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 or go here.

Application fees are set at $100 per child.

Yes, members of the community may enroll on a space-available basis. People who do not have a current Harvard affiliation are offered spots only after tier 1 and 2 families are offered spots.

It costs $100 to apply to one or all seven child care centers. 

You will be directed to pay within the online application system once you have input your information. 

Names are added to waiting lists upon receipt of both the application and the application fee. Until you send the fee, your application is not considered complete and will not be processed.

Application fees are typically paid at the point of submission, by credit card. If you prefer to pay your fee in person or if the cost of the application fee presents a financial burden please request a fee waiver and provide some additional information about your request. After you submit your application and fee and/or your waiver is accepted, you will receive an acknowledgement from the application system allowing you access to your application. 

Additional children in a family should be added through the same account.

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

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.

Child care centers vary in their characteristics and cultures, as well as in their locations and sizes. We encourage you to get to know individual centers before making the decision to apply. Please visit their web sites, attend open houses, or make appointments to visit if possible. Some families apply to just one center, and others choose to apply to all seven. Your odds are best if you apply to multiple centers and stay open to all options.

The child care center application period is on a separate schedule from the Harvard University Housing lottery. Unfortunately, Campus Child Care cannot hold spots until the results of the housing lottery are available. We encourage families to apply to all centers that they would consider and to take a spot when offered. For exceptional situations, please consult directly with Campus Child Care.

We recommend applying to all or at least 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.

Campus Child Care requires parents to sign a contract. Enrollment is focused around the academic calendar, with new enrollment concentrated in the fall. While there are occasionally mid-year enrollments, most children remain in their programs for the length of the contract. If your care needs fall outside of this schedule, please reach out to Campus Child Care. We can sometimes pair two families with complementary needs.

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 will always do our best to give you an accurate overall picture of our waiting list.  

No, housing location does not confer any sort of preference for child care centers. Families must apply, and children are enrolled on a space-available basis according to the tier system.

No, being affiliated with Harvard does not guarantee child care, although it does give families preference for enrollment. Families must apply, and children are enrolled on a space-available basis, according to a tier system.

Waiting lists should really be called “application lists,” because they do not tell us who is actually waiting and would take a spot if offered. Families may have their names on several lists at the same time, and may leave their name on a waiting list even once they are enrolled elsewhere. In addition, you may be waiting only for a full-time space, and someone who applied after you and wants a part-time spot may be offered a space first if that opens (or vice versa). Within each tier, the date of application is the determining factor. A center may tell you that it estimates a certain number of applications ahead of yours for a certain age group, but experience shows that this is not a great indicator of who gets a spot.

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.  Our application will ask you to provide your relationship to Harvard, whether it is current, past or future.

The majority of children (total 400+) return annually since their families continue working and studying in the area. In a typical year, we enroll 150 – 200 new children. For new openings, siblings of existing families who have a continuing Harvard affiliation have first priority; ladder-access faculty have second priority; other Tier 1 families are considered next followed by Tier 2 families. Community members and alumni of the University (Tier 3) are then considered.

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 may offer open houses in our centers through the Spring prior to the start of the enrollment “season” or host in person group tours or a zoom session to learn more about a specific site. Open house events are typically on Saturday mornings, hosted in most cases by current families and staff. These events can be  terrific opportunity to see a program at your own pace, view multiple classrooms, and meet families who are currently enrolled. 

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 other forms of “getting to know us” through a video or maybe some contacts for references, parent to parent.  Ask your center director for ideas  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.

Early recognition and assessment of disabilities and/or developmental difference is essential. Free developmental services, available through federally-funded programs such as Early Intervention (EI), bring therapies directly to children during their school day. Private therapies may be delivered on or off-site of the child care program and there are additional support services offered through public schools. We take seriously our obligation to support parents as they advocate for their children and navigate systems of care. We have extensive experience in Boston, Cambridge and many surrounding towns to offer a parent during this process. We welcome and support services offered to children during the school day, are happy to collaborate with therapists who see children outside of school time, and work hard to coordinate information among the variety of service providers and caregivers in a child’s life.

