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Application Requirements

We look forward to learning about you through your application.

Here you'll find a detailed explanation of each admission application requirement. Most of the information here applies to both first-year and transfer applicants, and requirements are the same for domestic and international applicants.  

Don't forget to reference our Application Tips for guidance on filling out the Common Application.

Application

We accept the Common Application  and the Coalition Application by Scoir . Both are treated equally by the Admissions Committee. Complete and submit your materials as soon as possible to ensure full and timely consideration of your application. Your portions of the application are due by the application deadlines (November 1 for Restrictive Early Action and January 1 for Regular Decision); high school counselors are given an additional week to submit materials on your behalf. 

If you use the Common Application , you must submit your application before your supporting materials (Secondary School Report, Teacher Recommendations, etc.) can be released to a college. Until you submit your own application sections, no part of your application will be transmitted to the Harvard Admissions Office.

If you use the Coalition Application , remember you must submit the separate Harvard supplement in addition to the application by the application deadline for your application to be considered complete. 

Submitting Your Application

Receiving confirmation of your application.

After you submit your application, we will send an email confirmation with a PIN to access the Applicant Portal. We begin sending these daily application confirmation emails in mid-September each year. Most applicant receive their confirmation email the day after they submit their application online. Applications sent in the mail will take up to two weeks to process.

If you have not received your confirmation email, please check your spam/junk folder for messages from [email protected] or [email protected]. 

If have searched your inbox and still cannot find your confirmation email, we encourage you to check the application system you used and ensure you clicked "Submit" and not just "Save".

If you still cannot locate your application confirmation email, please contact us . Choose the category “Admissions” and then the subject “Applicant Questions (if you've already submitted your application)” in the drop-down menu, or call 617-495-1551.

Paying the application fee or requesting a fee waiver

You may pay your application fee online with a credit card via the Common Application or Coalition Application, Powered by Scoir websites.

You may also send a check or money order to Harvard College Admissions, 86 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. Please include the applicant’s name with the payment.

Fee waivers: We are committed to making the application process accessible for all students. If the admissions application fee presents a hardship for you or your family and you plan on applying for financial aid, the fee will be waived. Please follow these instructions to request your fee waiver . Requesting a fee waiver will not disadvantage your application in any way.

Completing the Harvard supplement questions

Complete the Harvard Questions with the Common Application or Coalition Application, Powered by Scoir*. This includes the following five required short-answer questions, each with a 200 word limit. 

• Harvard has long recognized the importance of enrolling a diverse student body. How will the life experiences that shape who you are today enable you to contribute to Harvard?
• Briefly describe an intellectual experience that was important to you. 
• Briefly describe any of your extracurricular activities, employment experience, travel, or family responsibilities that have shaped who you are.
• How do you hope to use your Harvard education in the future?
• Top 3 things your roommates might like to know about you. 

*Please note that the Harvard supplement is separate for the Coalition Application, so you must submit both the application AND supplement for your application to be considered complete. 

Additional application questions

What if i am homeschooled.

Each applicant to Harvard College is considered with great care and homeschooled applicants are treated the same as all other applicants. There is no special process, but all relevant information about your educational and personal background is welcome. In addition to the application, all applicants are required to submit a transcript (which can be created by the family member or agency overseeing your schooling), and recommendations. If the application fee presents a hardship for your family,  simply request a fee waiver .

Hear from Harvard students who were homeschooled, in the Harvard Gazette article ‘ Homeschooled en route to Harvard .’

What if I need to make updates to my application after I submit it?

Do not resend your application in order to make updates. If you need to update your identification or contact information, or send updates, additional information, or corrections, please do so via the  Applicant Portal .

Misrepresentation of Credentials

Be completely accurate in your application materials. If we discover a misrepresentation during the admissions process, you will be denied admission. If you have already been admitted, your offer will typically be withdrawn. If you have already registered, your admission will normally be revoked, and we will require you to leave the College. Harvard rescinds degrees if misrepresentations in application materials are discovered.

The determination that an application is inaccurate or contains misrepresentations rests solely with the Admissions Office and will be resolved outside the student disciplinary process.

School Reports and Teacher Recommendations

Secondary school report.

The secondary school report is a required form that is submitted by your school counselor or another school leader. This form gives an overview of the student's academic record. It includes the applicant's academic transcript(s), a letter of recommendation, and a school profile (if available). If a counselor is unable to submit a letter of recommendation for the applicant, another teacher or school leader may submit an additional recommendation letter. 

