Degree Program Admission
We believe the most important predictor of program success is your current aptitude to do honors-level work at Harvard. This standard is the cornerstone of our admissions process.
You start the admissions process right away, taking three 4-credit courses to demonstrate your academic ability to succeed as a Harvard student.
Admissions Criteria
To apply for admission to one of our degree programs, meet the following criteria.
Take the required admission courses first before all other degree requirements and apply as soon as possible. Degree requirements change over time and you can lose degree credit if you delay submitting your application.
Grade Requirements
- Earn the required cumulative grade-point average in all Harvard courses taken before admission. The required GPA is 3.0 (B) or higher for the undergraduate degree and all master’s degree fields except management and finance, for which it is 3.33 (B+) or higher.
- Earn at least a B in each of the three required admission courses.
- You are ineligible to apply if you fail to earn the minimum grade of B or higher in two attempts of EXPO 25 for the undergraduate degree and two attempts of the required proseminar course for a master’s degree. In addition, the proseminar grade cannot be older than two years at the time of application. If it is, you must retake the course and register for a section with a different instructor, if possible. For repeated proseminars, both grades will apply to your cumulative GPA unless a grade was earned more than 10 years ago. See Academic Standing for information about how repeat courses affect your GPA.
- Graduate students pursuing a degree in one of our professional fields (includes all three information technology, all four biotechnology fields, finance, journalism, management, mathematics for teaching, museum studies, and sustainability): If a course can count toward your degree program, you have five years from the term in which the course was completed to apply to that degree program using that course as an admission requirement. Otherwise, it expires, and you must repeat it or take a different course that fulfills that same admission requirement.
English Proficiency
You must prove English proficiency for admission to a degree program at Harvard Extension School if:
- For the undergraduate program, your native language is not English and you did not attend four full years of high school with English-language instruction.
- For a graduate program, you did not earn a four-year bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, or the United Kingdom.
Graduate Degree Applicants Only
- You need a US regionally accredited bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent with a degree conferral date that precedes enrollment in graduate-level courses taken with us.
- All admissions courses must be taken at the graduate level.
- If you already hold a graduate degree, you may earn a master’s degree provided the two degrees are in different fields.
- Software engineering, digital media design, and information management systems degree applicants: You must pass the test of critical reading and writing skills or complete the required expository writing course for your program before submitting an application. (Other programs require this test earlier in the admissions process, typically for enrollment in an admissions course.)
- Management and finance applicants only: Alternatively, you may earn the HBX CORe (Credential of Readiness) certificate in addition to completing either Organizational Behavior or Business Rhetoric at Harvard Extension School with a grade of B+ or higher and also achieving a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.33 or higher in all applicable degree courses. To participate in HBX CORe, you need to submit a separate application through the HBX website. Not all students are accepted. While CORe does not count for credit toward the degree, it will prove your Harvard readiness. It does not replace the economics or accounting degree requirements for the Management field or the principles of finance or accounting degree requirements for the Finance field, so you will still need to complete these courses after admission to the program.
Financial and Academic Standing
- Be in good academic and financial standing with Harvard University, with no disciplinary or administrative procedures pending. The Extension School will consider your disciplinary record at Harvard University in making admissions decisions.
- Be in good financial standing—that is, be able to submit official transcripts—with other schools attended.
Admissions Advising
Admissions advisors are available to help you as you progress through your three admissions courses at Harvard Extension School and complete your application for admission. They can offer guidance and highlight resources that can help you balance commitments while you strive to reach your academic goals.
If you’d like to make an appointment with an advisor to discuss the coursework you've completed at the Extension School and your program application, please send an e-mail to admissions@extension.harvard.edu. Indicate if you are interested in an undergraduate or graduate program and, for graduate programs, your field of interest.
When to Apply in 2015–16
During the term of your third admission course, apply according to the schedule below.
