Readmission after Requirement to Withdraw for Disciplinary or Academic Reasons

Students who have been required to withdraw will be readmitted only if they can present convincing evidence that they are likely to achieve good standing with respect to both their academic record and conduct if given a second opportunity to study at Harvard. In all such cases the student must petition the Administrative Board to be readmitted to the College, and the Board's decision will depend on its judgment of the student's readiness to resume his or her studies and to rejoin the College community.

Students required to withdraw should not assume that readmission is automatic. Rather, they must fulfill to the satisfaction of the Administrative Board the Faculty's and the Board's minimum requirements for readmission listed below, and they must also meet any special requirements set by the Administrative Board and described in the letter sent them by the Allston Burr Resident Dean or the Resident Dean of Freshmen when they were required to withdraw. Examples of such additional, special requirements are (1) a specified level of achievement in a session of the Harvard Summer School, and (2) more than two terms spent away from the College and the Harvard campus. In certain cases, a student may also be requested to consult with the University Health Services prior to return. The Administrative Board will not ordinarily approve the return of a student for the fall term whose experience in the Harvard Summer School in the previous summer has been unsuccessful or unsatisfactory. If a student is in any doubt as to the requirements for her or his readmission following a requirement to withdraw, it is the student's responsibility to contact the Allston Burr Resident Dean or Resident Dean of Freshmen for clarification.

Students request readmission through their Allston Burr Resident Deans or Resident Deans for Freshmen, who present the students' petitions to the Administrative Board. A petition for readmission is not normally considered before December or May prior to the term for which readmission is sought, and the petition must ordinarily be filed at least eight weeks in advance of the beginning of the term for which the student seeks readmission. Earlier deadlines for housing and financial aid applications will pertain even though petitions for readmission cannot be considered before December or May.

Minimum general prerequisites for readmission are:

1. A specified period of time (at the very least, one full term) spent away from Harvard College and University property.
2. A specified period of time (at the very least, one full term) spent away from Harvard College and University property.
3. Both residence and employment away from the Harvard campus for the period of withdrawal prior to readmission unless other arrangements have been specially approved in advance by the Administrative Board.
4. An acceptable record of performance for a minimum of six months of continuous, regular, full-time paid employment at one non-academic job, with a suitable letter of recommendation from the employer or employment supervisor.
5. A satisfactory standard of conduct during the period since the student was required to withdraw.
6. Indication that the student has an understanding of the reasons for previous difficulties in the College, particularly those related to his or her requirement to withdraw.
7. Assurance that the student has adequate motivation for resuming academic work and an appropriate program of study in mind.

Note: Students who through their own decision or action of the Administrative Board have been away from College for five or more years must petition the Board for permission to register. Those planning to return to the College after an absence of five or more years will not ordinarily be eligible for scholarship aid from institutional sources. Petitions to return after an interval of five or more years must include evidence of financial resources necessary to meet all College expenses.