Harvard University

Overview

Harvard University is a private institution that was founded in 1636 in the United States. It has a total undergraduate student population of 7,153 (Fall 2021), an urban setting, and a campus size of 5,076 acres. It uses a semester academic calendar. Harvard University’s Best Colleges 2022-2023 ranking is National Universities, #3.

Harvard’s 13 schools and institutes include its Global Business School, School of Medicine, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Graduate School of Education, School of Law, and the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Harvard also offers non-degree opportunities for professionals, including executive, continuing and online education.

Accomplishments & Alumni

Harvard has a long list of alumni that includes 8 US Presidents, 359 Rhodes Scholars, 62 billionaires, and 242 Marshall Scholars, among others. Harvard also includes Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize and Oscar winners. Several Harvard alumni have also represented the United States at the Olympics, bringing home 108 medals from the major sporting event. Harvard graduates are some of the most respected personalities around the world. Among Harvard University’s most notable alumni are Barack Obama, Mark Zuckerberg, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Natalie, Henry Kissinger, and Priscilla Chan, among others.

Acceptance rate for international students

Already considered one of the most selective schools in the world, Harvard has become increasingly selective over the past few years. In an average application cycle, Harvard accepts about 5% of applicants. Due to the changing world climate and optional SAT/ACT, Harvard received 61,220 applications for the class of 2026 (compared to 57,435 for the class of 2025 in the early round of applications received). The record low acceptance rate fell to just 3.19%, or 1,965 admitted students for the class of 2026. While these numbers may seem daunting, don’t give up if you have your heart set on Harvard. Harvard admits nearly 2,000 students each year.

Admission Requirements

Admission to Harvard University is the most selective with an acceptance rate of 4%. Half of the applicants admitted to Harvard University have SAT scores between 1480 and 1580 or ACT scores of 33 to 36. However, a quarter of admitted applicants scored above these ranges and a quarter scored below these ranges. The application deadline is January 1st and the Harvard University application fee is $75.

Admissions officials at Harvard University consider a student’s GPA as an academic factor. An applicant’s high school class rank is not considered, but letters of recommendation are considered by Harvard University admissions officials.

There are a lot of pieces that go into a college application, but you should focus on only a few critical things:

• GPA Requirements
• SAT and ACT
• Application requirements

Harvard GPA Requirements

Many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.

The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school’s average GPA for its current students. The average GPA at Harvard is 4.18. With a GPA of 4.18, Harvard requires you to be at the top of your class. You’ll need nearly straight A’s in all your classes to compete with other applicants.

If you’re currently a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change in time for college applications. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 4.18, you’ll need a higher SAT or ACT score to compensate. This will help you compete effectively against other applicants who have higher GPAs than you.

SAT and ACT Requirements

To apply to Harvard, you must take either the SAT or the ACT. More importantly, you need to do well to have a strong application.

Harvard SAT Requirements

Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school’s average score. The average SAT score composite at Harvard is 1520 on the 1600 SAT scale. This score makes Harvard Extremely Competitive for SAT scores.

Harvard ACT Requirements

As with the SAT, Harvard probably doesn’t have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will be thrown in the trash. Harvard’s average ACT score is 34. This score makes Harvard extremely competitive for ACT scores. An ACT score at the 25th percentile is 33, and an ACT score at the 75th percentile is 35.

Even though Harvard probably says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 33 or below, you’re going to have a very hard time getting in unless you have something else very impressive on your application. There are so many applicants who score 34 and above that a 33 will look academically weak.

Harvard University Undergraduate Admission

Harvard University offers admission to 97 different undergraduate degrees, concentrated in 57 majors within 19 broad fields of study. Mentioned below is the application process for the UG program at Harvard University. The annual cost of undergraduate education at Harvard is US$73,600, inclusive of tuition, fees, room, board, personal expenses, and travel costs.

Admission Requirements:

• School report and high school transcript
• Teacher report
• Midyear school report (after the first semester grades)
• Final school report
• SAT or ACT (optional for 2022-2023 applicants, but recommended)

Application steps:

Step 1: Create an account in Common App or Coalition application

Step 2: Submit supporting documents

Step 3: Submit English proficiency scores (Optional).

Academic Requirements for Post Graduate Programs

Harvard University offers over 200 graduate programs through its 12 graduate and professional schools. Students seeking admission can begin applying to Harvard University starting in September. The annual cost of postgraduate education at Harvard is US$50,928

Application Fee:

Non-refundable US$105

Required Documents:

International students need the following documents for admission to Harvard University:

• Minimum 3.5 in Undergraduate degree
• GMAT score of 730
• TOEFL-iBT Score of 100
• Personal essay
• 2 Recommendation Letters
• Resume
• Work Experience above 3 years

English language Requirements

An adequate command of spoken and written English is essential for success in graduate studies at Harvard. Applicants who are not native English speakers can demonstrate English proficiency in one of three ways:

• Earning a college degree from an academic institution where English is the primary language of instruction.
• Obtaining a minimum score of 80 on the Internet Test (iBT) of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
• Obtaining a minimum score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) academic test.

A master’s degree or other postgraduate degree is not accepted as proof of English proficiency.

Popular Programs:

The popular programs offered by Harvard University are as follows:

• E/B.Tech in Engineering Science
• Bachelor of biomedical engineering
• Bachelor in Electrical Engineering
• Bachelor of Statistics
• Bachelor of Mathematics
• Masters in Computer ScienMaster in Business Administration (MBA)ce
• Graduate Program in Electrical Engineering
• sc in Computational Science and Engineering

Tuition fees

Harvard University’s fee structure is as follows:

Harvard University Scholarships for International Students

Undergraduate Scholarships

Financial Aid

Scholarship amount: 100% of demonstrated need

Qualified international students may apply for Harvard financial aid, which covers 100% of the applicant’s demonstrated need. The university selects eligible students by setting parental allowances and taking into account employment or student awards. What is left of these will be covered by a grant scholarship that does not need any repayment.

Outside Awards

Outside awards are often funded by schools, civil organizations, parental employers and corporations to name a few. As these funds are intended for educational purposes, they need to be reported to the university. This is then included in the total amount of financial aid that the student will receive. Outside awards can help replace the expectation of term employment or the equivalent amount of a Harvard University student scholarship.

Graduate Scholarships

Financial Support for PhD. Students

Scholarship Amount: Full Tuition and Living Stipend

This support also includes stipends, traineeships, teaching fellowships, and research assistantships.

Notice of financial support is given at the time of admission. This needs to be reactivated every spring as the continuation of the award depends on the progress of the student.

Research Assistantships/Teaching Assistantships

Scholarship Amount: Full Tuition and Living Stipend

Select Master’s and PhD students can receive funding in form of research assistantships and teaching assistantships. These cover full tuition as well as a living stipend, so it is a great way for international students to study without having to worry about finances.

Saul Zaentz Fellowships

Scholarship Amount: Partial Tuition Coverage

The Saul Zaentz Scholarship is awarded to exceptional full-time students who wish to pursue a master’s or doctoral degree in early childhood education in graduate school. Recipients of this Harvard University scholarship are assessed based on work experience (3-5 years, paid or volunteer basis) – whether as a practitioner, policy maker, government employee or researcher.

Hopefully, this blog on Harvard University was insightful. If you are planning to study there then get in touch with Edvise Hub and let our experts guide you through the whole process. Book a free session today!