Get Connected

NOTE: This page is intended for incoming freshmen only.
If you are not an incoming freshman, please go to: http://www.fas-it.fas.harvard.edu/newToFas/students


(1) Learn your Harvard ID number.

A Harvard ID number is used with a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to access campus web sites and online resources. Your ID number was included with your Admissions mailing. If you have lost your Harvard ID, please call the Admissions Office between 9am-5pm EST, Monday-Friday, at 617-495-1551.

(2) Request and activate your Personal Identification Number (PIN)

Your PIN lets you access secure Harvard web sites to check your grades, view your termbill, access course materials, register for an e-mail account, and much more.

You have the option of having your PIN sent to your email address on file with the Admissions Office. Before requesting a PIN, please verify that the email address on file with Admissions is correct. You can check your email address by logging into the Check Application Status page of the Admissions website. If your email address is incorrect, please email fileroom@fas.harvard.edu with the subject line "Email Update." Include your full name, date of birth, new email address, and previous email address (for verification purposes). Once the change is received by Admissions, it may take 2-3 business days for your email address to be updated in the PIN system, so please be patient.

Once you have confirmed your email address on file, go to http://www.pin.harvard.edu/ and follow the instructions there to get a PIN. Note that you will need your Harvard ID in order to request your PIN. After requesting your PIN, you will receive a PIN activation email with instructions for activating your PIN. Please look for this message and be sure to activate your PIN.

If you have confirmed your email address on file with Admissions and are having difficulty requesting a PIN, please contact the PIN Office at 617-496-9001 or send email to: pin_help@harvard.edu.

(3) Create your FAS Resource Access Account and @College Email Account

Once you have an ID and PIN you must activate your FAS Resource Access Account and your @College Email Account. It is very important that you create both accounts. The @College Email Account will provide your Harvard University email services, and the FAS Resource Access Account will give you access to other tools and resources that you will need during your time at Harvard.

NOTE: You can only request your FAS Resource Access Account and @College Email Account after you have accepted your offer of admission and your acceptance has been processed by Harvard. You should allow, on average, five business days for acceptances submitted online and up to ten business days for acceptances sent by mail before attempting to activate your accounts.

https://www.fas.harvard.edu/fasit/utilities/activate-pin/.

After your accounts have been created, you will be able to use the webmail application at http://webmail.college.harvard.edu/ to access your email.

(4) Select and secure your personal computer


Make your computer choice:

In determining whether to purchase a new computer or bring an existing system to Harvard, we suggest you review our Recommendations for System Requirements.

Buying a new computer?

If you choose to purchase a new computer, you may do so through Harvard's Technology Services where discounts are available on Apple and Lenovo computers and on Microsoft and Adobe software.

Technology Services and the Computer Product and Repair Center (CPRC)

  • Telesales:
    • (617) 495-5450 or toll free outside of MA (800) 440-7494
    • Hours Monday - Friday, 9 am - 5 pm

 

Prepare your computer for campus use

Network Registration & Autoreg.fas

In order to use the Harvard network, you must register your computer's Ethernet address. When you first arrive on campus, connect to the Harvard FAS network with a browser. Autoreg will launch automatically and guide you through the steps to register your computer.

If you have difficulty, please contact the Service Desk at 617-495-9000.

Computer Security

Users with personal computers on the FAS Network are expected to take reasonable precautions to ensure the security of their systems. Individuals may be held responsible for misuse by others that occurs on their systems. Harvard provides free antivirus software to students. Use your HUID and PIN to log into the FAS IT software download page to find and install the software that is correct for your system.



Additional Computing Resources


My.harvard.edu

Harvard FAS provides a customizable web portal for each student at http://my.harvard.edu/. You need a Harvard University ID and PIN to login and personalize your my.harvard.edu.


Computer Labs

All College students have access to computing facilities in the Science Center and residential labs distributed throughout the Houses and freshman dorms. All Science Center labs are open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Residential labs are also open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to House/dorm residents via keycard access.

For more information about computer labs on campus, including a list of all residential labs, visit What computer labs are available on Harvard's campus?

Please note that login to FAS IT Computer Labs and Kiosks requires you to sign in with your FAS Resource Access Account.


Lab Printing & PaperCut

PaperCut is the application that allows students, faculty and staff to print to public printers in the FAS IT labs and throughout the Houses and freshman dorms. PaperCut requires you to sign in to your printing budget using your FAS Resource Access Account username and password.

You can add money to your printing budget at https://papercut.fas.harvard.edu/user or you can debit Crimson Cash to your printing budget at the walk up counter in the main Science Center computer lab.

For a list of all printer locations, visit What computer labs are available on Harvard's campus?


Libraries

Harvard College Libraries (HCL)

The Harvard library system is comprised of over 70 libraries with combined holdings of over 16 million items. More than 11 million of those items are part of the Harvard College Library (HCL), a centrally administered unit within the Faculty of Arts andSciences. It includes the Cabot Science, Fine Arts, Fung, Harvard-Yenching, Houghton, Lamont , Pusey (Harvard Map Collection, Harvard Theatre Collection), Loeb Music, Quad, Tozzer and Widener libraries as well as the Harvard Film Archive.

HCL owns major collections in the sciences, fine arts, music, humanities, film, maps, theatre, government documents, and rare books and manuscripts. The collection also includes materials in over 100 languages. We provide library services to the faculty and students of Harvard as well as the world-wide community of scholars and researchers.

Hollis

Hollis is the online library database. http://hollis.harvard.edu/. You need a Harvard University ID and PIN to access Hollis.


Student Computing @ Harvard Seminars

These seminars are offered during Opening Days in the Science Center. Please see the Calendar of Opening Days for times and locations.