After grades for the term become available (see the academic calendar), applications are thoroughly reviewed by the admissions and programs offices for final eligibility before admissions decisions are made and acceptance letters are mailed approximately a month later.
If your application is complete by the deadline but you did not earn the required grades or GPA by the end of the semester, you will need to reapply to the program when you have met the admission criteria.
Session in which you complete your admission courses | Submit your application between | Decision letters mailed the week of |
The fall | November 16–December 12 | February 20 |
The January term and spring | March 15–April 12 | June 20 |
The summer (Harvard Summer School) | July 17–August 14 | October 1 |
To receive financial aid for the spring term, apply to the program on November 16 and apply for financial aid before November 1. For fall term, apply to the program on March 15 and apply for financial aid before June 1. See financial aid for more information.
Required Application Materials and Advice
The following materials must be submitted for admission consideration.
Start gathering your materials early, while you are completing your first admission courses at Harvard Extension.
1. Online Application Form
When an application period is open, the form is available through online services. Complete the form early in the application cycle by providing the names of the schools that you have attended and the dates of attendance.
2. A $100 Application Fee
This fee is nonrefundable. There is a $200 late application fee if you complete (i.e., earn grades in) more than four courses for a graduate program and more than six courses for the undergraduate program before applying.
3. Essay(s)
See the essay topics below for each program.
Tip: Ensure that your essays are on topic, two pages in length, and in the correct, standard format. If a cover letter is required for your program, present it in a standard business format.
4. A Current Résumé
Submit a traditional résumé that reflects your work experience, education to date, skills, organizational memberships, and achievements.
Tip: Represent your current degree status correctly on your résumé if you choose to include it:
- Applicant, Bachelor of Arts, Harvard University Extension School
- Applicant, Master of Liberal Arts, [insert your Field, e.g., Biology], Harvard University Extension School
5. Official Transcripts
For undergraduate applicants, you must submit an official transcript in an envelope sealed by the administration from each college or university you have attended.
For graduate degree applicants, you must submit an official transcript in an envelope sealed by the administration from each college or university from which you have earned a degree.
You must be financially clear from all prior schools.
6. TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic Scores
If you are an undergraduate student and your native language is not English or if you are a graduate student who did not earn a bachelor’s degree from our list of approved countries, you must submit official scores from one of these tests taken in the last two years to fulfill the English proficiency requirement for degree program admission.
Tip: Take a test to prove your English proficiency when you first start taking courses. The scores must be received by the application materials deadline.
7. Verification of International Credits and Degrees
If you earned credits or degrees outside the United States, you need to have the credentials verified by a specific third party. The Admissions Office needs to receive an official evaluation in a sealed envelope from that agency. See our guidelines for verifying international credits or degrees.
Tip: Request international transcripts and evaluations early so they arrive by the application materials deadline. Foreign transcripts require extra time to obtain from overseas, and an evaluation can take several weeks for an agency to perform.
8. Complete the Academic Integrity Tutorials
Take the online tutorials Using Sources, Five Scenarios and Using Sources, Five Examples and earn a passing score in each. Print the results, and submit only copies of the pages that include your final scores.
Mailing Address for Application Materials
Do not submit items separately, except for test scores, which can be sent directly to the Admissions Office from the testing or evaluation service. Do not open envelopes addressed to you that contain official copies of documents; instead, include them unopened in the packet you submit to the Admissions Office.
Supplemental materials sent from within the United States must be postmarked by the last date of the application period. Materials sent from international locations must be received in the Admissions Office by the application deadline date.
Send your packet to:
[Name of Degree Program]
Admissions Office
Harvard Extension School
51 Brattle Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
Essay Topics and Supplementary Materials
Your two-page essays should be in 12-point font, double spaced, with the date and your full name stated in the heading.
Anthropology and Archaeology
Submit essays on both topics:
- Essay 1: Write an essay describing your academic, professional, and personal reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in this field. What experiences led you to your research ambitions?
