FAQs & Resources

The online application is hosted by Harvard’s Office of Work/Life. You can access the application through any one of the centers’ websites. https://huccc-web.cadm.harvard.edu/

Applications fees are set per child.
For one to three programs the fee is $60.
For four to seven programs the fee is $120.

Application fees can be paid for by check or wire transfer. CCC does not accept payment by Paypal or Zelle or any method of payment beyond check or wire transfer. To ensure your application fee is quickly processed, email the information regarding your wire payment to:finance@campus-cc.org. Please include the parents’ and child’s name. Once the application fee has been posted, you will receive an automated acknowledgement of receipt.

Application fees are per child and for the “life” of the application, no need to pay again in subsequent years.

Fee per application:

$60 for one to three programs.

$120 for four to seven programs.

Please indicate with your payment the child’s name and which program(s) you are applying to with BGCC, HYCCC, OSDC, PTCC, RCCC, SFPCC, WACC (or ALL) so that we can match your application fee to your family and allocate your application fee to the right program(s).

Your application fee is non-refundable.

The information for the CCC wire account is as follows:
ABA/routing number: 011300595

The wire transfer account number: 1538143903

Bank: 
Cambridge Trust Company
1336 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138

Recipient: 
Campus Child Care, Inc.
PO Box 380354
Cambridge MA 02238-0354

If you pay by wire please include an additional $12 with your application fee total to cover the cost of the wire.

If you mail a check please mail it to the CCC PO box address above.

You should apply as soon as you know you are going to come to Harvard and know you will need care.  Because the CCC centers are highly valued, there is typically a waiting list to enroll. The sooner you apply, the better the chances of being offered a spot.

Housing decisions generally come out after we begin to offer spaces.  If you decide to wait, you could be disadvantaged on the waiting list with a later date of application.

We recommend applying to several centers.  While over 100 new families enroll each year across the CCC Centers, it is unpredictable where the openings will be for any particular aged child. Our retention rate is high, and currently enrolled children are given first priority in moving up from one classroom to the next.  Our openings are greatest in the infant room and preschool classrooms.

Unfortunately, we are not able to answer this question in advance.  Each center has some movement on an annual basis as children age out of the program or families move.  There is unpredictability in this process and in the number of open spaces expected at a particular age level in any given year.  Typically, spots are filled by the end of June, but some spaces may open up as late as September. We wish we could more accurately predict for your planning, but we do our best to give you an accurate overall picture of our waiting list.  

No, application fees are not refunded.  You will be offered the option to remain on our waiting list from one year to the next at no extra charge.

Your place on the waiting list is determined by your Tier (your relationship with Harvard) and your date of application.  The majority of our spaces are filled by Harvard-affiliated families designated Tier 1 and 2 families; a few spaces are filled by community and alumni families.

Tiers are assigned by the Harvard Office of Work/Life.  Campus Child Care cannot change your Tier. Information about Tiers can be found here.

If you have questions about your Tier assignment, you can contact the Office of Work/Life at worklife@harvard.edu.  Sometimes, it is helpful to provide an acceptance or offer letter to be certain your Tier is set correctly. 

We confirm re-enrollment with our existing families between January and March and begin offering spots to ladder-access faculty after the Spring open houses.  This process takes a few weeks. By mid-April, we begin offering openings to Tier 1 families on the waitlist.

Because enrollment in most classrooms remains fluid into the summer months, we do not typically inform families that they will not be offered a space.  Last-minute moves do occur, creating unexpected openings in August and September. You can contact Katy Donovan, our Executive Director to inquire about current openings at execdirector@campus-cc.org.

Yes! We offer open houses in our centers through the Spring prior to the start of the enrollment “season”.  These are typically on Saturday mornings, hosted in most cases by current families and staff. Open houses are a terrific chance to see a program at your own pace, view multiple classrooms, and meet families who are currently enrolled.  We recommend attending several open houses as a way to get a feel for the similarities and differences between the CCC programs. You may want to visit again if a center is able to offer you a space. Check our online calendar for the dates and times.

All of our centers strictly meet or exceed the licensing requirements of the state licensing authority, Department of Early Education and Care (EEC).  They vary in size, configuration of the space in terms of the number of classrooms, and physical plant. Each center maximizes its space by establishing their age groups to ensure the appropriate flow through the center.  While the rules and regulations of child care are established by EEC, we have discretion about how children are grouped by age within the requirements for the group size and number of teachers per group. You can be assured that your child will receive developmentally-appropriate education and care, regardless of the classroom.

You will be asked to sign a 12-month contract and pay a $3,500 deposit to hold the spot.  If a second child is being enrolled, a second deposit of $2,500 is required.

Of course!  We hope you can visit the center and the classroom your child will enroll in before you sign a contract with CCC.  Even if you have been able to attend one of our open houses, many families will ask to visit again before they sign the contract.  We will do our best to work with you to set a mutually convenient date. If you are not able to visit, we may be able to provide some contacts for references, parent to parent.  Ask your center director for the emails of a few currently-enrolled families if that would be helpful in finalizing a decision.

