Harvard University is the oldest higher education institution in USA offering admission in Fall, Winter, Spring or Summer intakes. Established in 1636, Harvard has three campus locations- Cambridge, Allston, and Boston. The Ivy League USA institution is home to 16% international students hailing from 150+ countries including 613 Indian students and scholars.
Harvard University acceptance rate is merely 4.7% for undergraduate programs and 10.3% for MBA program, for the Fall intake. There are around 90 undergraduate degrees and 150 graduate degree courses to choose from. Of these, popular Harvard University programs include Business Administration, Law, and Medicine. The eligibility requirements for Harvard is similar to any other Ivy League colleges, yet admission are granted to only academic elites. Applications for 2023 admissions commence from mid-August. Check Out: Harvard Application Process
Average Harvard University fees for an Indian student is 51,900 USD (38.31 lakh INR) per year, marking it as a high-end university in terms of cost. To cover these expenses, there are need-based Harvard University scholarships, which benefits around 60% of new entrants. There’s hardly any global company where Harvard graduates are not welcome because of its legacy of over 385 years. EMBA graduates of Harvard earn an average annual salary of 182,000 USD per annum. Harvard graduates are highly regarded all over the world. Top employers of the university include Google, Facebook, Apple, IBM, Morgan Stanley, and several others. Explore: Harvard University Placements
Harvard University Rankings
Harvard University is highly regarded for its reputation, influence, and academic pedigree around the world. Harvard University Rankings according to some of the top-ranking agencies are:
- #5 in QS World University Rankings, 2023
- #1 in US College Rankings by Times Higher Education, 2022
- #=2 in World University Rankings by Times Higher Education, 2022
- #5 in Graduate Employability Rankings by QS World University Rankings, 2022
- #3 in Best Value Schools by U.S. News and World Report, 2022
According to THE rankings, Harvard University is jointly ranked #2 in the world with the California Institute of Technology. The comparison of Harvard University with some of the top universities in the world are provided below:
Check Out: Harvard University (Spanish)
A plethora of Harvard University courses are ranked #1 by QS subject Rankings and THE Rankings. The subject-specific ranking comparison of Harvard University with two top universities in USA according to U.S. News and World Report are as follows:
| Subject | Harvard University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Stanford University |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oncology | #1 | #16 | #14 |
| Surgery | #1 | - | #9 |
| Computer Science | #14 | #3 | #2 |
| Mathematics | #7 | #1 | #2 |
| Chemistry | #14 | #5 | #1 |
| Physics | #3 | #1 | #2 |
Harvard University Courses
Indian students can choose from 22 postgraduate certificates, 50 undergraduate concentrations, 149 masters, 2 associate's, and 105 doctoral programs at Harvard. Ranging from medicine courses to law programs, from social science programs to business administration; Harvard University programs includes all. Some of other reasons to why opt for Harvard University courses are:
- Harvard University is a liberal arts colleges, allowing students to enrol and then choose their UG concentration.
- Harvard Business School offers a 2 year full-time residential MBA program, which includes 37% international student population.
- Harvard offers up to 129 free and paid online courses for all.
- There are around 900 continuing education programs for international students, working professional, and retired adults.
Harvard University International Student Enrollments
As demonstrated by its QS subject rankings, the institution is the leader across several subject areas like Medicine, Law, Surgery, etc. Being this popular, Harvard University admissions are offered to students from across the globe. With 4,818 international enrollments, Harvard University boasts an international student population of 16%. The 2022 international student enrollment by Harvard school is showcased below:
@Harvard International Office
Harvard University Admission Process
Admission to Harvard University is a multistep process involving application, arranging standardized test scores, submission of documents, fees, and sometimes appearing in an interview. The application process to Harvard is explained below in detail:
Application Portal: Coalition Application, Common Application, and Universal College Application
Find Details on Harvard Admissions, here!
