Freshman International Program (FIP)
FIP is sponsored by the Harvard Freshman Dean’s Office (FDO), the Harvard International Office (HIO) and the Woodbridge Society of International Students. It is an orientation program for incoming international students who have either not attended school in the United States or have done so for a short period of time, and for U.S. citizens who have spent most of their lives abroad. FIP immediately precedes the College’s orientation program for all new freshmen, and will introduce international students to American culture and some aspects of higher education in the United States, particularly at Harvard. Harvard administrators, faculty, and upper class international students will serve as resources for these orientation sessions.
FIP 2008 will begin on Tuesday evening, September 2nd, with an informal dinner, and end on Friday afternoon, September 5th. The following information is for this year’s participants.
Getting Here:
Students arriving on September 2nd will be met at the Logan International Airport in Boston by representatives of the Woodbridge Society. FIP participants should notify Benjamin Newmark, bnewmark@fas.harvard.edu, of their arrival dates, times, airlines, flight numbers, and cities from which their flights depart.
Students arriving at other times may take public transportation to Harvard Square. Take the Silver Line bus from any of the terminals to South Station. It runs every 15 minutes until a little before 1:00 a.m., and it requires exact change ($1.25). There should be change machines at the airport terminal. When getting off at South Station, take the Red Line (towards Alewife) and get off at the Harvard Square station.
Another option is to take the free airport shuttle bus to the “T” station (the city subway or metro). Take the Blue Line to the Government Center station, change to the Green Line Inbound to Park Street station. At Park Street station, take the Red Line (towards Alewife) and get off at the Harvard Square station. Harvard Yard will be right across the street from the Harvard Square T station.
The more direct but more expensive way to get to Harvard is to take a taxi from Logan Airport to Harvard Square. It costs about $30-$40.
Housing:
FIP participants will be temporarily staying in Weld Hall, a freshmen dormitory in Harvard Yard, for the nights of September 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. Members of the Woodbridge Society will be on the porch of Weld Hall after 2 p.m. on September 2 to greet arriving students.
On September 5th, students will move their possessions to the dormitories to which they have been assigned for the academic year. Room assignments for the academic year usually arrive by mail at students’ home addresses sometime in August.
Food:
On the evening of arrival, September 2nd, there will be an informal light dinner from 6:00 pm to 9:00 p.m. in Ticknor Lounge, Boylston Hall in Harvard Yard. Breakfasts and lunches will be provided on September 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Dinner will be provided on September 5th. On September 3rd and 4th students will be going on tours that will culminate in dinner at a restaurant. Students will be responsible for paying for the dinners and should plan to have approximately $10 to $15 for each dinner. The dining hall will open to all freshmen on the evening of Saturday, September 6th.