Harvard Admission Requirements

Click the links below to access the PDF application forms.

• First Year Application
• Teacher Evaluation
• Counselor Recommendation
• Other Recommendations
• Midyear Report
• School Report
• Homeschool Supplement to the School Report
• International Supplement to the School Report
• Final Report
• Optional Report
• Harvard Supplement
• Fee Waiver

After you submit, you will get an email confirmation with a PIN to access the Applicant Portal.

Most applicants receive their confirmation email the day after they submit online. Mailed applications take up to two weeks to process.

Where to mail your application form

Mail your entire application to this address:

Harvard College Admissions
86 Brattle Street
Cambridge, MA 02138 USA

What to do if you have not received your confirmation email

• Check your spam/junk folder for messages from college@fas.harvard.edu or fileroom@fas.harvard.edu.
• If you still cannot find it, open the application system you used and confirm you clicked “Submit,” not just “Save.”
• If you still cannot locate the confirmation, contact Harvard Admissions. Choose the category “Admissions,” then the subject “Applicant Questions (if you’ve already submitted your application)” in the drop-down menu.
• Call 617-495-1551.

How to pay your application fee

Pay by credit card online through the Common Application or Coalition Application, Powered by Scoir.

You can also mail your payment to Harvard College Admissions, 86 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. Include the applicant’s name with the payment.

How to apply for a fee waiver

Harvard commits to keeping the application accessible to all students. If the fee is a hardship for you or your family, it will be waived. Follow these instructions to request your fee waiver.

Common Application:

1. Select “Yes” if asked, “Do you feel that your financial circumstances might qualify you for an application fee waiver?” Confirm that you meet at least one indicator of economic need.
2. If you do not meet an indicator of economic need, select “You can provide a supporting statement from a school official, college access counselor, financial aid officer, or community leader.” Harvard will not ask you for a supporting statement, and your application will not be penalized.

Coalition Application, Powered by Scoir:

1. Confirm that you meet at least one indicator of economic need listed in the Fee Waiver section of your Profile.
2. If you do not meet an indicator of economic need, enter the Harvard-specific fee waiver code on the payment page: JH3S5Q2LX9.

Requesting a fee waiver will not disadvantage your application.

How do you update your application after submitting?

Do not resend your application.

Use the Applicant Portal to update your ID or contact details, or to send updates, added information, or corrections.

What happens if your application is inaccurate?

Make sure every part of your application is accurate.

You will be denied admission if a misrepresentation is found during the process.

If you have already been accepted, your offer will likely be withdrawn. If you have already registered, your admission will be revoked and you will have to leave the College. If misrepresentations are found after you finish your studies, Harvard will revoke your degree.

The Admissions Office alone decides whether an application is accurate, and it resolves this outside the student disciplinary process.

Harvard application timeline

You can apply to Harvard through either:

• Restrictive Early Action, or
• Regular Decision.

Both programs are non-binding, so you can compare offers from other schools and wait until May 1 to decide.

Restrictive Early Action applicants apply by November 1 and hear back by mid-December.

Regular Decision applicants apply by January 1 and hear back by the end of March.

You apply through the Common Application or the Coalition Application, Powered by Scoir. The Common Application opens August 1. The Coalition Application opens September 1.

What is Restrictive Early Action?

Restrictive Early Action is a non-binding early program. If admitted, you are not required to attend and have until May 1 to respond to Harvard’s offer.

Applying early gets you a decision sooner. Apply by November 1 and you will hear back by mid-December.

Restrictive Early Action fits you if your record has been consistently strong over time. You are not required to commit, but you will know sooner whether Harvard is an option.

Rules:

1. If you apply Restrictive Early Action, you may not apply to any other private college under Early Decision, Early Action, or Restrictive Early Action, or to a binding early program at a public university.
2. You may apply early to any public university, military academy, or university outside the United States under a non-binding program.
3. You may apply to other universities under their Regular Decision or Early Decision II programs.
4. If you are deferred in the early round, you may then apply to another college’s binding Early Decision II program.
5. If timing is necessary and the outcome is non-binding, you may apply for scholarships or special academic programs with an early deadline elsewhere, public or private.
6. Harvard meets the full financial need of admitted students whether they apply early or regular.
7. Harvard gives no advantage to early applicants. Admit rates run higher in Restrictive Early Action because of the strength of that applicant pool, not the timing.

