What does harvard offer

Work with your adviser to develop a plan of study that matches your goals. Undertaking advanced study in an ancient or modern language gives you a unique perspective the literature, history, and viewpoints of another culture. Each language citation program consists of four courses of language instruction beyond the first-year level, including at least two courses at the third-year level or beyond.

Independent Study allows for academic inquiry not available through regular coursework—such as an interdisciplinary investigation, an arts practice or performance study, or a field research project. Speak with your adviser to find out if this option is a good fit for you.

Advanced Standing students can apply to earn a master's degree in select fields of study during their fourth year at Harvard. Harvard undergraduates can take classes at one of Harvard's ten graduate schools or cross-enroll at other Boston-area institutions. Escape the bubble and expand your horizons by enrolling at a foreign university for up to a full year. The Office of International Education can help you discover how study abroad can fit into your plan of study.

Harvard is committed to supporting students and providing them with information, tips, and resources as they enter Reading and Examination Period. Residential Life at Harvard provides the opportunity to develop your own community through shared experiences. As a Harvard student, you have access to several different advising resources - all here to support your intellectual, personal, and social growth. Skip to main content.

Paying the admissions application fee is a hardship for my family. Can I get a waiver? Can I self-report my test scores? Video description: Students in a classroom. Breadcrumb Academics. Overview Plan Your Academic Journey The undergraduate degree is designed with flexibility in mind: you set your own academic goals, and we'll help you plan coursework to meet them—while also ensuring you receive a broad liberal arts and sciences education.

Other Honors About half of all Harvard students choose an honors track within their concentration, and most of these write senior theses or complete research projects under the supervision of professors and departmental tutors. Harvard College Curriculum. Components of your degree General Education Harvard's Program in General Education connects students to the world beyond the classroom by focusing on urgent problems and enduring questions. Research Study Spaces Looking for comfortable furniture to study on?

During sophomore through senior year, students typically eat in the dining hall located within their Houses, although students can choose to eat at other House dining halls as well. See more about dining.

There are more than student-run organizations at Harvard, among them dozens of publications, five orchestras, an extensive community service program, more than 40 intercollegiate athletic teams, and a broad assortment of other activities—artistic, musical, political, and social.

We encourage and support extracurricular opportunities as these provide important settings for personal growth and friendships. Visit the Dean of Students website for more information about extracurriculars.

Harvard has a comprehensive public safety program that includes a full campus police force, a walking escort service, a campus-wide shuttle service, emergency phones, lighted pathways and a computer-card key system operating in all residential buildings. Harvard guarantees housing for all four years.

First-year students live in one of the 17 dormitories in or adjacent to historic Harvard Yard. Self-selected groups of students are assigned to one of 12 residential Houses for the final three years of undergraduate study. About to students live in a House, each of which includes its own dining hall, library, advising staff, and many other resources.

Read more about residential life. You must live in Harvard housing your first-year at the College. A very small percentage of students choose to live off-campus their following years. Most students and alumni consider the House system one of the hallmarks of their Harvard experiences.

Considering the diversity of student backgrounds, interests, and talents, Harvard's residential program enhances the degree to which students learn from one another. Most first-year dorms have suites for three to six students. Suites contain from two to four bedrooms and a common room. A few have their own baths, though most share a bathroom with other suites. The First-Year Experience Office assigns students to suites rather than to particular bedrooms, and in almost any suite students should expect to share a bedroom for at least part of the first year.

Some dorms contain doubles, usually one fairly large room with a shared bath. Harvard supports all of its students. Assistance is also available through Act on a Dream , a student organization that serves as a resource for undocumented undergraduates at the College. Woven into Harvard's residences are a variety of academic and other advising resources that make the residential experience at Harvard distinctive.

First-year students benefit from the guidance that resident proctors provide about living in Cambridge and studying at the College. Each House also has its own staff of advisers called resident tutors who are similar to first-year proctors but with expertise in particular academic and professional fields. Harvard offers extensive advising resources of other kinds.

If you need extra help in coursework, you can turn to the Academic Resource Center. The Office of Career Services offers career counseling.

The University maintains its own outstanding health services. The Undergraduate Financial Aid Office will help you with financial aid issues, and the Student Employment Office will help place you in jobs on and off campus. Finally, if you are an international student, the International Office is there for your special needs. The Accessible Education Office AEO assists students with any impairment limiting their ability to walk, see, hear, speak, learn, or write.

Based on each student's successful strategies, the Center collaborates with faculty and staff to ensure individualized accommodation. Accessible housing and transportation are also available. Read more about the AEO. Yes - available to students as early as their freshman year. The Faculty Aide Program , run by the Student Employment Office, links professors to undergraduates interested in becoming research assistants.

Harvard students study abroad in classroom, laboratory, and field-based immersion programs throughout the world. In addition to greatly expanded study abroad opportunities, other international experiences such as public service internships and employment are offered.