Midyear School Report

When you apply, your school counselor will often send your transcript with few or no senior year course grades included. That is why the midyear school report is required - to allow us to review your performance in the first half of your senior year coursework .  The midyear school report must be completed by your school counselor or other school official. Please request that the midyear school report is completed and returned to our office as soon as possible. 

Midyear School Report FAQs

What if i'm applying restrictive early action and i don't have my midyear grades yet.

Restrictive Early Action applicants are not required to submit the midyear report by the November 1 deadline. If you applied Restrictive Early Action and are deferred to Regular Decision, please submit the midyear report and transcript in February, or as soon as your midyear grades are available.

I'm an international student and my academic year is different. Do I still need to submit the midyear report?

If you study the IB curriculum or the A-level curriculum, then we expect that your school will send predicted grades, based on your current classroom work and the results of any internal or mock exams you have taken up to that point. If your school does not issue official or predicted midyear grades for your final year of school, then you do not need to submit the midyear report form, although the item may remain on your checklist.

What if I have already graduated from high school?

If you have already graduated from high school, you should ignore the midyear report requirement (though the item may remain on your Checklist in the Applicant Portal) and simply ask your school to send a final school report if you have not already done so.

Teacher Evaluations

Ask two teachers in different academic subjects who know you well to complete the Teacher Recommendation forms (which includes an evaluation form and a letter of recommendation). If you wish to submit additional letters of recommendation, you can do so after you submit your application. In your application confirmation email, there will be a personalized link to send to your recommenders.

What courses should I take to prepare for applying to Harvard?

There is no “one size fits all” rule about which curriculum to study during secondary school years. Students should challenge themselves by taking courses deemed appropriate by their teachers and counselors. But some students believe that “more is always better” when it comes to AP, IB or other advanced courses.

While some students prosper academically and personally by taking large numbers of such courses, others benefit from a more balanced approach that allows them additional time for extracurricular and personal development. Even the best students can be negatively affected by taking too many courses at once, and might benefit instead from writing, reading or research projects on subjects of great interest to them.

To learn more, read our Guide to Preparing for College. To avoid the “burnout” often seen among secondary school students, please refer to our article, Time Out or Burn Out for the Next Generation .

Is there a specific math requirement?

Applicants to Harvard should excel in a challenging high school math sequence corresponding to their educational interests and aspirations. We recommend that applicants take four years of math courses in high school. Ideally, these math courses will focus on conceptual understanding, promote higher-order thinking, and encourage students to use mathematical reasoning to critically examine the world. Examples include rigorous and relevant courses in computer science, statistics and its subfields, mathematical modeling, calculus, and other advanced math subjects.

Students’ math records are viewed holistically, and no specific course is required. Specifically, calculus is not a requirement for admission to Harvard. We understand that applicants do not have the same opportunities and course offerings in their high schools. Moreover, many programs of study at Harvard do not require knowledge of calculus. We encourage applicants to take the courses that are available to them and aligned with their interests and goals.

Students intending to study engineering, computer science, physics, mathematics, statistics or other fields where calculus is needed may benefit from taking calculus in high school. However, students at Harvard can still pursue such fields by starting with one of our introductory calculus classes that has no high school calculus prerequisite. On balance, we encourage all students to master foundational mathematical material instead of rushing through any of the more advanced courses.

Final School Report and Transcripts

All admitted students who choose to enroll are required to send a Final School Report and transcript as soon as their final grades become available – no later than July 1 . The Final School Report and transcript should be completed and sent by a school counselor or other school official through:

• Naviance Network
• Common Application
• Coalition/Scoir Application

IB students should send their final results as soon as they are released in mid-July. We will expect to see final A levels results by mid-August. We are unable to accept a transcript as an email attachment.

Standardized Test Scores

Harvard College will require the submission of standardized test scores from applicants for admission as part of the comprehensive application process that takes a whole-student approach.

The College will accept the SAT or ACT to meet the standardized testing requirement. In exceptional cases when those tests are not accessible, one of the following can meet the requirement:   

• AP exam results
• IB Actual or Predicted Scores   
• GCSE/A-Level Actual or Predicted Results   
• National Leaving Exams Results or Predictions

Standardized Testing FAQs

Can i self-report my test scores.

Yes. Applicants may provide self-reported SAT and ACT test scores (including Subject Tests, Advanced Placement, IB, etc.). Admitted students who decide to enroll at Harvard College will be required to submit official test scores.

How do I send my test scores?

