their explicit consent to audit the class.
Manual Access: If the instructor agrees, you do not enroll through my.harvard. Instead, ask the instructor to manually add you to the course’s learning management systems or Canvas materials.
Law School (HLS) 617-495-4612; [email protected]
Get permission: Contact the course instructor directly to ask for their explicit consent to audit the class.
File an official request through the HLS Audit Forms page using your Harvard Key.
Deadlines: Petitions must be submitted during specific intake windows each term (for instance, fall deadlines typically run from late August through early September). Final approval depends on seat availability and the Office of the Registrar.
Graduate School of Education (GSE) 617-384-0258; [email protected]
Get permission: Contact the course instructor directly to ask for their explicit consent to audit the class.
Complete and submit the Non-Degree Course Audit Form. The form for Fall 2026 will open in August.
Once submitted you will receive an email within 3-5 business days with instructions on how to complete your enrollment and course audit registration. You can view dates on the Academic Calendar.
Auditing Courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Loeb Fellows may audit courses at MIT. The process is similar to auditing a course at Harvard: you must first obtain permission from the course instructor. At MIT, auditors are referred to as having “listener status.”
Instructors will let students know whether listeners are permitted. Please note that you cannot register as a listener for UROP courses or other individualized subjects.