Generous funding is available for all students both during the school year and the summer. For more information about study abroad, visit the Office of International Programs website. Our graduates enjoy an extraordinarily high rate of success receiving job offers and admission to graduate and professional schools.

Resident tutors in each of the twelve residential Houses assist students applying to graduate schools and fellowship programs. The Office of Career Services offers all undergraduates a range of job and internship counseling and placement. Foreign citizens should be aware that some special policies pertain should they seek employment in the U.

Harvard University's graduate programs are separate from and independent of Harvard College. Each Harvard graduate school makes its own admissions decisions. When reported, Harvard College undergraduates often make up the largest cohort of any incoming school to our various graduate programs. The College's graduation rate is normally 98 percent, among the highest at American colleges and universities. Everyone admitted to Harvard has the ability to complete all academic requirements successfully.

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, the fee will be waived. Please follow the steps below to request a fee waiver:. Please note that the Common Application and Coalition Application websites are operated independently, and their respective offices are better able to assist you with specific logistical issues you may encounter while submitting the application forms or your fee through their sites.

Please be sure to write the name and date of birth of the applicant on the check. You can request a fee waiver. Please follow these instructions to learn how to get your fee waived. If you paid the fee online, your e-mail confirmation is your receipt. If you paid by check, your cancelled check or image sent by your bank is your receipt. We do not send any other acknowledgment of payment. If payment is missing, we will contact you. Important note: Payments are tracked only by Harvard's database.

Please disregard any notification of payment status posted on the Common Application or Coalition Application website. You can request a fee waiver directly through the Common Application or the Coalition application if you meet their respective indicators of economic need.

If you do not meet these indicators, please email adm-tran fas. After students receive notification from Harvard's Restrictive Early Action program in mid-December, they are free to apply to any institution under any plan, including binding programs such as Early Decision II.

Competition for early admission to Harvard College has, in recent years, been especially rigorous. Given that more than 40, candidates apply from around the world, and the relatively modest size of each entering class about 1, students , the Admissions Committee must act with great care in making Restrictive Early Action Decisions. As a result, many strong applicants are deferred to the Regular Decision round for review. It is impossible to predict individual admission decisions.

Past students whose applications were deferred have been admitted at various rates, often approximating the rate for Regular Decision candidates. Over the next few months, your application will be reviewed again, supplying another opportunity for eventual admission. In most cases, the essential details are already on file with the Admissions Committee. Additional information sent via the Applicant Portal should be limited to significant developments in your high school career. We will also expect to receive your Midyear School Report no later than February 1.

Despite what you may hear or read elsewhere, no; this is wholly unnecessary. Our decisions are made by a committee of admission officers, including faculty members, no single one of whom is responsible for shaping the outcome of deliberations. We consider your best test scores, but it is generally our experience that taking tests more than twice offers diminishing returns. These standardized tests are now offered in almost all countries.

Students without test results are at a considerable disadvantage in our competitive applicant pool. We do not create superscores for applicants. We will evaluate your application noting the highest test scores in each section across test dates for the SAT and your strongest sitting for the ACT. We take into account your educational background when reviewing your scores.

You may choose to send your ACT superscores to Harvard. When you do so, we will also receive the full results from your best sitting, including highest composite from a single test date.

We will review all of these scores if you choose to apply with consideration of tests in your application. Admitted students who self-report scores and decide to enroll at Harvard College will be required to submit official test scores.

View our application tips for specific information on how to self-report your scores. If you were eligible for a fee waiver from the SAT or ACT, you are eligible for unlimited free score reports to be sent to institutions to which you are applying.

We recommend you use your free score reports to share your scores with Harvard. When you apply for admission, you can choose whether or not our review of your application will include your standardized test scores SAT and ACT. Since Harvard College is not requiring applicants to submit standardized test scores for the application cycle, your standardized scores will not display in the Common Application PDF preview, even if you have chosen to submit them.

However, if you entered your test score information and would like it to be considered, that data will still be transmitted to us with your application and we will review it. You can verify this by viewing the Application Checklist in your Applicant Portal. You will see a green check mark if we have received your standardized test scores. For students who choose to submit standardized tests, they should submit the SAT or the ACT with or without writing, and we recommend submitting two SAT Subject Tests, except in the case of financial hardship.

If you choose to submit Subject Tests, it is more useful to choose only one mathematics test rather than two. Similarly, if your first language is not English, a Subject Test in your first language may be less helpful. For information about the SATs, consult www. We value predicted A-level and IB results along with any information that helps us form a complete picture of your academic interests and strengths.

However, results from these examinations cannot substitute for our required admissions testing. If the cost of sending your scores is a concern, keep in mind that if you were eligible for a fee waiver from the SAT or ACT, you are eligible for unlimited free score reports to be sent to institutions to which you are applying.