You are free to use the College Board Score Choice option or the similar option offered by the ACT. Our official codes are 3434 for the College Board SAT Reasoning Tests and 1840 for the ACT if you are submitting official test scores as part of your application.

• How to send your SAT scores
• How to send your ACT scores

Are there test score "cutoffs"?

There are no score cutoffs, and we do not admit “by the numbers.” For the ACT, we will evaluate your highest composite score and any other scores you choose to share with us. We take into account your educational background when reviewing your scores.

How should I prepare for standardized tests?

Our admissions committee understands that opportunities to prepare for standardized tests vary greatly for students of different socioeconomic backgrounds. You may find it helpful to utilize free-test prep from Khan Academy or join a free SAT bootcamp on Schoolhouse.world . The ACT provides sample tests to practice.  Such free programs could help students from under-resourced schools by providing the academic tools that will serve them well on standardized tests and also in college. Students can also do well by studying widely and deeply  on their own with the help of family, school, or community organizations.

What do standardized tests and grades indicate about academic preparation for college?

SAT and ACT tests are better predictors of Harvard grades than high school grades. However, admission officers understand that not all students attend well-resourced schools throughout their lives, and that those who come from modest economic backgrounds or first-generation college families may have had fewer opportunities to prepare for standardized tests.

High school grades in a rigorous academic program can also be helpful in assessing readiness for college courses, but the thousands of secondary schools around the country and the world employ various high school curricula and a wide range of grading systems - and some have no grades at all. Other students have been homeschooled or prepared for college by taking part in multiple schooling opportunities both in person and electronic.

Given the wide variation in how students prepare for Harvard – as well as the fact that most applicants and admitted students have outstanding academic records – it is difficult for high school grades to differentiate individual applications. That does not mean that high school grades are unimportant. Students who come to Harvard have done well day to day in their high school studies, providing a crucial foundation for academic success in college, including a 97% - 98% graduation rate.

Each application to Harvard is read with great care, keeping in mind that talent is everywhere, but opportunity and access are not.

How will Harvard evaluate the new digital SAT?

The College Board's shift to a digital delivery of the SAT will not impact the way in which Harvard reviews test scores within applications. Please  visit the College Board FAQs  for more information.  

Supplemental Materials

Our standard application materials typically give us ample information for making admission decisions. However, we recognize you may have truly exceptional talents or achievements you wish to share, and we want you to have every opportunity to best represent yourself.

At the discretion of the Admissions Committee, supplementary materials—such as music recordings, artwork, or selected samples of academic work—may be evaluated by faculty. These materials are entirely optional.

Material Types

How to submit documents and articles.

Scholarly articles, research, creative writing or other documents of which you are the primary author should be submitted in the Upload Materials section of the Applicant Portal . This is the most efficient and direct method of submitting these materials, because they will be added directly to your official application. All submissions should include a list of any individuals with whom you collaborated in the production of the work. If appropriate, please identify your research sponsor, mentor, and/or laboratory or research group leader and provide a short description of your particular contribution to the work.

How to submit media (video, audio, or images)

You may submit optional supplementary media materials (e.g. videos, audio recordings, or images) electronically via Slideroom . Details for submissions in art, dance or choreography, musical performance or composition, will be found on the Slideroom website. There is a small submission fee, but if this fee causes you economic hardship, you may request a fee waiver at the point of submission. You may also contact us to request a fee waiver.

If you encounter technical difficulties on Slideroom, you may submit a document via your portal with YouTube video links. Our team may follow up to request a Slideroom submission at a later time. 

Should I submit other academic materials?

Harvard accepts other standardized tests or other academic credentials if you choose to submit them. In any admissions process, additional information can be helpful. For example, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, A-levels, national leaving examinations, national or international contests, early high school assessment scores such as the PSAT or pre-ACT, or courses taken outside your school during the school year or summer are just some examples of information that could be submitted. Subject Tests and the essay portion of the SAT have been terminated, except in certain special circumstances. Harvard admission officers review all materials that an applicant submits, so if you’ve already taken Subject Tests or the essay portion of the SAT, you may still submit them along with your other application materials.

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First-Year Applicants

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Harvard’s Economics Department is one of the best in the world. The large number of professors and their diverse interests enable a student to study virtually any area of economics. The extraordinary quality of Harvard undergraduates makes the classroom environment stimulating for teacher and student alike.

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Business Economics

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From corporate finance, industrial organization, and international business to markets, competition, and government regulation, you will delve into some of the most pressing and relevant topics in the field of economics through the practical lens of business.