Our contracts are designed for a 12-month period running from late August until early August the next year.  We find that children transition most successfully if they settle into their new classrooms before their parents start the new academic year.  All of our centers focus on teamwork and developing ongoing relationships with peers and teachers. For these reasons, children became part of a classroom cohort that remains together for the year and most transition together to the next classroom.

To hire and retain qualified staff, we offer them a full year of employment.  Campus Child Care (CCC) is a private, non-profit organization independent of Harvard University.  We depend on tuition income to hire and retain staff. We need the predictability of an annual budget to maintain the high quality of our programs and operations that you value.

Cambridge and Allston are rich in early childhood resources, especially for children over age 3. There are family child care programs, group child care programs, nanny and babysitting resources across the city.  You can start a search here: https://www.mass.gov/early-childhood-services-and-resources-for-families to look for licensed providers in your zip code.  While CCC is not able to provide recommendations beyond our programs, we know many families who have found enriching programs outside of our centers.

Individual CCC programs are not able to offer financial assistance.

There are limited scholarships available through the City of Cambridge for low income families including some student families.

Benefits-eligible faculty, staff and postdocs may be eligible for one of several child care scholarship programs. Please go here for more information.  There is currently no child care funding available for Harvard students.

Yes. Your child must be current on the immunization schedule or a “catch up” schedule. The state licensing authority does require immunizations for child care as well as schools. We have babies who are too young for immunizations so it is the obligation of the community to immunize to keep all of our children healthy and safe. You may provide a medical exemption. And it’s a great idea for all age-eligible children and adults to get a flu shot too!

Massachusetts Immunization Program: https://www.mass.gov/immunization-program

We are extremely careful to avoid your child’s exposure to any of his or her allergens.  We post allergies in classrooms and we orient all staff about the proper procedures to keep your child safe.  Some of the centers have chosen to be nut-free. Please discuss your child’s specific needs with the center director.

CCC is engaged with the Green Campus initiatives through the Harvard University Office for Sustainability to develop clear and safe standards for the youngest members of the Harvard community.  The Office of Sustainability will assist CCC to research everything from Sharpie markers to diaper choices to be sure we can make easy, affordable, informed choices in our purchases for children on campus.  The Office of Sustainability is making campus-wide recommendations about cleaning products and will review our choices for those as well.  We have moved toward stainless silverware and cooking utensils rather than plastic and we are avoiding plastic toys whenever possible.  We are carefully selecting other environmentally safe classroom products such as carpeting and cloth materials.

You should be prepared for the fact that your children may get sick more often when they are first exposed to other children in groups.  This is a natural pattern for all children as they develop resistance to germs after they are exposed. Each child’s immune system is different and some children may get sick much more often than others.  We are very careful in all our centers to practice state-of-the-art hygiene and standard health precautions to prevent the spread of illnesses. Each CCC center has a health consultant who advises the center about all policies.  Our parent handbook outlines our policy for excluding sick children. 

Even if your child does not have symptoms that would require exclusion, he or she should be able to keep up with the typical events of the day at the center.  If your child does not have the energy or stamina to participate fully in the program, it is best to stay home. For some children, a cold is a major event, while for others, it is not.  You know your child best to make an informed decision. We know how your child responds in a group setting so please speak with your child’s teachers to discuss what is best for him or her in that particular circumstance.

Yes. ​We offer fruits, vegetables, simple grains, and dairy products. We do not offer meats or sugary snacks. Examples of a snack offering might be edamame and whole-wheat crackers, muffins made by the children with honeydew melon or broccoli with cheese sticks. We believe that a snack offered to a group of children should be appropriate for all children in the group. Therefore, if one person is allergic to sesame, then hummus would not be offered as a snack to anyone in that group. If another person is allergic to wheat, that group would find foods appropriate for everyone.

Please contact Arlete Peterson, Accounting Manager at accounting@campus-cc.org.

You may ask Arlete Peterson, Accounting Manager at accounting@campus-cc.org or Liz Keating, Financial Manager, at finance@campus-cc.org. 

Please contact Liz Keating, Financial Manager, at finance@campus-cc.org. 

Each center is responsible for determining its staffing pattern and staffing levels. All teachers are paid based on their qualifications, experience at and prior to CCC and hours of work. While the days a center is open and closed may vary locally, every staff member has the same number of days off across CCC if you combine days their center is closed and flexible PTO.

Yes. CCC negotiates and manages staff benefits on behalf of centers to ensure the best group rates and features. CCC offers extremely competitive benefits, including 100% paid medical and dental insurance for its employees, as well as short term/long term disability and a life insurance policy.

For a complete list of benefits or to learn more about working with us, write to hr@campus-cc.org

How the centers develop the learning environment depends on the age group enrolled and the interests of the actual children present. Our CCC administrators share a belief that the professional teaching staff in each classroom are best suited to make and implement curricular decisions for any particular group. Our curriculum is based in observations of children, not on a purchased, pre-packaged curriculum. Directors, parents, and colleagues are resources for curriculum development.