Harvard Common Application Deadlines 2023
Common deadlines observed for a range of courses at the university are as mentioned below:
| Type of Deadlines | Date |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Harvard University Admission Requirements
The admission requirements for undergraduate and graduate programs at Harvard University are compiled here.
| Category | Undergraduate Admission Requirements | Graduate Admission Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Transcripts |
Final school report and transcripts |
Academic transcripts with GPA of 4.0/4 (97-100%) |
| Midyear report | Midyear school report | - |
| Teacher evaluation forms | 2 teacher evaluation forms | - |
| SOP | SOP for USA | SOP within 1,500 words |
| LOR | Academic LOR (Optional) | 3 LOR (2 academic, 1 professional) |
| Proof of finances | - | Financial certification |
| CV/Resume | - | Résumé |
| Standardized test scores | SAT/ACT score (Optional) | GRE or GMAT (if applicable) (Median GRE: 300, Median GMAT score: 730) |
| English proficiency | TOEFL score (Optional) | TOEFL Score of 104 or above |
| Additional requirements | Supplementary materials such as artwork, music recordings, etc (Optional) | Specific graduate school or program requirements |
| Interviews | Interview (Non-compulsory) | Interview (Optional) |
Note: Undergraduate applications are equally considered with or without English proficiency test scores.
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Harvard University Campus
Harvard campus was established by vote of the Great and General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The university has 3 main campuses located in Cambridge, Allston, and Boston's Longwood. The main campus of Harvard University stands with several other branch campuses mainly for graduates.
Harvard University campus houses 10 hospitals, 5 museums, 2 theatres, 3 athletic facilities, 28 libraries, 12 residential buildings, several academic and administrative buildings and other buildings. The Harvard Library is around 400 years old and is the oldest library system in USA.
Community involvement, extra-curricular activities, leadership qualities, and a remarkable personal character are secondary factors that influence the admission process apart from spectacular academic grades. The university offers 42 Division I intercollegiate varsity teams for women and men as well as intramural sports to students.
Over 450 student organizations are open to all students at the institute for recreational activity. More than 80% of its students participate in at least one athletic activity. Its students actively engage in quality community services.
Harvard University Accommodations
The university offers accommodation across 12 residence halls for Harvard undergraduates. There are 4 Graduate School of Arts and Science residence halls as well as other Off-Campus residence halls for graduates. It offers 12 houses for upperclassmen with amenities viz. libraries, lounges, and recreational and functional spaces.
On-Campus Residence
- A typical residence hall has all the basic amenities, Wi-Fi, laundry service, kitchens with all modern facilties, vending machines.
- Each hall has a Cable and DVD set, washers, dryers, and a computer lab.
- Reservations and special accommodations are provided for applicants with disabilities upon demand.
- Gender Inclusive Living options and housing for LGBTQ students are provided as well.
- The cost of living on-campus ranges around 1,000-4,500 USD (~76,000 to 3.43 lakhs INR) per month.
Off-Campus Residence
- Students can choose to stay off-campus with rent ranging from 1,500 up to 3,000 USD (~1.14 to 2.29 lakhs INR) per month.
- The university provides off-campus residence information such as Harvard's own 60 off-campus properties and other external rent information.
- Students can register themselves in the ‘Harvard Off-Campus Housing portal to search and compare the available residence options.
- These apartments are offered as single, Studio, one-Bedroom, two-Bedroom, three-Bedroom, four-Bedroom, and suites.
Harvard University Cost of Attendance
Aspirants seeking to enroll at the institute are encouraged to plan an estimated budget for international students in USA. The average Harvard University fees and living expenses for undergraduate students are as follows:
| Fees | Cost Per Year (in INR) |
|---|---|
| Tuition | 41.3 lakhs |
| Board and Room | 14.06 lakhs |
| Books and Personal expenses | 2.67 lakhs |
| Student services fee | 2.28 lakhs |
| Student activities fee | 15,300 |
| Student health fee | 92,240 |
| Total | 61.38 lakhs |
For graduate programs, the tuition fees varies as per the school and subject. The average tuition fees for Harvard University graduate schools are as follows:
| School | Average Fees in INR |
|---|---|
| Graduate School of Arts & Sciences | 41.9 lakhs |
| Harvard Graduate School of Education | 43.75 lakhs |
| Harvard Graduate School of Design | 43.94 lakhs |
| Harvard Medical School | 35.79 lakhs |
| Harvard Extension School | 24.76 to 29.71 lakhs |
| Harvard Kennedy School | 28.17 to 44.12 lakhs |
Harvard University Scholarships
The university offers an array of financial aid for its aspirants which includes grants, student jobs, waivers, and scholarships for international students in USA. 100% of financial needs are met at Harvard where nearly 20% of families pay nothing at the institute. Around 55% students at Harvard College receive need-based scholarships to study in USA. Over 2,000 individual endowment and gift funds are offered by The Faculty of Arts and Sciences Scholarship program.