In this program, you will choose among these fields of specialization: corporate finance, organizations and markets, international business, business strategy and industrial organization, corporate governance, and business and government. You will receive the comprehensive training of a PhD in economics along with the opportunity to focus on business-related research questions.

Examples of student theses and dissertations include “Empirical Analyses in Finance and Macroeconomics,” “Mapping Networks to Probability Distributions in the Economy,” and “On Government Effectiveness: Organizational and Governance Limitations on the Delivery of Education.”

Graduates have gone on to secure faculty positions at such prestigious institutions as Columbia Business School, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, London School of Economics and Political Science, MIT, and Northwestern University.

Students in business economics are enrolled in and receive their degree from the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and work with faculty from both the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and  Harvard Business School  (HBS). Harvard Griffin GSAS has offered PhD programs in collaboration with HBS since 1916. In addition to Business Economics , Harvard Griffin GSAS and HBS collaborate on the programs in  Business Administration ,  Organizational Behavior , and Health Policy (Management Track) .

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Business Economics , and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies .

Areas of Study

Behavioral Economics | Development | Econometrics | Economic Theory | Economics of Organizations | Entrepreneurship | Finance | Industrial Organization | International Economics | Labor Economics | Macroeconomics

Admissions Requirements

Please review admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Business Economics .

Academic Background

Applicants with bachelor’s degrees in the social sciences, engineering, sciences, and business are encouraged to apply.

Standardized Tests

GRE General or GMAT: Required iBT TOEFL preferred minimum score: 100 IELTS preferred minimum score: 7.5

Theses & Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Business Economics

See list of Business Economics faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

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Ph.D. Programs

The Harvard Environmental Economics Program (HEEP) does not grant degrees. Rather, students pursue a Ph.D. degree in Economics, Business Economics, Business Administration, Political Economy and Government, Public Policy, or Health Policy. Those whose dissertation interests focus on environmental and natural resource economics are invited to become Pre-Doctoral Fellows of HEEP.

If you are interested in pursuing a Ph.D. degree at Harvard focused on environmental economics, we encourage you to contact one or more of the following doctoral programs directly.

The Economics Ph.D.  program is the most traditional route for students interested in environmental economics. It is recommended for those applicants who wish to pursue an academic career in an economics department. It is one possible path for students who desire academic positions in professional schools or research positions in national or international agencies and research centers. The program is based in Harvard University’s Department of Economics in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. For general information about the Department, see its website . The Doctoral Program—including admissions requirements— is described here .

Business Economics

The Business Economics Ph.D.  program is offered jointly by the Department of Economics , in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and Harvard Business School, and combines economic analysis with practical aspects of business. This degree is primarily intended to prepare students for careers in research and teaching in business administration and related fields of economics. The general management approach of the Harvard Business School is an important ingredient in the program. For more information on the Business Economics program and for admissions requirements, please see the  Business Economics website.

Health Policy

The Health Policy Ph.D.  program is co-sponsored by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Kennedy School of Government, the Harvard Medical School, and the Harvard School of Public Health. Students interested in environmental economics should consider the “Economics” track of the program. This program is recommended for students with a particular interest in the intersection of health and environmental policy and who desire academic and/or research careers in health policy. For more information on the Health Policy program and for admissions requirements please see the Health Policy website.

Political Economy and Government

The Political Economy and Government  (PEG) program is co-sponsored by the  Department of Economics and the  Department of Government in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences —and the Harvard Kennedy School . The PEG program is appropriate for the select group of students whose breadth of academic interests is not well served by doctoral studies confined to economics, political science, or public policy. The program is recommended for students whose research interests span the intersection of economics and political science and who desire academic careers in professional schools or research careers with national or international agencies and research centers. For more information on the PEG program and for admissions requirements, please see the program’s web page.  

Public Policy

The Ph.D. in Public Policy  is granted by the  Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and administered by the Harvard Kennedy School . This program is recommended for students who are interested in environmental economics as applied to the policy world and whose career goals include academic careers in professional schools, research positions in national or international agencies and research centers, or professional positions of various kinds in policy organizations. For more information on the Public Policy program and for admissions requirements and materials please see the program’s web site.

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• Degree Requirements
• What We Look For

As a PhD in Public Policy (PPOL) student, you will register full time, which is the equivalent of four courses each semester. You must complete 16 courses to receive your degree—these include courses in the core requirements and in a primary and secondary field of interest.  At least 11 of your total courses must be at the doctoral level, with a minimum of five taught at Harvard Kennedy School. 

