Students
On behalf of Harvard University Health Services (HUHS), welcome to Harvard, new and returning students!
Before Arriving to Campus
Harvard follows the Commonwealth of Massachusetts immunization requirements for all students. To register for classes, you must comply with all vaccine requirements. Please visit the Immunization Compliance page for more information about uploading your vaccine and health information to the Patient Portal.
HUSHP, comprised of the Student Health Fee and the Student Health Insurance Plan, offers comprehensive medical, mental health, and prescription benefits to students. Visit the New Student Page on the Harvard Student Health Program website to learn more.
Even if you have waived the Student Health Insurance Plan, the Student Health Fee enables you to access HUHS. Please visit the Student Health Fee webpage for more detailed information about what this health fee covers.
The Patient Portal is an easy and secure way to manage your health information and navigate your care. You can update your profile information and address your immunization compliance before you arrive on campus.
Being a New Patient at HUHS
All new students are automatically assigned to a Primary Care Physician at HUHS, even if you’ve waived the Harvard Student Insurance Plan. This assignment occurs a few weeks after your student health fee becomes active. If you require an assignment right when your eligibility starts, contact the Patient Registration team directly.
Call Harvard University Health Services at (617) 495-5711 to reach any department for scheduling. You can access the Patient Portal for some specific appointment types.
If you require language assistance or interpreter services, please indicate the service you need when scheduling your appointment.
Most specialty departments require a referral from your primary care team. The following HUHS departments do not require a referral to schedule:
- Counseling and Mental Health
- Nutrition
- Routine Eye Exams
- Massage
- Acupuncture
Your primary care team works closely with you to provide high-quality outpatient care in a friendly, comfortable environment. Primary Care includes physical exams, preventative care, routine health screenings, diagnosis and treatment of disease/illness, travel consultation, sexual and reproductive health, and discussion of referrals to specialty care. Check with your insurance plan ahead of any planned care to avoid any unexpected costs.
Urgent Care is available Monday through Sunday, 8 am – 6 pm, on the 3rd Floor of the Smith Campus Center by entering through the 75 Mt. Auburn Street entrance. We provide advice and treatment for urgent health problems that require prompt attention but are not life-threatening emergencies. If a problem seems life-threatening, please call 911 immediately. While we can accommodate walk-ins, we encourage patients to call (617) 495-5711 to schedule an appointment or obtain health advice. Online booking is not available.
CAMHS offers a wide range of mental health services and helps students connect with resources both within and outside Harvard.
Our Nutrition Department can consult with you about your nutritional needs and goals based on your personal lifestyle, as well as provide guidance to manage specific health concerns and conditions as they relate to nutrition.
Students can make an initial consultation appointment without a referral on the HUHS Patient Portal.
Our Center for Wellness and Health Promotion is here to encourage and cultivate your wellness and wellbeing through holistic educational experiences.
Harvard University Health Services offers an automated kiosk, called a ScriptCenter, that provides secure pickup of over-the-counter health products at a discounted rate. Access to the ScriptCenter is available 24/7 with your Harvard ID.
A referral is a formal recommendation from your primary care team to consult with a specialist for a specific health concern. This specialist may be located within HUHS or outside of HUHS. Contact your insurance with any questions about how to navigate your care with your insurance plan.
For students who have waived the Harvard Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), HUHS cannot provide referrals to a specialist outside of HUHS. Contact your health insurance directly with any questions about your plan benefits for accessing specialty care outside of HUHS.
Harvard University Health Services is committed to creating an environment that is inclusive and welcoming to our Harvard Community members. If you have questions about language services or need an accommodation that is not listed on this page, please contact the Patient Advocate via email or by phone at (617) 495-7583.
Harvard University Health Services is committed to protecting your private health information. You can learn more about HUHS’ Privacy Practices here.
Our Health Information/Medical Records Department is responsible for safeguarding your health information. Sharing your health information with an outside party or individual requires your authorization and requires a Disclosure of Medical Information form.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Student Health Fee funds access to a variety of services to all students, including primary care, urgent care, and counseling and mental health care at HUHS for no additional cost. This fee does not provide coverage for any health care services received outside of HUHS and is not considered an insurance policy.
Can the Student Health Fee be waived?