International students are qualified for all aids at the institute as much as domestic students do except loans and federal or state aids. Additional financial documents may be required for the application for aids during admission application.
The university awards over 1 billion USD in financial aid like scholarships and grants each year. The average grant amount received by students is 12,000 USD. Students from families with an annual income of less than 65,000 USD do not have to pay any tuition fees. Candidates from families with annual income between 65,000 to 150,000 USD have to pay 10% of the tuition fee.
The following table consists of some of the top scholarships offered to Indian students at Harvard University:
| Scholarship | Total Award Amount in INR |
|---|---|
| The Robert S. Kaplan Life Sciences Fellowship | 15.47 lakhs |
| Horace W. Goldsmith Fellowship | 7.73 lakhs |
| Boustany MBA Harvard Scholarship | 79 lakhs |
| HGSE Financial Aid | Tuition, loan and miscellaneous expenses |
Some other financial aid available to international students include:
- Joseph Collins Foundation Scholarship with varying amounts.
- Academic Scholars Award awarded by the organization to in-residence international graduates. The award is four each year and it's worth 67,000 USD.
- Graduate Consortium on Energy and Environment Fellowship with varying amounts.
Worried about Cost of Studying at Harvard University? Click below and get a step-by-step process and learn how to apply for financial aid & study in the USA
Harvard University Alumni
Harvard University presently has 371,000 living alumni worldwide. The university alumni enjoys the following benefits:
- Harvard Alumni enjoy savings on selected ThinkPad notebook computers
- Networking with other alumni and with current Harvard students by updating profile information with career networking capabilities.
- Harvard Employees Credit Union renders a variety of products and services to the Harvard community.
- Unique access to Harvard's online and offline library
Harvard University Notable Alumni
The Harvard University alumni network boosts to have 8 US Presidents, 79 Nobel Laureates, 62 living billionaires, 242 Marshall Scholars, and 359 Rhodes Scholars. Some of the popular names are:
- Barack Obama -44th President of the United States
- Mark Zuckerberg -Co-Founder and CEO of Facebook
- Albert A. Gore Jnr. -Former Vice President of the United States
- George W. Bush – 43rd US President
- Bill Gates – Co-founder of Microsoft
Also Explore: Harvard University Student Profile
Harvard University Placements
The Office of Student Career Development assist Harvard University students with career advice. MBA Placements of Harvard University is one of the most attractive feature of the institute offering the graduates with lucrative salaries acorss world-famous companies. Harvard graduates working as Neurosurgeon earn the highest average annual salary of 402,000 USD per annum.
Most of the Harvard Business School graduates secure employment in Apple, Google, and Facebook. Besides, firms like Bain & Company, McKinsey, IBM and Morgan Stanley are among the other recruiters of Harvard graduates. The average salary of Harvard Business School graduates is 150,000 USD per annum. 51% of the employed graduates get a median signing bonus of 30,000 USD.
The institute organizes very productive career fairs for students at various levels each year. According to PayScale, the average annual salary of Harvard graduates is 91,000 USD. Situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard is often compared with MIT, though picking among the two can be difficult Harvard slightly surpasses MIT in certain factors. This oldest higher education institution in the US has managed to make and keep a worldwide brand name and claims to be home to only the academically elite class.
Harvard FAQs
Ques. Why is Harvard so famous?
Ans. Harvard University is the oldest private research institute in the USA. It is the first higher education institute in USA. The university welcomes students arriving from 150+ countries in the world. Harvard is one of the top 5 universities in the world, with several top ranked programs, especially the STEM courses.
Ques. What GPA do you need to go to Harvard?