A strong knowledge of English is essential for successful study at Harvard, including the ability to understand and express thoughts quickly and clearly.

Applications are read by members of the forty-person Admissions Committee, and are considered very carefully in a series of committee meetings where a majority vote is required for admission. The entire process requires several months. Our wait list includes the applicants whom the Committee might still wish to consider for admission if spots in the entering class open later.

The wait list is not ranked. In some years, we have admitted no one from the wait list; in others, we have admitted more than candidates. All students begin study in September to benefit from special programs designed for freshmen. We encourage students with athletic talent to contact our Athletic Department for information about any of Harvard's 42 varsity athletic teams.

Admitted international students will be provided with information about applying for a student visa. No student with a bachelor's degree or other first university degree from any other university, whether American or foreign, is eligible for admission to Harvard College. Students interested in continuing their studies beyond the bachelor's degree might wish to consider one of the 10 Harvard University graduate schools.

The Harvard College Admissions Office is independent of these schools and their admissions policies. Students admitted in the Early Action and Regular Decision rounds can choose to defer their admission by selecting the "I defer" option in their admitted student reply form. We want to do everything possible to help the students we enroll make the most of their opportunities, avoiding the much reported "burnout" phenomenon that can keep them from reaching their full potential.

The Admissions Committee encourages admitted students to defer enrollment for one year to travel, pursue a special project or activity, work, or spend time in another meaningful way—provided they do not enroll in a degree-granting program at another college.

Deferrals for two-year military or religious service are also granted. Each year, between 90 and students defer their matriculation to the College, and they report their experiences to be uniformly positive. After graduation, large numbers of Harvard students take time off before beginning work or graduate school. Read more about taking time off. If a student has already replied as enrolling, but has since changed their mind and would like to defer, they may contact the Admissions Office or submit the Request to Defer form on the Admitted Students Website explaining the request for a deferral as soon as possible and in any event by the end of June.

There is no formula for gaining admission to Harvard. Academic accomplishment in high school is important, but the Admissions Committee also considers many other criteria, such as community involvement, leadership and distinction in extracurricular activities, and personal qualities and character. We rely on teachers, counselors, and alumni to share information with us about an applicant's strength of character, his or her ability to overcome adversity, and other personal qualities.

If you are admitted under an Early Decision program at another college, you must withdraw any pending application to Harvard and you are not eligible for admission. We have worked hard for many years to learn about schools around the world. Our careful study of different schools, curricula and educational systems is augmented by information we receive directly from schools, extensive personal communication with school personnel, and the interview reports we receive from our alumni, who meet thousands of applicants to Harvard each year.

We can always learn more, so we welcome information students think might be helpful to the Admissions Committee in understanding their accomplishments in their school communities. All students are considered in the same pool for admission to the incoming class regardless of citizenship status.

While being undocumented may present challenges for students wishing to travel or work on campus, immigration status is not considered by the admissions committee. While we understand there are differences in the overall strengths of secondary schools, we are most interested in how well applicants have taken advantage of available resources.

In the end, we admit the student not the secondary school they attend. Teachers who know you well and who have taught you in academic subjects preferably in the final two years of secondary school typically will provide us with the most valuable testimony. Whenever possible, teachers should tell us about your non-academic interests and personal qualities as well as academic potential.

We recognize that schools vary by size, academic program, and grading policies, so we do not have rigid grade requirements. There is no single academic path we expect all students to follow, but the strongest applicants take the most rigorous secondary school curricula available to them.

The application process is the same for all candidates. We strongly recommend you complete whichever curriculum you have been following. Applicants who have completed only a year of GCE A-levels or International Baccalaureate study, for instance, are at a tremendous disadvantage in our applicant pool. Each case is different. Some students distinguish themselves for admission with their unusual academic promise through experience or achievements in study or research.

Other students present compelling cases because they are more "well-rounded," having contributed in many different ways to their schools or communities.

Still other successful applicants are "well-lopsided" with demonstrated excellence in one particular endeavor. Some students bring perspectives formed by unusual personal circumstances or experiences. Like many colleges, we seek to admit dynamic, talented, and diverse students who will contribute significantly to the education of their classmates.

An ideal four-year preparatory program includes four years of English, with extensive practice in writing; four years of math; four years of science: biology, chemistry, physics, and an advanced course in one of these subjects; three years of history, including American and European history; and four years of one foreign language. Although schools provide different opportunities, students should pursue the most demanding college-preparatory program available, consistent with each student's readiness for particular fields of study.

Counselors can offer helpful advice as students choose their courses. We begin processing applications in September, and we confirm the receipt of each application to each applicant via email.

Most applicants receive their application acknowledgement email the day after they submit their application if it was submitted online. If you have submitted your application more than 2 weeks ago, and still have not received a confirmation email from us, it is likely that our email was undeliverable for some reason. Please check to make sure that your email account settings allow emails from college fas.

If you are still unable to locate your confirmation, it is possible that we have not received your application. If you submitted your application through the Common Application or Coalition Application, please make sure that you have clicked the button to "Submit" and not just "Save. Once you have made sure that you have actually submitted your application and still have no confirmation, please send us an email with your full name, date of birth, and school.

Let us know when you submitted your application and how, so that we may consult our records accordingly. To change your application program, use the form in your Applicant Portal. You do not need to submit a new application; your submitted materials will simply be reviewed on a different time-table. Though you may have ordered your scores, it can sometimes take a couple of weeks for your scores to be officially sent and processed in our office.

If your official scores do not show in your status page after a couple of weeks, please double check with the testing agency to make sure they were sent. Once you have confirmed the delivery, please check the name and personal information used on your scores. If this varies, even slightly, from what you have listed on your application, your scores will be automatically stored in a separate entry in our database.

If this is the case, you can send an email to scores fas. When you submitted your application, we sent a confirmation email to the email address you listed on your application that included a PIN to access the applicant portal and create your own password. However, these e-mails are sent out in bulk from fileroom fas. We begin sending application acknowledgement emails in mid-September, so if you applied before then, please wait to receive this email from us before contacting our office.

If you have checked your email inbox and your spam folder, and you are still unable to find your application acknowledgement email, please contact the Admissions Office so that we can re-send it to you.

Unfortunately, we are not able to remove materials from your file after they have been submitted. You may withdraw your application using the withdrawal form in the Applicant Portal. You may also send an email to fileroom fas.

Please be sure to write from the email address you used on the Common Application. We are not able to withdraw an application based on a request from someone other than the applicant. Upon receipt of your application, we will send you a confirmation email with instructions on how to access the Applicant Portal. This portal allows you to view your record in our applicant database, to see which pieces of your application we've received and processed, and to make other changes to your application.

The data is updated nightly from the main admissions database and has the most up-to-date information available from our office. If you have sent us required materials that are shown in your status as not received, it is possible that those documents are being processed along with thousands of others in our office and simply have not yet made it to your file.

Though we can not track each individual's materials upon request, we will conduct a thorough scrutiny of all files prior to committee evaluations. You will be contacted if you are missing required documents, and you will be given the opportunity to re-submit them without penalty.

Unfortunately, you are not able to add to or change the Common Application forms after they have been submitted. However, you may upload additional information and materials using the Applicant Portal. You can update your contact information on the Applicant Status Portal.

If you need to update information that is not available on the Portal, please contact fileroom fas. We welcome the submission of this additional notable information. You may upload information about notable accomplishments and awards using the Applicant Portal. You may request a review of your financial aid decision at any time to accommodate significant changes in your family's financial situation. You must apply for financial aid each year. We will meet your demonstrated need for all four years.

We feel strongly that your parents have an obligation to help finance your college education. Our aid is available only to students whose families would not otherwise be able to send them to Harvard. To be fair to all our students, we can base our financial aid decisions only on ability and not willingness to pay, and a decision to attend Harvard must be made by you and your parents. Please contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss this further if you have questions or concerns.

There is no requirement to work. However, all students, international or American, who demonstrate financial need will have a student term-time work expectation as part of their financial aid package, which they can typically meet with a job requiring about hours per week. Jobs are plentiful and are often interesting and relevant to academic interests. Jobs are plentiful at Harvard. Employment opportunities range from dining hall duties to work in the University's libraries, laboratories, and offices.

Students have also earned money on campus as bartenders, teaching assistants, sportswriters, computer programmers, lifeguards and research assistants, to cite a few examples. Working eight to twelve hours on average per week, most students find that they can work, excel academically, and participate in a range of extracurricular activities. Read more at our Student Employment Office website. The Federal Work-Study Program subsidizes the wages of eligible students, making them particularly attractive to employers.

If you are eligible, you will be able to work in FWSP-designated jobs at the University and sometimes off campus as well. FWSP funds are available for both term-time and summer employment. The term-time work expectation listed on your award letter is the amount of earnings during the academic year that we expect you to contribute toward your college costs. Your financial aid letter will designate whether you can work in a job funded by FWSP or need to focus your job search on positions not funded by the program.

Please note: You may request a student loan to replace or supplement part or all of a job expectation term-time or FWSP. To request a loan, use the Loan Request Form. How to apply for a masters in passing Master of Arts Students studying toward a master of arts AM degree must be enrolled full-time, complete a minimum of eight courses 32 credits at the level required by the department, and pay full tuition for one year.

Master of Science Master of science SM candidates must complete eight courses 32 credits and pay full tuition for one year. Courses completed to meet the requirements for another Harvard degree i. Richard A. Smith Campus Center.