The PPOL curriculum requires you to complete core requirements and an oral general examination as well as participate in PhD research seminars. All your public policy coursework and qualifying exams are completed within the first two years. 

By the end of your third year, you submit and defend a dissertation prospectus. After that, you research, write, and prepare to defend that dissertation. Typically, you should complete your dissertation research and writing within three years after your oral general examination. 

Students usually complete their degree requirements within five years and are awarded their degrees after they submit and successfully defend their dissertations. 

PPOL PhD Dissertations and Job Placements

Doctoral research of peg and ppol students, how to apply.

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Program Requirements

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Below please find the program requirements for students in Management . Students in Management generally complete the program in five years.

A minimum of 13 semester courses at doctoral level are required. Each semester students will consult with an advisor to receive approval of their course selections.

• Macro Topics in Organizational Behavior (HBS 4480)
• Micro Topics in Organizational Behavior (HBS 4482)

Students must take four research methods courses.

• Design of Field Research Methods (HBS 4070)

Students must take three additional research methods courses from either behavioral sciences research methods or econometric research methods. Research methods courses that meet this requirement include, but are not limited to:

Behavioral Science Research Methods

• Seminar in Applied Statistical Methods (HBS 4809)
• Intermediate Statistical Analysis in Psychology (Psychology 1950)
• Multivariate Analysis in Psychology (Psychology 1952)
• Intermediate Quantitative Research Methods (Sociology 202)
• Advanced Quantitative Research Methods (Sociology 203a)
• Analysis of Longitudinal Data (Sociology 203b)

Econometric Research Methods

• Introduction to Econometrics (Economics 1123)
• Introduction to Applied Econometrics (prerequisite Economics 2110) (Economics 2120)
• Advanced Quantitative Methods II (KSG API 210i)
• Probability Theory (Statistics 210)
• Incomplete Multivariate Data (Statistics 232)

Research Design Courses

• Experimental Methods (HBS 4435)
• Field Experiments (HBS 4430)
• Advanced Quantitative Research Methodology (Gov 2001)

Management students are required to take seven additional elective doctoral courses, including two breadth courses, and are strongly encouraged to take one of the following series:

Microeconomics

• Microeconomic Theory I (HBS 4010/Economics 2020a)
• Microeconomic Theory II (HBS 4011/Economics 2020b)
• Social Behavior in Organizations: Research Seminar (Psychology 2630)
• Advanced Social Psychology (Psychology 2500)
• Sociological Theory: Seminar (Sociology 204)
• Organizational Analysis: Seminar (Sociology 243)

All students without an MBA degree are required to complete two case-based HBS MBA courses.

Students are strongly encouraged to attend and participate in seminars throughout their program. Students are expected to attend the:

• Organizational Behavior Unit Seminar

Good Academic Standing

To remain in good academic standing, doctoral students are expected to maintain a B grade point average.

Teaching Requirement

Students must teach or assist with teaching in a formally offered course for one full academic term. This engagement should include, at least, 8 hours of front-of-class teaching and 16 hours of teaching preparation time. The requirement may be fulfilled by completing a teaching fellow or instructor assignment at a Harvard University.

Special Field Exam

Students are required to pass the Special Field Exam at the end of the second year or beginning of the third year. This exam has two parts: a written exam and an oral exam based on a research paper a student has written.

Dissertation Proposal

By the end of their third year, all students are required to obtain approval of their dissertation proposal by their Dissertation Chair.

Dissertation

Students are required to write a dissertation, which typically takes the form of three publishable papers, to the satisfaction of their Dissertation Committee. The dissertation defense is oral and open to the public.

PhD Program

Year after year, our top-ranked PhD program sets the standard for graduate economics training across the country. Graduate students work closely with our world-class faculty to develop their own research and prepare to make impactful contributions to the field.

Our doctoral program enrolls 20-24 full-time students each year and students complete their degree in five to six years. Students undertake core coursework in microeconomic theory, macroeconomics, and econometrics, and are expected to complete two major and two minor fields in economics. Beyond the classroom, doctoral students work in close collaboration with faculty to develop their research capabilities, gaining hands-on experience in both theoretical and empirical projects.

How to apply

Students are admitted to the program once per year for entry in the fall. The online application opens on September 15 and closes on December 15.

Meet our students

Our PhD graduates go on to teach in leading economics departments, business schools, and schools of public policy, or pursue influential careers with organizations and businesses around the world.