The Student Health Fee is required for the large majority of students as part of school registration. To be eligible to waive the Student Health Fee, the student must be:
- A traveling scholar/study abroad student studying outside the country
- Enrolled as a half-time or less student, and must have also waived the Student Health Insurance Plan
- A non-resident student who resides outside of Massachusetts and has no activities on campus for the entire term
- An enrolled member of the Harvard University Group Health Plan
- A student on active military duty and prohibited from receiving health care from any facility other than Hanscom Air Force Base (requires an active duty attestation form)
Contact the Patient Advocate, Mallory Finne, directly at patadvoc@huhs.harvard.edu or (617) 495-7583 for help with navigating the health care system, exploring choices for your medical care, resolving or mediating problems, discussing financial assistance options, and coordinating accessible arrangements.
Harvard College and Harvard University Health Services strive to treat our college students as the young adults they are. We are mindful that they need to practice autonomous decision-making and self-care. Having the privilege of keeping medical information private is one of many autonomous rights of an adult afforded to Harvard College students. We believe that accepting blanket medical record authorizations to allow parents to access a student’s records, signed at or near the time a student is entering college, reinforces dependency, not independent decision-making. This is not to say that medical privacy is valued above all others. Certainly, we accept authorizations to share medical information made at the time, identifying specific records and specific people or entities. Also, if our medical professionals have reason to determine that a patient is a danger to themselves or others, the law permits disclosure to anyone who may be able to help. This includes parents as well as others.
Medical privacy laws are designed to encourage people to access health care. Few people would seek care if they believed their medical records would be available for others to see. College students are a hard-to-reach population if only because they may not have developed a habit of seeking medical care independently. This is why HUHS makes great efforts to encourage them to come to HUHS by sending surveys to first-year students, distributing flyers in housing, and visiting dining halls, fairs, and other gatherings. It is also the case that college students seek care for issues that are particularly private (birth control, STDs, unwanted pregnancies, substance and alcohol abuse and their associated injuries, depression, and anxiety). Without a promise of medical privacy, we believe many of these conditions/situations would go untreated, either entirely or until the conditions have worsened unnecessarily. Thus, HUHS does not accept blanket medical record authorizations from students because we believe them to be a barrier to care.
All Harvard students who have paid the Student Health Fee can access confidential STI testing without any out-of-pocket cost at HUHS. We offer comprehensive screening based on your concerns, risks, and exposure. Additionally, students who are interested in preventing pregnancy can access a wide range of contraceptive methods at HUHS.
Call (617) 495-5711 to make an appointment with your HUHS Primary Care team to discuss your care needs.
- The Center for Wellness and Health Promotion provides free safer sex supplies for Harvard students in its office.
- Emergency contraception is available over the counter and can be purchased from our ScriptCenter* and at most retail pharmacies.
* The ScriptCenter is located in the entryway of HUHS at Smith Campus Center, is available 24/7, and can be accessed after hours with your Harvard ID.
HUHS providers are trained to provide respectful, affirming care to meet your specific care and wellness needs.
HUHS does offer telehealth appointments for several specialties. These appointments connect the patient and clinician through real-time audio and video technology.
You can request a telehealth appointment with your provider, but not all health appointments can be performed via telemedicine. Please note that you must be in Massachusetts to have a telehealth appointment with an HUHS provider.
Please contact your insurance plan directly to review what pharmacies are in-network for you. If you have the Harvard Student Health Insurance Plan, you can contact Member Services directly at (617) 495-2008 or email MServices@huhs.harvard.edu. If you waived the Student Health Insurance Plan, you should contact your private insurance company.
HUHS has an onsite laboratory operated through Quest Diagnostics. If you waive the Student Health Insurance Plan, Quest Diagnostics can bill your secondary insurance for these services. Check with your private insurance to confirm that Quest Diagnostics is in-network for your plan.
There may be times when you will be accessing care outside of HUHS. Your Primary Care team can discuss this plan to receive outside care with you. If you have waived the Harvard Student Insurance, HUHS cannot provide referrals to an outside practice, as it will not be recognized by your private health plan.
- Quick Tip! Contact your insurance plan to learn about your coverage and how to seek care outside of HUHS.
Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Nurse Specialists are registered nurses with advanced training in diagnosing and treating illness, as well as in health education. They work closely with physicians, can write prescriptions, and refer patients to other clinicians, as appropriate. They are a part of your health care team!