Harvard University: how to get into Harvard for international student

When seeking the world’s premier universities, the name Harvard University undoubtedly makes multiple appearances. “Harvard” is synonymous with exceptional education, state-of-the-art facilities, globally acclaimed faculty, and remarkable research contributions. Numerous students aspire to be part of this prestigious institution, constantly seeking answers to the question, “How can one secure admission to Harvard University?” In this blog, we tackle all your queries, covering aspects like Harvard University’s acceptance rate, criteria for Indian students applying, admission requirements, and more. Let’s delve into the details!

Harvard University: Highlights

Before delving into the admission requirements, let’s familiarize ourselves with Harvard University. Established in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard is among the earliest institutions in the United States and holds a prestigious position within the Ivy League. Recognized as one of the world’s leading universities, Harvard comprises twelve graduate and professional schools, along with the Harvard Radcliffe Institute and the undergraduate Harvard College. The university boasts a diverse student body, with over 31,000 individuals enrolled in a myriad of programs, featuring a noteworthy 11% international student representation.

• Established: 1636
• QS World University Ranking 2022: 5
• Student: Faculty Ratio: 5:1
• Popular Courses: Law, Psychology, Engineering, Architecture, Mathematics, Biological Sciences, Business Management

Harvard University: Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate for Harvard University is somewhere between 4 and 5 percent, which means that only 4 or 5 of every 100 applicants are accepted. Harvard would then rank among the most difficult Ivy League schools to get into.

Harvard claims that the college accepted 2,320 out of 57,786 applicants for the class of 2025 (i.e., the acceptance rate for 2021), making the admit rate only 4%.

Let’s examine Harvard’s acceptance rates over the previous five years:

Year	Acceptance Rate
2017	5.2%
2018	4.6%
2019	4.5%
2020	4.9 %
2021	4.5%

Admission Requirement: Harvard University

The next questions that follow are: how hard is it to get into Harvard University, what are the Harvard University admission requirements for Indian students, how much GPA do you need to get into Harvard, and how much marks do you need to get into Harvard, etc.

Let’s try to break down the score conditions and Harvard University admission requirements for international students into the following parts:

• GPA requirements
• Standardized Test Score requirements- SAT/ ACT or GRE/GMAT
• English Language Proficiency Test Scores – IELTS/ TOEFL

Let’s continue to learn more about the specific requirements for Harvard University:

GPA Requirements at Harvard University

A key element that keeps you in the running for Harvard is an overall strong academic record. Remember that Harvard has a very high level of competition, so being among the best students in your class will improve your chances.

Many Harvard institutions have a required minimum GPA. Despite not being a very high standard, it is the minimum requirement, without which your application will not be accepted.

Harvard’s accepted students have an average GPA of about 4.18.

However, a low GPA does not guarantee that you will not be accepted to Harvard. Make sure the other aspects of your application are outstanding if your GPA is low. A high SAT or ACT score can also boost your visibility and make up for a weaker GPA. The goal is to compete successfully against applicants with higher GPAs.

Test Score Requirements: Harvard University

High standardized test scores are crucial in addition to having a strong GPA.

SAT Requirements

High standardized test scores are equally important to have a strong GPA.

The majority of Harvard schools have their own minimal SAT specifications. Having a high score gives you an advantage because your SAT score is good enough to depend on the average score of the other applicants.

The middle 50% of admitted students at Harvard, or the 25-75th percentile, had SAT scores between 1460 and 1580.

You may be able to superstore, or send SAT results from multiple tests to some Harvard schools. In other words, you can take the SAT more than once and only submit the scores from the tests that gave you the highest Superscore. The highest score from one section will be added to the highest score from another section, regardless of the test date, by the application readers.

ACT Requirements

• Harvard establishes the minimal ACT requirements, just like the SAT.
• In the 25th to 75th percentile of Harvard admissions, students had an ACT Composite score between 33 and 35.
• Students are free to select which ACT scores they want to submit to the Harvard schools. So, if you took more than one test, you can only send the score from the highest test.
• Harvard additionally demands that you take the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section. As a result, doing exceptionally well in these sections is also crucial.

GRE Score Requirements

Admission to graduate programs at Harvard is extremely competitive, just like undergrad admissions. Therefore, if you are looking for GRE scores to get into Harvard, you should be aware that the majority of graduate programs do not have a GRE cut-off.

The criteria can, however, be determined by looking at the typical test scores of Harvard applicants.

For the majority of students admitted to Harvard, the typical GRE scores fall between:

• Verbal: 155 – 166
• Quant: 155 – 170 for Quant
• Analytical Writing: 4.5-5.0

It’s crucial to keep in mind that each program has different score requirements. While verbal expectations are higher for reading and writing-related programs like English Literature, quantitative expectations are higher for computer science programs and math and science-related programs.

GMAT Score Requirements

Like other streams, getting into the Harvard Business School is competitive. To be accepted into the university’s management programs, you must have a strong GMAT score.

