Forwarding FAQ

What is Post.Harvard email?

Post.Harvard email is an email forwarding service available to all Harvard alumni.  A Post.Harvard email address (e.g. name@post.harvard.edu) will automatically forward mail to a designated email address.

How do I set up my Post.Harvard email address?

To set up your Post.Harvard email address, you will first need to register for a Alumni.Harvard user ID and password, if you have not already done so.
Once you have a Alumni.Harvard user ID and password, you can set up your email address using the steps below:

1. Visit the Alumni.Harvard email forwarding page.
2. Select a Post.Harvard email address (e.g. name@post.harvard.edu).
3. Enter the email address where you would like to have mail forwarded as either your primary email address or your additional email address.
4. Click either "forward to primary" or "forward to additional," then submit.

After taking these steps, it will take about 12-24 hours for your Post.Harvard email address to become active.

How can I check to see what my Post.Harvard email address is, or where it is forwarding?

The Alumni.Harvard email forwarding page allows you to view and change your Post.Harvard address and the address where it is forwarding.  If you have not yet set up a Post.Harvard email address, you will be able to do so on this page.  You will need your Alumni.Harvard user ID and password in order to access the email forwarding page.

Can I choose my Post.Harvard email address?

Yes. Alumni can choose any Post.Harvard email address @post.harvard.edu, subject to availability.  The mail name (the part of the address before the @ sign) must be at least 3 characters long, and can only contain letters, numbers, periods (.), hyphens (-) and underscores (_).  We can't guarantee the availability of any particular address ahead of time, so please confirm that the address you want is available before you distribute it to your contacts.

Can I change my Post.Harvard email address after I have set it up?

Yes.  Post.Harvard email addresses can be changed on the Alumni.Harvard email forwarding page.  Please see the forwarding setup help page for more specific instructions.  Please note that if you change your Post.Harvard email address, you previous address will be deactivated, and messages sent to the previous address will not be delivered.

Can I check my Post.Harvard email through the website?

No. Your Post.Harvard email address is a forwarding service, not a stand-alone email account. This means that you must set your Post.Harvard address to forward to another address in order to receive mail. You will automatically receive any messages sent to your Post.Harvard email address at the address where mail is being forwarded.

Can I send outgoing mail using my Post.Harvard address?

The Post.Harvard email system handles incoming mail sent to your Post.Harvard address, but can't send outgoing mail. Depending on what email program you are using, you may be able to display your Post.Harvard address on outgoing messages by setting your Post.Harvard address as a "return address" or a "reply-to address." For help with setting this up, please see our email client configuration help page, or the help page for your email program.

When setting up my email program, what server addresses should I enter for incoming and outgoing mail?

The incoming mail servers (POP or IMAP) and outgoing mail servers (SMTP) should correspond to the account that your Post.Harvard address is forwarding to. Your Post.Harvard address is a forwarding address, which means that it is not possible to retrieve messages directly from the Post.Harvard servers using POP or IMAP. It is only possible to receive email through the address where mail is being forwarded.

Can I set up more than one Post.Harvard email address, or have my Post.Harvard address forward to more than one destination?

No. You can only set up one Post.Harvard email address (even if you have multiple degrees from Harvard). A Post.Harvard address only forwards to one address, either your primary or your additional email.

Why can't I enter my Post.Harvard email address as my primary or additional email?

Post.Harvard addresses can't be entered as a primary or additional email address to avoid having a Post.Harvard address forward to itself (this would cause your Post.Harvard email to stop working).

How soon after setting up my Post.Harvard address will I start receiving messages?

It takes about 12-24 for a new Post.Harvard address or any forwarding updates to be transferred to the mail server.

Does a Post.Harvard email address enable me to receive mail through my old Harvard student email address?

No. A Post.Harvard email address is not connected to other Harvard addresses, such as student email addresses. After a student email address expires, messages sent to that address are returned as undeliverable, regardless of whether a Post.Harvard email address has been set up.  Please consult your school's IT office if you need more information on the expiration of student email addresses.

I am not receiving messages sent to my Post.Harvard address, or messages sent to my Post.Harvard address are bouncing back.  Why?

See the forwarding problems help page for some possible causes.  If you are not able to resolve the problem, please contact the Help Desk for assistance.  Please include any bounce-back messages that you have received (including message headers) when you contact the Help Desk.

Is it possible to recover messages that were previously sent to my Post.Harvard address?

No. The Post.Harvard mail servers do not store messages after they have been forwarded.

Do Post.Harvard email accounts offer any protection from spam or viruses?

Yes. All messages sent to Post.Harvard addresses are automatically scanned for viruses. Harvard also uses several spam-protection techniques.  Please see the spam help page for more information.

I have questions or problems regarding my HBS, HKS or HLS alumni email address.

These email addresses are managed by the alumni offices of each school.  Please see our links and contacts page for information on how to contact school alumni offices.

Still need help?  Contact the Help Desk.  Please include as many details about your question or problem as possible.