Harvard University is a private university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College, it is named after its first supporter, a clergyman, John Harvard. The oldest educational institution of higher studies in the US, Harvard comprises eleven faculties. It offers various subjects for undergraduates, graduates, and doctoral programs.
Harvard has three main campuses; with the main campus spread over 209 acres in Cambridge, one in a Boston neighborhood; and the medical campus in Longwood Medical Area of Boston.
It has three intakes fall, winter, and spring/summer. An Ivy League institution, it comprises 16% of international students from all over the world, including India.
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It offers about 90 undergraduate and 150 graduate programs to students. Harvard University’s most popular programs are in medicine, law, and business administration. Applications for admissions to Harvard University for the year 2023 began in mid-August.
An Indian student has to pay $51,900 per year to study at Harvard. The university offers need-based scholarships for students. About 60% of its students benefit from it.
Emergency medical services (EMS) graduates of Harvard get an average yearly salary of $182,000 per annum. Harvard graduates are accepted by highly-ranked companies.
As per QS World University Rankings, 2023, Harvard University was ranked #5 and Times Higher Education (THE), 2022, ranked it #1 in the US College Rankings.
The university offers 50 undergraduate, 22 certificates in master’s, 149 master’s, 105 doctoral programs, and two associate programs at Harvard.
Programs |
Total Yearly Fees (USD) |
53,582 |
|
60,576 |
|
55,254 |
|
59,105 |
|
25,098 |
|
54,091 |
|
52,629 |
|
MBA |
72,353 |
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Harvard University is home to more than 4,800 foreign nationals who make up 16% of its student population.
Harvard University admission process consists of several steps, including submission of applications, SAT/ACT/GRE/GMAT test scores, submission of other documents, fee payment, and attending an interview, if required.
Application Portal: Common Application, Universal College Application, and Coalition Application,
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For most courses at Harvard University, there are common application deadlines, and the same for 2023 are as follows:
Various Deadlines |
Dates |
Early action application |
November 1 |
Early action decision |
Mid-December |
Regular action application |
January 1 |
Regular action decision |
Late March |
Confirmation deadline for students |
May 1 |
Test scores submission |
End of October or latest by December |
The admission requirements at Harvard University for undergraduate and graduate programs are as follows.
Type |
Requirements for Undergraduate Admissions |
Requirements for Graduate Admissions |
Transcripts |
Final school report and transcripts |
Educational transcripts with a GPA of 4 out of 4 (97% to 100%) |
Midyear report |
Midyear school report |
– |
Teacher evaluation forms |
Two teacher evaluation forms |
– |
Statement of purpose (SOP) |
SOP for USA |
SOP in no more than 1,500 words |
Letter of recommendation (LOR) |
Academic LOR (Optional) |
Three LORs (2 academic, 1 professional) |
Evidence of finances |
– |
Financial certification |
CV/Résumé |
– |
Résumé |
Standardized test scores |
SAT/ACT score (Optional) |
GRE/GMAT |
Proficiency in English language |
TOEFL score (Optional) |
TOEFL score of a minimum of 104 |
Additional requirements |
Additional materials (Optional) |
Specific graduate school requirements |
Interviews |
Interview (Optional) |
Interview (Optional) |
The university provides accommodation in 12 residence halls for undergraduates. There are four residence halls for the Graduate School of Arts and Science, besides off-campus residence halls for graduates. Also offered are 12 houses for upperclassmen with facilities, such as libraries, lounges, and recreational and practical spaces.
For aspiring undergraduate students of Harvard, the following is the breakup of total expenses:
Type of Expenses |
Yearly Expenditure (USD) |
Tuition fee |
51,058 |
Board and Room |
17,382 |
Books and Personal expenses |
3,301 |
Student services fee |
2,819 |
Student activities fee |
189 |
Student health fee |
1,140 |
The tuition fees vary as per the subject and school for graduate students. The approximate tuition fees for them are as follows:
School |
Average Fees in INR |
Graduate School of Arts & Sciences |
51,794 |
Harvard Graduate School of Education |
54,080 |
Harvard Graduate School of Design |
53,415 |
Harvard Medical School |
44,241 |
Harvard Extension School |
30,612 to 36,743 |
Harvard Kennedy School |
34,838 to 54,564 |
Harvard University offers many types of financial assistance for its students, including jobs, grants, scholarships, and exemptions for foreign students. Harvard meets the complete financial requirements of students. About 55% of students at Harvard get need-based scholarships. The Faculty of Arts and Sciences Scholarships include more than 2,000 individual donations and funds.
Foreign students are eligible for all types of aid at Harvard that native students receive, barring loans and state or federal aid. The university may ask for supplementary financial documents in the aid applications when students are applying for admission.
Harvard grants more than $1 billion in financial assistance like scholarships and funds each year. Students get an average grant amount of $12,000. Students hailing from families whose yearly income is lesser than $65,000 are exempted from paying tuition fees. While candidates who hail from families that earn yearly income ranging from $65,000 to $150,000 have to pay only 10% of the tuition fee.
Some of the top scholarships that Indian students receive at Harvard University are as follows:
Scholarship |
Total Award Amount (USD) |
The Robert S. Kaplan Life Sciences Fellowship |
19,125 |
Horace W. Goldsmith Fellowship |
9,556 |
Boustany MS Harvard Scholarship |
97,664 |
HGSE Financial Aid |
Tuition, grant, and sundry expenses |
Some other financial assistance that international students can avail of are:
Harvard University presently has 371,000 living alumni worldwide. The university alumni enjoy the following benefits:
The Office of Student Career Development helps out students of Harvard with career guidance. Harvard University’s MS students get attractive offers from globally reputed companies.
The average salary that a graduate of Harvard Business School gets is $150,000 per annum.
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