Ans. Harvard is one of the elite universities in the world with an undergraduate acceptance rate of 4.7%. You will need a GPA of 4.0 on a 4.0 scale (97-100%) for admission to Harvard University. A majority of the admitted students at Harvard University topped their class in previous academic years.
Ques. How many Indian students get into Harvard every year?
Ans. Harvard University welcomes around 610 Indian students and scholars every year. In Fall 2021, the university enrolled 613 Indian students and scholars.
Ques. Is Yale or Harvard better?
Ans. Harvard University and Yale University are two top-notch universities in the world. From academic credentials to heritage and athletics, both the universities give tough competition to each other. Harvard University is ranked at #5 in QS World Rankings, 2023 leaving behind Yale at #18. According to Times Higher Education, 2022, Harvard University shares the #2 position with California Institute of Technology leaving Yale University at #9. However, this does not make Yale an inferior institution, ranking among the top universities in the world is not a cakewalk.
Ques. How much does studying at Harvard cost?
Ans. The cost of pursuing Harvard University undergraduate programs is around 75,000 USD. The graduate tuition expenses range between 30,000 to 56,000 USD for 2 years. The cost of living for 10 months for the graduate students at Harvard University is around 45,000 USD.
Ques. What are the fees of Harvard University in Indian rupees?
Ans. The total cost of studying the undergraduate programs at Harvard University is around 61 lakhs INR. The tuition cost of the graduate students widely varies across graduate schools from 24 to 45 lakhs INR. Living expenses for the graduate students range around 36 lakhs INR for 10 months.
Ques. How many students does Harvard accept each year?
Ans. Harvard University has enrolled 21,119 full-time students and 4,391 part-time students in Fall 2021. The university has enrolled a total of 25,110 students including adjustment for joint degree students.
Ques. Is Harvard the university with lowest acceptance rate?
Ans. Harvard University exhibits a remarkably low undergraduate acceptance rate of 4.7%. However, Harvard is not the university with the lowest acceptance rate. Stanford University has an even lower acceptance rate of 3.94%. Harvard University acceptance rate is gradually decreasing over the years due to the increasing number of applications and advanced screening process.
Ques. What company hires the most Harvard graduates?
Ans. Harvard University graduates are employed across Google, Facebook, Bain & Company, McKinsey, Apple, IBM, Morgan Stanley and several other top recruiters. Top employers of the Business program graduates and summer interns include Microsoft, Adobe, Amazon, Blackstone, Bank of America, Capital One, Nike, Cognizant, Dell, Deloittee, Tesla, Godrej, IBM, Ebay, Lockheed Martin, Walmart, Twitter, Tiktok, Uber and numerous others.
Ques. What is the average salary of Harvard MBA graduate?
Ans. Harvard University MBA graduates earn an average salary of 179,000 USD per annum. The average salary of Harvard Business School graduates is 150,000 USD per year.
Ques. In which state is Harvard University located?
Ans. Harvard University is located in the city of Cambridge at the US state of Massachusetts. The city is known for its populous culture and of course, the Harvard University campus.
Ques. Is Harvard campus beautiful?
Ans. Harvard University Campus is beautifully decorated with lush greeneries. The Harvard Yard is the grassy center of the university surrounded by various halls, libraries, Memorial Church and colleges of the university.
Ques. What is student life like at Harvard?
Ans. Harvard University students enjoy a colorful student life with numerous extracurricular activities, community involvement, and intramural sports. Students enjoy recreation activities across 450+ student organizations. The campus offers adequate private space through Roombook, a private room booking facility for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Dining facilities, health and wellness support, discounts, first-year resources and several other student support services enrich the student experience at Harvard University.
Ques. Who is eligible for Harvard housing?
Ans. Harvard University housing is available for only authorized occupants and their family members. The university provides reservation and special occupation facilities for applicants with disabilities. The university also supports gender inclusive living and provides housing for LGBTQ students.
Ques. How much is housing at Harvard?
Ans. The on-campus residence cost of Harvard University ranges from 1,000-4,500 USD (~76,000 to 3.43 lakhs INR) per month. The off-campus residence cost ranges from 1,500 up to 3,000 USD (~1.14 to 2.29 lakhs INR) per month.
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