Instead of using the average, Harvard reports a student’s GMAT score in terms of the class median. The Harvard Business School GMAT median score is 730.

IELTS/ TOEFL Score Requirements

Harvard should also receive the results of any English language proficiency exams taken by international students. Check with the specific program and school, as the scores may differ from one program to the next.

Most of Harvard’s academic institutions accept TOEFL and IELTS scores of about 80 and 7.5, respectively.

Document Requirement: Harvard University

It’s not as easy as just getting good grades to figure out how to get into Harvard University. Harvard, among other reputable universities, will give your application careful consideration. This means that you need to make sure that your application as a whole stands out from those of the competition.

“My academic credentials were far from the best, so applying to the Medina of Public Health and the Mecca of Education was undoubtedly a long shot. Evidently, they based their choice on the holistic profile, which is something we’ve all heard before but generally find difficult to understand. I use my experience as a light source to argue that one should never be afraid to move forward.” Abhijith Asok, Data Science Program, Harvard University

The following important papers are needed for admission to Harvard:

• Academic transcripts
• Bachelor’s degree (for PG programs)
• Passport
• Visa
• Birth certificate

Other documents for the Harvard application requirements that demand your attention are listed below:

Essays

A strong essay is one of the most crucial requirements for admission to Harvard University. A strong essay pitch should showcase your distinct experience, aspirations, and character.

SOPs and LORs

Everyone knows that no one is perfect, including Harvard and all other universities. Knowing your weaknesses is just as crucial as knowing your strengths. Therefore, be sure to include a few of your weaknesses in your Statement of Purpose (SOP).

Additionally, letters of recommendation (LORs) are a crucial part of your application. Be careful when selecting your recommenders. Most colleges require that you submit at least one recommendation. Therefore, if you are a student reading this and are still in college, be sure to do well in your coursework and to keep a positive working relationship with at least one professor.

Resume & Portfolios

Some Harvard graduate programs, such as the Harvard Business School, demand resume submissions. Having relevant work experience can make a huge difference in your application for some courses.

Candidates for some art and design courses must submit their work portfolios. You must make sure that your portfolio is diverse and accurately portrays the artist in you if you want to be admitted to Harvard.

Harvard University Application Process

You can apply to Harvard using any one of the following portals:

• Coalition Application
• Common Application
• Universal College Application

Both graduate-level and undergraduate applications can be made through these portals. The $75 USD application fee for Harvard is due. As soon as you can, begin the Harvard application process. Having so much time will allow for its improvement.

Once you’ve chosen the portal, be sure to submit the following documents for international applicants to Harvard University:

• Standardised Test Scores
• English Language proficiency proof
• Official academic transcripts
• Essays
• Statement of Purpose
• Letters of Recommendation – at least 3
• Resume – wherever required

Prior to submitting any supporting documents, the Harvard application must be submitted. Make sure to submit the application and any Harvard supplements or questions together. This will make it easier for the admissions panel to evaluate your application.

Application: Harvard University

Harvard states “We give careful, individual attention to each applicant. We seek to identify students who will be the best educators of one another and their professors… Our admissions process enables us to deliberate and meticulously consider each applicant as a whole person.”

As a result, if you’re wondering how to get into Harvard University, you must also concentrate on developing a comprehensively diverse profile with a strong emphasis on extracurricular activities and volunteer work. Four components should be highlighted in these:

Growth and Potential: The admission officers wish to assess whether you have been pushing yourself to reach your potential.

Interests and Activities: They are interested to know about your passion, learning, leadership abilities, and commitment.

Personal Character: The university is interested in knowing your choices, your openness to new ideas, & personal traits such as maturity, self-confidence, and concern for others.

Community Participation: Harvard is interested in students who can handle different aspects of college life, contribute to the Harvard community, and perform under pressure.

Rejection from Harvard University

Getting into Harvard is not a walk in the park, with a mere 4-5 percent acceptance rate. If you get turned down at Harvard, we would always suggest that you apply to other US universities with a high acceptance rate. Furthermore, you can even apply to Harvard while taking a gap year!

Tips to Prepare for Harvard

You need to start preparing right away if you’re thinking about how to get into Harvard. The following advice will be helpful:

Do Your Research: Research well on the university and programs you wish to apply for. Based on that, you need to start working on your profile, SoP, contacting recommenders etc.

Start Preparation Early: Make sure you start your preparation early. Focus on getting extremely good grades at your school and also start preparing for the standardized exams. Practice taking tests at home.

Build Your Overall Profile: Harvard is looking for something beyond academics. Work on building up your overall profile – work experience, volunteer work, extracurriculars, etc.

Use Student Groups for Information: Join Harvard University or other social media groups with fellow applicants for discussions and to gain more information.

Don’t Underestimate Yourself: Don’t underestimate yourself or your profile. Harvard admissions work very differently. What might work in your favor might be some point in the corner that you thought irrelevant. You do this only once in your life, so give it your best shot and let the rest come through as it would.

Frequently Asked Questions: Harvard University