Child Care Scholarships

I would like to...

Basic program information

The Office of Work/Life offers limited scholarship funds to eligible Harvard employees to help defray the cost of child care. Funds are awarded based on financial need through an annual application process.

  • Only employees who are on a regular Harvard payroll and are fully benefits-eligible may apply. If you have a question about your status, please contact your HR representative or program administrator.
     
  • Awards are reviewed based on household income. Employees are required to submit tax and salary documentation for themselves and spouse/qualified domestic partner, if applicable. 
  • Application deadlines are generally once per year, and are communicated to all eligible employees. If you have questions about application dates, please email childcare_scholarships@harvard.edu.
  • The scholarship program works on a reimbursement basis. Award recipients pay for child care and then submit cost information to the program.
     
  • Scholarships are awarded and disbursed to employees on a fiscal-year basis (July 1 to June 30), usually twice per year. Unclaimed funds are forfeited.
     
  • Awards vary from family to family and year to year. Awards may range from several hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on financial need and a range of other factors. Families should not make ongoing child care decisions based on past awards or the potential for a scholarship. We encourage families to think of child care scholarships as helping to defray costs that they would be prepared to pay for regardless of an award.
     
  • Awards are taxable income and taxes are withheld at the federally determined supplemental rate (typically around 40 percent).
     
  • You can find further details on the Child Care Scholarships FAQ..

Apply

Before applying, please be sure that you are eligible. Only employees who are on a regular Harvard payroll and are fully benefits-eligible may apply. If you have a question about your status, please contact your HR representative or program administrator.

You must apply online in PeopleSoft. Login to PeopleSoft with your HarvardKey, choose the "My Benefits" tile and select the "Childcare Scholarships" link on the left-hand side. Select the "Application" link and complete the pre-application eligibility screens.

Questions? See Eligibility section within the FAQ page.

Submit receipts and claim my award

If you have been granted an award, you need to submit your costs in order to be reimbursed.

  1. Pay for your child care as usual.
  2. Print the Provider Signature Form (make as many copies as you need).
  3. Have each child care provider fill out their section of the form.
  4. Fill out your employee section in full on each form.
  5. If you have a contract with your center/provider and you pay the same fee each period for the whole year, just circle all months and have the provider form signed once.
  6. Referring to each Provider Signature Form, enter your total costs in the online claim form in PeopleSoft. Please refer to your award notification letter for detailed instructions.
  7. Keep the Provider Signature Forms for your records. You do not need to send them to the Office of Work/Life, but we reserve the right to request them at any time.

Contact Us

If you have a question about your particular circumstances, please first read the FAQ.

If you are still not sure what to do, please email childcare_scholarships@harvard.edu