Using ISD

ISD is an online tool that allows hiring departments at Harvard to request visa sponsorship for international scholars or student interns from the Harvard International Office (HIO). Once an international scholar or student intern’s academic appointment is confirmed, the Harvard hiring department must create a record for the individual in ISD.

Hiring departments must also use ISD to notify the HIO of anyone appointed in their department whose visa will be sponsored by a third party organization (Fulbright, AMIDEAST, etc.) or who will be sponsored by another institution on F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT), F-1 STEM OPT, or J-1 Academic Training (AT).

For instructions on using ISD, please refer to our ISD Manual. For technical difficulties or issues using ISD, please contact Khuong Nguyen.

Please note, ISD should only be used for first time visitors only. If scholars are already in the HIO  system, i.e. they are changing departments and/or are already in the HIO system from previous visits, please use the eForm instead of ISD.  Do not create new ISD records for these individuals.