All HST students are required to register at MIT during each regular term (fall and spring) of enrollment in their program.
HST MD students are also required to register at HMS each year. MEMP PhD candidates enrolled through Harvard SEAS or Harvard Biophysics must also register at Harvard GSAS each term.
Important Dates 2022-23
Fall 2022 Registration Dates
Monday, August 29: MIT On-Line Registration Opens
Wednesday, August 31: GSAS Classes begin
Tuesday, September 6: HST Classes @ HMS begin (HST 146 begins week before; see individual course calendar)
Tuesday, September 6: Registration Day at MIT
Wednesday, September 7: MIT Classes begin
Friday, September 9: Registration Forms must be submitted via on-line registration
Spring 2022 Registration Dates
Monday, January 23: Harvard GSAS/FAS courses begin
Monday, January 30 - Friday, February 3: Registration WEEK at MIT
Monday, February 6: HST HMS Classes and MIT classes begin
Friday, February 10: Signed Registration Forms must be submitted via on-line registration
Pre-registration
Continuing students are required to pre-register for MIT subjects several months in advance of Registration Day. Pre-registration is available via WebSIS. Pre-registration deadlines are available from the MIT academic calendar.
Online Registration
MIT registration forms are available at one week prior to MIT's Registration Day. The form is populated with your pre-registration selections. (Note, the website login will indicate “Unauthorized” until the system opens.)
Advisor Meetings and Form Approval Process
Although the registration forms are on-line, you are expected to meet with your academic advisor on or before Registration Day to discuss your academic progress and course selections. In preparation for your advisor meeting, please make any adjustments to your subject selections on-line. After your advisor approves the subject selections in the system, you will receive an email, at which point you are required to complete the registration process. Registrations that are submitted after the due date may result in a late fee.
HMS MD Registration
HST MD students meet with their academic advisors at HMS to finalize both their MIT and HMS registrations. Locations of advisor meetings is sent by email prior to Registration Day.
First and second year MD students are automatically enrolled in courses for the year at HMS, but you may make changes via add/drop forms, after speaking with your advisor. Your advisor will have access to your on-line MIT registration.
Third and fourth year MD students, and upper class MD/PhD students not doing their PhD at MIT, will be automatically pre-registered for administrative course number HST.HAR, however, students must officially login on registration day to submit this selection and confirming their registration. No forms are required for HMS registration.
Summer Registration
Summer Registration is expected for most students, if you meet any of the following categories:
- Students receiving funding processed through MIT during the summer;
- Students actively working on thesis research during the summer (HST.ThG);
- Students completing Summer ICM (HST.201or HST.202);
- MIT PhD students on the September degree list (must register for HST.ThG).
Students should pre-register for summer courses on-line during the month of May and the Academic Office will approve all summer registration forms, advisor approval is not required, however students are required to SUBMIT the form online following Academic Office approval.
Calculating Research Units (HST.ThG)
Below is how many research units you should register for during summer and regular terms.
1 unit = 14 hours of work.
Summer
Full-time research over the summer = 24-28 units
There are approx 10 weeks/49 “school days” in the summer (minus July 4th holiday).
7 hours/day over the summer = 24 units ; 8 hours/day over the summer = 28 units.
Fall/Spring
When you are ONLY registering for research during fall or spring, we figure there are about 14 weeks each term, so registering for ThG at 36 units = working 36 hours per week during the regular term.
For those terms that you are also taking courses, we recommend having the ThG units + Subject units add up to 40-44. So if you are taking 24 units of coursework in the fall, you can register for 16-20 units of HST.ThG (assuming you are actually working at least 16-20 hours a week in the lab)
Harvard University Cross-Registration
Each school at Harvard maintains its own academic calendar. Please refer to the individual school's academic calendar for more detailed information. Additional resources can be found at: