So, you’ve arrived! Now what? A fair bit actually. The following guide is written mainly for non-US citizens who are coming to the lab for a postdoc, but some of it could be useful for international graduate students and US postdocs. It can be helpful to attend the new postdoc orientation. In sum, you need to do the following:

  • HMS Onboarding Paperwork
  • Obtain your Harvard University ID card
  • Obtain appropriate log-ins. Your Harvard Key is a Harvard-wide log-in; your HMS Account is for HMS-specific services. You need both. When you’ve completed the onboarding paperwork, you’ll be sent your HUID number (needed to obtain a Harvard Key login) and your HMS login (needed to create your HMS account)
  • Enroll in Harvard Benefits, including medical insurance
  • Make sure your myHMS works and download appropriate software
  • Obtain appropriate building/room accesses
  • Obtain access to the Lab Safety Training course, as well as other Harvard on-line training courses, at the Harvard Training Portal. To do this, either Rachel or Diego can add you to the lab roster on PeopleSoft.
  • Other items for aliens:
    • Get a bike
    • Get a phone contract
    • Register with the Harvard International Office
    • Open a US bank account
    • Get a social security number

HMS Onboarding Paperwork#

For HR appointment-related matters - including Visas, Intern, LHT, and Visiting Student onboardings, your point of contact is neuro_appointments@hms.harvard.edu.

  1. Complete the appointment form
  2. Fill the M-4 & W-4 tax forms. Please note, the department is not allowed to advise you on this.
  3. Fill the I-9 form. Please note that once you have completed Section 1, I will need to set up a zoom meeting with you and an adult member of your household who can be designated as an authorized representative for completing section 2.
  4. For completing your 1-9 form, you will need a copy of your DS-2019 and I-94 if you are a foreign national on a working visa, e.g. J-1.

Register with Harvard International Office#

This is only for foreign nationals. All new scholars must register with the HIO within 30 days of the start date listed on their immigration document (for example, Form DS-2019). A returning scholar with a new Form DS-2019 must also re-register with the HIO.

  1. Once you arrive in the U.S., please email the following documents to the HIO.
  2. HIO Registration Form
  3. The staff at the HIO will confirm with you via email once your registration has been processed.

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Harvard University ID card

To obtain your HUID card:

Tax for Internationals#

Government regulations (IRS and USCIS) require Harvard to collect immigration information from all foreign individuals in order to make payments to them.

  • If you are an alien national you need to set up your details with GLACIER. which is a secure online tax compliance system specific to foreign individual payment recipients. 
  • Expect to receive an email from support@online-tax.net containing a link to GLACIER when you are paid your first pay check. The email will contain a temporary username and password. 
  • Complete your GLACIER form, as explained here.
  • Once you have logged-in and completed the necessary information in GLACIER, you must submit the required information via mail, hand delivery, or fax to (617) 496-3196 or (617) 495-3600. You CANNOT use email. You will need:
    • Signed hard copies of all forms that GLACIER generates at the end of your completed record, and
    • Copies of all required immigration documents listed on your Tax Summary Report.
    • I-94 documents (if required) can be obtained from the Customs and Border Protection website. 
  • Get assistance from the Harvard University Financial Services if needed: 617-495-8500 (option 5) .
  • Failure to do this may result in the maximum rate of tax withholding and/or delayed payment. Information provided to GLACIER is transmitted and stored securely and will only be used by Harvard University for purposes of tax withholding and reporting. 

Obtain a Social Security Number#

This process can be a little frustrating. Information on obtaining a social security can be found here. Information on required documentation can be found here. You have to visit a social securirty office in person. However, during the COVID pandemic this system changed. You need to send, by mail or fax, copies your documents first and that awair a phone call to invite you to an in-person interview your original documents.

  • Fill out an SS-5 form, leaving fields blank that ask for a prior SSN if you never had one.
  • Mail/Fax copies to your local social security office, or else the Boston one on 10 Causeway. You can send fax with your iphoner use efax. It may take weeks to receive a call to interview.
  • Go into branch with the following documents (assuming you are an alien postdoc):
    • I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record) 
    • Evidence of that employment, such as a recent pay slip or a letter from your employer. Must include:
      • Your job
      • Your employment start date
      • The number of hours you are, or will be, working
      • Your supervisor’s name and telephone number
    • Foreign birth certificate
      • If you lack this, they can consider your passport
  • The nearest office to HMS is: Roxbury Social Security Office, 10 Malcolm X Blvd, Roxbury, MA - 0211, tel: 855-278-4195, or you can try: Boston Social Security Office 10 Causeway Street, Room 148, Boston, MA - 02222, tel: 866-964-7311.
  • Wait delivery of your social security card in the mail.

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Opening a bank account

As a Harvard employee, you can get good rates by opening a bank account with the Harvard Employee Credit Union. You can do this online, but if you do not yet have an SSN, you need to do this by going in branch. You need:

  • Your passport
  • Proof of address, e.g. a tenancy agreement or bill with you name on it
  • Your social security number, within 6 weeks of opening the account.
  • You must open a savings account with the, and they have a set of checking account options.
  • They provide free notary services.
  • $5 dollars in cash to open each account.

Sign up to mailing lists#

HMS specific details#

  • Materials: bit.ly/37B8rd9, twitter: @HMSpostdoc,
  • The PostDoc Office is located on the ground floor beneath Gordon Hall (along the checkerboard underground corridor beneath HMS).
  • Jim Gould is the director of the PostDoc Office, 617/432-7289
  • They have their own website. They offer:
  • Recommended training courses at HMS mainly through Harvard Training Portal, a ‘curriculum':
    • PostDoc Office
    • Bioinformatics
    • HMS Research Computing
    • Harvard Catalyst
    • Countway Library
  • HR questions should be directed to neuro_appointments@hms.harvard.edu
  • For Pizza talks, Happy Hour and allfor questions about planning events or registering for events (pizza talks, happy hour, seminars), contact neuro_events@hms.harvard.edu
  • The Executive Director for Research at HMS Neurobiology is Soha Ashrafi (soha_ashrafi@hms.harvard.edu)
  • Joseph Chen is our Harvard International Office representative
  • There is a 20% Cafeteria, Elements, Couryard and Sebastian’s discount. Ask at purchase and show ID card.
  • CommuterChoice T Pass at 50% discount, offered.
  • Gym memberships for 42 dollars per month: Bodyscapes and Vanderbilt.
  • HMS Neurobiology Department FAQs are worth reading

HMS Laser Cutting Training#

HMS Postdoc Club#

The Neurobio Dept has a Postdoc Club designed “"to enrich the experience of all postdoctoral fellows doing neurobiological research at Harvard Medical School by fostering diversity, inclusion, collaboration, education, and communication through scientific presentations, career development workshops, peer- and faculty-mentoring, and networking activities”.

The club has a Peer Mentor program - see this link for bios of the peer mentors.

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