Child Care Support

GSAS PARENTAL ACCOMMODATION AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT (PAFS)

Students of any gender enrolled in GSAS PhD programs are eligible for the Parental Accommodation and Financial Support (PAFS) program following a childbirth or adoption event.

Eligible GSAS PhD students receive a one-time supplemental stipend payment. This funding is intended to help with the additional expenses associated with a childbirth or adoption event. For the 2023-2024 academic year, the award amount is $7,319.

HU & HGSU CHILD CARE SUBSIDY

The contract between Harvard University and the Harvard Graduate Students Union (HGSU-UAW) Local 5118 establishes a fund of $830,000 annually to subsidize the costs of childcare expenses of eligible salaried student workers. Information on the HGSU_UAW childcare fund can be found here.

DMS CHILD CARE SCHOLARSHIP

2023-2024 Dates & Deadlines:

Application due October 31, 2023

Eligibility

  • You must be a registered Division of Medical Sciences student in good academic standing.
  • Have a total household income of less than $110,000.
  • Have 1 or more children under the age of 16. (The scholarship is per family, not per child.)
  • Have children who must:
    • Be your legal dependent verified by your tax return
    • Live with you in the United States.
  • Students are eligible to receive the award for a maximum of five years.
  • Those who will be having a child during the academic year are eligible to apply. Please list due date in date of birth field. Due date will determine eligibility for each semester’s scholarship. A copy of the birth certificate, once available, will be required.
  • Those defending during the award year may not be eligible for the entire annual scholarship. Funding will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

What we require

Submit application by email to: kelly_nicolas@hms.harvard.edu

  • Completed Form
  • Prior year's tax return for you and spouse/partner.
    • If your child is not listed on the tax return, please also submit a copy of their birth certificate.

Payment Details

  • Letters detailing the scholarship award will be sent in November and a copy will also be sent to your advisor.
  • The scholarship will be distributed twice a year, half at the end of the fall semester (processed in December) and half at the end of the spring semester (processed in April).
  • This scholarship is considered income and will need to be declared on your taxes. You will receive a 1099 form from Harvard University.
  • If you do not have an existing account in Buy2pay (Harvard’s payment system), you will receive an email asking you to register from ap_supplieronboarding@harvard.edu with a subject of “Supplier Invitation for Harvard Portal”. When you register you can indicate if your preferred payment method is a mailed check or direct deposit through Zelle.
    • If you already have an account in Buy2Pay, DMS accounting will reach out to confirm the address in the system is up to date prior to mailing a check.

NIH CHILDCARE SUPPORT

For students being paid from a T32  or F31 grant, NIH offers up to $2,500 in support for qualified childcare costs provided by a licensed childcare provider during the term of appointment. Childcare is supported for children up to age 13 (age 18 for children who are disabled). Contact dms_accounting@hms.harvard.edu if you think you qualify.

OTHER RESOURCES FOR STUDENT PARENTS

Harvard GSAS Student-Parents Organization
Provide a supportive community for fellow graduate students with children and host a variety of community-building events and initiatives.

Harvard Student Spouses and Partners Association
Promotes social fellowship and intellectual enrichment.

WATCH (Web Access to Care at Harvard) Portal
Connects student parents with providers of long- and short-term childcare, including occasional babysitting.

Office of Work/Life
The Office of Work/Life administers a variety of programs that provide support to the University’s graduate students, staff, and faculty.

Child Care Centers that are Harvard Affiliated (Cambridge and Longwood) 
The ChildCare@Harvard website has a lot of information regarding what to ask and what to look for when you are looking for childcare.  

Care.com
Care.com allows families to search for, vet, connect with, and ultimately select caregivers in a low-cost, reliable, and easy way. The site helps parents identify babysitters, nannies, childcare centers, family day care, camps, tutors, and special needs providers.

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