Harvard-University benefits-eligible faculty, staff and postdocs may be eligible for one of several means-tested child care scholarship programs. Please go here for more information.

Residents of Allston zip codes 02134 and 02135 may be eligible for a limited scholarship at Western Avenue Children’s Center. Please read more here. 

Harvard’s Graduate Student Union (HGSU-UAW) offers a childcare fund for eligible members.

Individual CCC programs are not able to offer financial assistance.The Cambridge Preschool Program provides support for 4 year olds who reside in the City of Cambridge even if they attend our CCC programs in Allston. This program also supports some income eligible 3 year olds. To learn more about this valuable program look here.

Our staff are well compensated for this field, as CCC will adhere to the standards set by the new Cambridge Preschool Program. This will require advancements in pay for qualified teachers towards their public school colleagues. At CCC we also prioritize providing a rich benefits package to support them and to retain them at CCC.

Yes. Our operational expenses are the same whether or not your child is in attendance. We still have to pay the same number of teachers and other center expenses remain constant. In order to have high quality and stability in the center, we must meet our budget expectations.

Yes. Your child must be current with 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 and COVID vaccine too, but these are not required by CCC.

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

We are extremely careful to avoid exposure to any of your child’s 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. The State has very strict regulations around the documentation and action plan for any child with allergies which can cause anaphylaxis. You may not leave your child in our care without the proper paperwork and medications in place, so please start a discussion with your center before the first days of school so everyone is prepared.

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.  With their support and expertise, 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. CCC  has a health consultant who advises programs about all health related 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.

Contracts are for 12 months. In order to secure a space, a non-refundable deposit of $3,500 is required. The contract and enrollment are a financial agreement as well as an agreement to abide by the policies of the center which are outlined in the CCC and individual program parent handbook(s). The CCC parent handbook can be found here, your individual program handbook will be provided by the Center. A sample contract is available upon request.

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

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

Please contact Wakana Suzuki, Financial Manager, at finance@campus-cc.org.

While all the centers offer the highest quality of early education and care, there are differences in the size of the centers, configuration of the classrooms, and physical plant. Our centers differ in pedagogy and staffing patterns based on program-led decisions that have emerged over time. All of our centers focus on a developmentally-appropriate approach to curriculum and all of our centers are deeply committed to family engagement. Some centers have a particular focus on anti-bias curriculum. Because each center serves the needs and preferences of its unique population, you may notice differences in center culture.

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 on the first day of employment for full time staff, 50% subsidy for dependent coverage 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.

Each center has the autonomy to determine its staffing needs based on the configuration of the classrooms, the needs and preferences of its population, and its approach. All classrooms in every center meet or exceed the licensing requirements for the number of staff and staff qualifications set by the State of Massachusetts.

All our programs believe children learn best through play and direct, hands-on experience. Our teachers provide environments designed to spark curiosity and support play; then they observe children closely to discover what captivates their students. Each team of teachers reflects upon their observations and plans curriculum that responds to children’s needs and interests, while introducing new skills and supporting age-appropriate problem solving. This well-planned curriculum may emerge and develop over days, weeks, or even years.

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.

CCC works diligently to have stability in each center. Staff turnover is experienced as a deep loss for the children and families, and directly affects the balance on teaching teams, therefore, we do all that we can to support our staff to retain them. Staff do not move from center to center on a regular basis because of our firm belief in the continuity and stability of care for our children; rather, they are encouraged to find the right fit among our centers to develop their talents. All jobs are posted internally. If there is an opening at another program, and you choose to apply, your application would go into an internal pool of applicants who are considered first.

Yes, as appropriate. When there are center openings, internal candidates are considered first.

We encourage professional development at all levels of our organization and want to be sure that each employee has an individual professional development plan that includes access to increasing qualifications and responsibilities as desired.

Please email hr@campus-cc.org for more information about open positions!