International Applicants

// Harvard University

The Harvard Admissions Office is committed to a diverse and inclusive student body. International education will be the most rewarding for their students, and they are proud that so many of their former students have become leaders in their countries or organizations worldwide.

University want to provide general information about our admissions process to ensure you can apply to Harvard and be admitted. This page also contains links to additional resources for international applicants.

Harvard University International Applicants

Harvard University is one of the most selective universities in the world, with an acceptance rate of 5%. Students from outside the United States must apply for admission and provide SAT or ACT scores, high school transcripts, letters of recommendation and other academic credentials. Additional requirements may be necessary depending on your country of citizenship and language proficiency level as determined by standardized tests such as TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language).

Financial Aid

Financial Aid is available to students from all countries, regardless of citizenship status. Financial Aid is based on demonstrated need, the family's ability to pay, academic record, and citizenship status.

Financial aid is available to international students who meet financial need requirements and submit a FAFSA form. All applicants must complete the CSS/PROFILE application by February 1st and indicate on their application that they are applying for financial aid. The deadline for Harvard's institutional funds has passed, but additional funding sources may be available through outside organizations such as foundations and scholarship funds.

International Student Application Requirements

International students must complete the same application process as domestic students. International applicants must also submit all required materials by the appropriate deadlines, including:

An application for admission
The $80 nonrefundable application fee (paid online)
Official transcripts from all secondary schools attended in the past ten years (including those attended outside of the United States)
Test scores from either the SAT or ACT Test taken within two years of submitting your application.;

Harvard University International Applicants

Financial Aid

Financial Aid is available to students from all countries, regardless of citizenship status. Financial Aid is based on demonstrated need, the family’s ability to pay, academic record, and citizenship status.

Financial aid is available to international students who meet financial need requirements and submit a FAFSA form. All applicants must complete the CSS/PROFILE application by February 1st and indicate on their application that they are applying for financial aid. The deadline for Harvard’s institutional funds has passed, but additional funding sources may be available through outside organizations such as foundations and scholarship funds.

International Student Application Requirements

International students must complete the same application process as domestic students. International applicants must also submit all required materials by the appropriate deadlines, including:

An application for admission
The $80 nonrefundable application fee (paid online)
Official transcripts from all secondary schools attended in the past ten years (including those attended outside of the United States)
Test scores from either the SAT or ACT Test taken within two years of submitting your application.;

Standardized Tests

The standardized tests you must submit are the ACT, SAT and TOEFL. The first step in preparing for these is deciding when to take them. You must take either the ACT or SAT by December of your junior year (if you’re applying Early Action) or November 1st if you’re using Regular Decision. If English isn’t your first language, then there are additional requirements:

It would help if you took an English as a Second Language (TOEFL) test or an International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The minimum score required on either of these tests varies depending on where your school was located and how long ago it was founded; however, Harvard requires at least 100 points higher than what’s needed by other Ivy League universities.

English Language Proficiency

The English language proficiency requirement for international applicants is a minimum TOEFL score of 100 (internet-based), 600 (paper-based) or 6.5 IELTS band score. International Applicants must submit an official TOEFL or IELTS score with their application. The TOEFL/IELTS scores must be less than two years old.

International Interviews

The international interview is an opportunity for you to make an impression on the admissions committee. Here are some tips for preparing for your interview:

Practice with a friend or family member beforehand. It’s good practice to get feedback on how you answer questions; it will give you confidence when the time comes!
Bring plenty of copies of all documents required by Harvard University International Applicants. The interviewer may ask that one copy be kept by them as part of their files; others may be returned directly to applicants after they have been reviewed by our team members here at Harvard University International Applicants.

Translated Materials

Applicants who do not speak English as their first language must submit a certified translation of all academic records and transcripts. The translated materials must be submitted directly by the institution or agency that provided the original document(s). The translations should be sent directly from the organization providing them and should include the following:

An official stamp or seal

The full name, title and signature of the translator

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