Frequently Asked Questions

There are several state and local resources that can help you identify other group childcare options. Please visit Finding Childcare to learn more.

Between 1964 and 1976, six non-profit childcare centers were founded on Harvard’s campuses, by and for Harvard’s students, faculty and staff. Hosted in Harvard space and tailored to their individual communities’ needs, they were governed by parent-run boards of directors and operated independently from one another and the university. In 2017, they unified as a single new nonprofit organization, Campus Child Care, Inc, (CCC) with a view to streamlining their administrative functions, strengthening collaboration across centers, and improving long-term governance. Since then, CCC has opened a seventh center. CCC has an operating agreement with Harvard for the services it provides.

In addition, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Dental Medicine and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health participate in a childcare center consortium managed by Longwood Collective. This gives affiliates of these schools access to a limited number of slots at the Longwood Medical Area Child Care Center.

Harvard-University benefits-eligible faculty, staff and postdocs may be eligible for one of several means-tested childcare scholarship programs. Please go here for more information.

Residents of Allston zip codes 02134 and 02135 may be eligible for a limited scholarship at Western Avenue Children’s Center. Please read more here. 

Harvard’s Graduate Student Union (HGSU-UAW) offers a childcare fund for eligible members.

Residents of the City of Cambridge may be eligible for limited financial support. To learn more, please visit the Cambridge Office of Early Childhood.

Childcare center tuition payments go directly to Campus Child Care, Inc. (CCC), the independent, nonprofit organization that comprises all six childcare centers. Eighty-five percent of childcare centers’ budgets go to salaries and benefits. For more information on Campus Child Care’s practices and policies, please see CCC’s website and FAQ.

The cost of high quality childcare is in the number and qualifications of caregivers. An overwhelming body of evidence connects educated and experienced caregivers, small group sizes, and low teacher-to-child ratios with high-quality early-childhood programs. Centers operating at Harvard have a longstanding commitment to investing in recruiting and retaining skilled and experienced teachers. Across the seven centers, most teachers have BA, MA, or higher degrees; many group sizes are smaller and teacher/child ratios are lower than both National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards and Massachusetts regulations. 

Campus Child Care, Inc. (CCC), the independent nonprofit that comprises all six childcare centers, provides competitive salaries and excellent benefits. CCC is mindful of the need to balance competitive salaries and top-tier benefits for its employees and affordable tuitions for families in a high cost-of-living region.

Yes, members of the community may enroll on a space-available basis. People who do not have a current Harvard affiliation are offered spots only after tier 1 and 2 families are offered spots.

No, being affiliated with Harvard does not guarantee campus childcare, although it does give families preference for enrollment. Families must apply, and children are enrolled on a space-available basis, according to a tier system.

No, housing location does not confer any sort of preference for childcare centers. Families must apply, and children are enrolled on a space-available basis according to the tier system.

No, families must apply to each center individually. You can apply to one or more centers using the universal online application, available at the websites of each of the centers. You will only need to enter your family’s information once. You will need to indicate, however, which centers you wish to receive your application by checking the relevant boxes.

• Provide accurate information. Campus Childcare relies on accurate information entered into the online application system to be able to contact families. Please be sure to enter all relevant information carefully and completely. Please be sure to include your Harvard identification number (HUID), if applicable. If you do not yet have an HUID, please be sure to return to your application and provide it as soon as you can. If you are new to Harvard as a staff or faculty member or degree student and do not have a Harvard ID number, you can contact the Office of Work/Life and forward your offer letter to make sure the appropriate tier is applied before you arrive on campus. Providing this information allows us to attach the correct tier to your application.
• Apply early. It’s a good idea to apply as soon as you know you will need care, whether you are expecting a baby or moving to Harvard. But please note, even if you are applying “late,” don't assume that every center is full and that it’s not worth applying. Harvard's population is very mobile and things can change quickly.
• Apply to several centers. While you should not apply to centers that would not work for your child or your family, your chances of finding a match are better if you apply to several. 
• Stay flexible. At centers where there are several possible schedules, the more flexibility you have the better your chances of getting an offer.

Each center offers spaces to current families first, giving returning children and siblings priority. Preference is then given to Harvard affiliates according to a tier system established by the University:

1. Harvard faculty who are eligible for the ACCESS Program are considered Tier 1A and have priority enrollment on up to half of childcare center slots system-wide. 
2. Preference is then given to other benefits-eligible faculty, staff, and postdoctoral fellows on a regular Harvard payroll, and to active degree students, all of whom comprise Tier 1. 
3. Other affiliates who have an active Harvard ID number (HUID) but receive their salary and benefits from an entity other than Harvard University are considered Tier 2. 
4. Following these Tier 1 and Tier 2 assignments, slots are allocated to all others, including alumni and members of the local communities, generally considered in Tier 3.

Note that for all tiers, affiliation status is determined for the time of childcare center enrollment, not the time of application: In order to be considered Tier 1, for example, you must be a benefits-eligible employee or a degree student as of the day your child starts care. For specific questions about your tier status, please email worklife@harvard.edu.

It’s a good idea to apply as soon as you know you will need care, whether you are expecting a baby or moving to the Cambridge area. Even if you are applying “late,” please don't assume that every center is full and that it’s not worth applying. Harvard's population is very mobile and things can change quickly. Your tier will determine where your application sits on any given waiting list.