Claiming Your HarvardKey
By claiming your HarvardKey, you will gain lifetime access to many Harvard websites, including the Alumni Community. You will only need to register once, and your login name and password will remain valid indefinitely. If you wish, you can reset your password at any time after registering.
Eligibility
HarvardKey is available to Harvard alumni and associate members.
- Alumni are individuals who completed a degree at Harvard.
- Associate members are individuals who completed certain certificate programs at Harvard, or matriculated in certain degree programs but withdrew without receiving a degree.
In addition, current students can use their HarvardKey to access the alumni directory. Please see the current student help page for details about access for current students.
The following types of individuals are generally not eligible to claim a HarvardKey, unless they are also alumni or associate members.
- Current or former students at Harvard Summer School who did not receive a degree or certificate
- Graduates of a program where the degree was granted by an institution other than Harvard
- Spouses or widows of alumni
- Parents of current students or alumni
If you fall into one of these categories, you may still be eligible to participate in HAA events or join a Harvard Club, even though it is not possible to claim a HarvardKey.
How to Register
To claim your HarvardKey, visit the registration page.
Step 1. Search for Your Record
To find your record, enter your HAA ID, your last name, and your class year into the corresponding fields.
Your HAA ID: This is a 10-digit number, unique to you, which can be found in the footer of any email sent to you by the Harvard Alumni Association, such as HAA eVENTS or the Harvard Alumni Gazette. If you do not know or cannot find your HAA ID, please contact the HAA Help Desk.
Your Last Name: You will need to enter your last name as it appears in our records. If applicable, you may instead enter your maiden name or the last name you went by while a student at Harvard.
Your Degree Year: If you hold multiple degrees from Harvard, you can search for your record using any one of them. Please only enter one of your degree years (all of your degrees will be visible on your profile in the online directory).
Click "Continue." This will cause an email to be sent to the primary email address Harvard has on file for you.
Don’t have a primary email address on file, or don’t have access to the one that is on file? Contact the Alumni & Development Services Office for assistance.
Step 2. Enter Confirmation Code
The email you received after entering your HAA ID, last name, and class year will contain a link and a 6-digit confirmation code. Click the link, and in the appropriate field, copy and paste the confirmation code.
Click "Continue."
Step 3. Enter your Login ID
Instead of requiring you to choose another nickname, HarvardKey allows you to use the email address of your choice as your login name. Enter an email address in the "Login Name" field.
Click "Continue."
Step 4. Enter your Recovery Email(s)
HarvardKey requires you to enter at least one email address to use as a recovery email, should you lose your password or login name. Enter your recovery email address in the "Primary Recovery Email (required)" field, and if you wish, a second one in the "Secondary Recovery Email" field.
Click "Continue."
Step 5. Set your HarvardKey Password
Enter your password in the "New Password" field and enter it again in the "Confirm Password field." Please note:
Your password must contain:
- At least 10 characters
- At least three of the following: uppercase, lowercase, numeric, or special characters
Your password may not contain:
- Your email, part of your name, or part of your address
- Words or common acronyms of 5 or more letters
(passwords of more than 20 characters are excluded from this rule) - Number sequences of 4 or more numbers
- Character repeated 4 or more times
- Spaces
When you have created and confirmed your password, click "Submit."
Still having trouble registering? Contact the Help Desk for assistance.