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Why choose Regular Decision?

Regular Decision offers real practical advantages.

1. You get more time to edit and proofread your sections, and your teachers and counselors get more time to know you before they write on your behalf.
2. Senior-year grades, courses, and other achievements can strengthen your application.

For more on Harvard admission requirements, see the official application requirements page.

Harvard admission requirements for international students

International applicants apply from schools outside the United States. Their school documents may differ from a U.S. high school’s and may need extra review.

The requirements are the same for all applicants, whether you attend high school inside or outside the U.S.

All first-year candidates complete the Common Application or the Coalition Application along with the required supplements. Harvard treats every application equally, with no preference by nationality or citizenship. The admissions and financial aid processes are the same for everyone.

Strong English skills are essential at Harvard, including the ability to understand and express ideas quickly and clearly.

First-year and transfer applicants are not required to take an English proficiency exam, but you may submit scores if you wish.

Visiting Undergraduate Students program applicants, however, must take the TOEFL.

Quick facts about Harvard admissions

• Harvard admitted 4.2% of applicants for the Class of 2029 — among the lowest acceptance rates of any U.S. college.

• Harvard is the most selective of the eight Ivy League schools.

• Most admitted students have an unweighted GPA at or near 4.0.

• Admitted students score roughly 1500–1580 on the SAT or 34–36 on the ACT.

• The SAT or ACT is required again, starting with students who entered in fall 2025.

• Harvard meets 100% of demonstrated financial need with no loans.

How can you improve your chances of getting into Harvard?

Apply early

If Harvard is your top choice, consider Restrictive Early Action. Applying early signals that Harvard is a priority for you, though it does not raise your odds on its own.

Take hard classes and earn high grades

Strong grades in rigorous classes show you can handle Harvard’s coursework. Sign up for honors, AP, or IB courses and aim for top grades.

Build real relationships with your teachers

Your teachers write your recommendation letters. Take an active part in class and ask for help when you need it, so they can write specific, convincing letters.

Build a strong application

Write high-quality essays, secure strong recommendation letters, and submit a competitive SAT or ACT score. Together these show you are ready to learn and excel at Harvard.

Frequently asked questions about Harvard admission

Does Harvard require the SAT or ACT?

Yes. Harvard reinstated required testing starting with students who entered in fall 2025 (the Class of 2029). You must submit an SAT or ACT score. In exceptional cases — for example, if you cannot reach a test site before the deadline — Harvard accepts other eligible tests such as AP or IB results.

What GPA do you need for Harvard?

There is no official minimum, but most admitted students hold an unweighted GPA of 3.9 to 4.0 on a 4.0 scale while taking the hardest courses their school offers.

What SAT or ACT score do you need for Harvard?

Admitted students score about 1500–1580 on the SAT (average near 1540) and 34–36 on the ACT (average near 35). Harvard sets no minimum cutoff.

How much is the Harvard application fee?

The application fee is $90. If the fee is a hardship, you can request a fee waiver in your application portal, and Harvard will not penalize you for it.

What is Harvard’s acceptance rate?

Harvard admitted 2,003 of 47,893 applicants for the Class of 2029, a 4.2% acceptance rate. The prior cycle was 3.65%.

When are Harvard’s application deadlines?

Restrictive Early Action closes November 1 (decisions mid-December). Regular Decision closes January 1 (decisions late March).

Is Harvard free for some families?

Yes. Starting in the 2025–26 year, families earning $100,000 or less pay nothing, and families earning $200,000 or less pay no tuition. Harvard meets 100% of demonstrated need without loans.

Next step: start your Common Application and request a fee waiver if you qualify.

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