Plan Your Visit

Participants may register online with a credit card. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, and we recommend registering as soon as possible in order to ensure your seat. Please see our Registration Policies for more information.

Tuition includes:

• Instruction
• Program materials
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Coffee breaks
• Reception at the end of day one

Tuition does not include hotel or other overnight accommodations, and we do not offer any on-campus housing. Participants are responsible for making their own arrangements.

Tuition for 2020 Professional Development Programs is listed within each program page.

While you’ll gain the benefit of Harvard quality instruction, you are not required to apply. However, programs are designed for professionals who are fluent in written and spoken English. While we don't require proof of English proficiency, it is expected that you fully participate, in English, during classroom discussions and group exercises.

As well, the programs bring together mid- to senior-level professionals from a wide variety of industries and backgrounds. As such, participants should be able to draw on work experience to effectively participate in program activities.

Each program description also has a section titled Who Should Enroll, which may be helpful in determining whether a program appropriately fits your background and interests.

Please be advised that the quickest way to secure your seat in the program is to pay online with a credit card. Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis, and your seat is not confirmed until your tuition has been received in full. 

Since programs often fill quickly, we recommend completing payment online whenever possible. Often participants pay with their personal credit cards and later seek reimbursement directly from their employer in order to ensure a seat in the program.

If online payment is not an option for you, we certainly can provide you with a tuition invoice after you register online up to the point of payment. Once you have completed this step, please email us to request an official invoice.

When your wire transfer or check has been received and applied to your account, you will receive a registration confirmation email. Please note that since many programs do fill quickly, often forming a waitlist, it is possible that the program may fill before your payment is received.

Check-in and breakfast begin at 8 a.m. and our programs start at 8:30 a.m. On the first day, participants will have an opportunity to join a networking reception that runs from 4:15 p.m. until 5 p.m. The final day of the program will end at 4:30 p.m.

Participants dress in varying levels of formality, but as a general guideline we suggest wearing office or business attire. It is important to check the weather, as it is often unpredictable in Massachusetts. You may also want to bring a sweater or jacket/blazer to accommodate for potential variations in room temperatures.

We are able to extend a 7% tuition discount to groups of two individuals from the same organization and a 10% tuition discount to groups of three to six individuals. To take advantage of this discount, please email pdp@dce.harvard.edu for further instructions.

We are able to extend a 10% discount to individuals attending more than one program. To take advantage of this discount, please register for your first program and email pdp@dce.harvard.edu for further instructions.

If a registered participant cancels for any reason, we will reach out to waitlisted participants in the order in which they joined the waitlist. 

If a space opens up that we can offer to you, we will email you to ask if you are still interested in attending and request permission to charge the credit card on file. No tuition or fee is charged at the time of joining the waitlist, and we will not charge your credit card without explicit, written authorization from the cardholder.

The chances of being offered a seat after joining the waitlist are unpredictable, but often not very high. We recommend looking at our other program offerings and registering for an alternative program. You will remain on the waitlist for your first choice program, and please be assured that we will still reach out to you immediately in the event that a seat becomes available.

We offer a hybrid program, Essential Management Skills for Emerging Leaders. This 10-week online and on-campus program combines web conferences, a one-week on-campus session, and a final project. It is preferred that participants attend the web conferences live during the specified times, but if not possible, the conferences are recorded and made available for future viewing. 

Additionally, you may be interested in online courses offered through Harvard Extension School. As part of its mission, Harvard Extension School allows students to experience Harvard from anywhere in the world.

Upon completion of a Professional Development Program, participants receive a certificate of participation.

The B-1 visa, rather than a student visa, is appropriate for this program and we recommend that you list "professional development" as your reason for coming to the U.S. We also recommend that you check with the U.S. embassy or consulate in your country for confirmation of which visa category is appropriate and what documentation is necessary.

Once you have registered and paid in full, you may request a letter of participation to present at your embassy by emailing pdp@extension.harvard.edu. Processing takes 2 to 3 business days. We will email the letter of participation.