- Essay 2: Write an essay on a book that has influenced your thinking about your proposed field. The writing style must be expository rather than academic (i.e., footnotes, a bibliography, and the published opinions of others regarding this book are unnecessary; however, any source quoted or paraphrased must be properly cited).
Bachelor’s Degree
Choose one of the following topics:
- Discuss the impact of completing courses at the Harvard Extension School on your life so far. Support your explanation with specific details.
- Discuss the reasons why you have decided to earn your undergraduate degree at the Harvard Extension School. Support your explanation with specific details.
- If the Harvard Extension School is not your first college experience, discuss how your perspective on higher education has changed since your initial college experience. Support your explanation with specific details.
Bioengineering and Nanotechnology
Submit essays on both of the following topics, plus a letter of recommendation:
- Essay 1: Write an original two-page essay describing your academic, professional, and personal reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in this field. What experiences led you to your research ambitions?
- Essay 2: Write an original two-page essay on any topic from the area of biotechnology. Examples of such topics include human cloning, stem cell research, gene therapy, and genetically modified agricultural organisms. The writing style can be expository, rather than academic, but you should include a list of any references used to craft the essay. All quoted sources must be properly cited.
- Letter of recommendation: In addition to the essays, you also need to submit a letter of recommendation from your research supervisor on company letterhead that confirms years worked, duties, job satisfaction, and performance.
Bioinformatics
Submit essays on both of the following topics, plus a letter of recommendation:
- Essay 1: Write an original two-page essay describing your academic, professional, and personal reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in this field. What experiences led you to your research ambitions?
- Essay 2: Write an original two-page essay on any topic from the area of biotechnology. Examples of such topics include human cloning, stem cell research, gene therapy, and genetically modified agricultural organisms. The writing style can be expository, rather than academic, but you should include a list of any references used to craft the essay. All quoted sources must be properly cited.
- Letter of recommendation: In addition to the essays, you also need to submit a letter of recommendation from your research supervisor on company letterhead that confirms years worked, duties, job satisfaction, and performance.
Biology
Submit essays on both topics:
- Essay 1: Write an essay describing your academic, professional, and personal reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in this field. What experiences led you to your research ambitions?
- Essay 2: Write an essay on a book that has influenced your thinking about your proposed field. The writing style must be expository rather than academic (i.e., footnotes, a bibliography, and the published opinions of others regarding this book are unnecessary; however, any source quoted or paraphrased must be properly cited).
Biotechnology
Submit essays on both of the following topics, plus a letter of recommendation:
- Essay 1: Write an original two-page essay describing your academic, professional, and personal reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in this field. What experiences led you to your research ambitions?
- Essay 2: Write an original two-page essay on any topic from the area of biotechnology. Examples of such topics include human cloning, stem cell research, gene therapy, and genetically modified agricultural organisms. The writing style can be expository, rather than academic, but you should include a list of any references used to craft the essay. All quoted sources must be properly cited.
- Letter of recommendation: In addition to the essays, you also need to submit a letter of recommendation from your research supervisor on company letterhead that confirms years worked, duties, job satisfaction, and performance.
Biotechnology Management
Submit essays on both of the following topics, plus a letter of recommendation:
- Essay 1: Write an original two-page essay describing your academic, professional, and personal reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in this field. What experiences led you to your research ambitions?
- Essay 2: Write an original two-page essay on any topic from the area of biotechnology. Examples of such topics include human cloning, stem cell research, gene therapy, and genetically modified agricultural organisms. The writing style can be expository, rather than academic, but you should include a list of any references used to craft the essay. All quoted sources must be properly cited.
- Letter of recommendation: In addition to the essays, you also need to submit a letter of recommendation from your research supervisor on company letterhead that confirms years worked, duties, job satisfaction, and performance.
Clinical Psychology
Submit essays on both topics:
- Essay 1: Write an essay describing your academic, professional, and personal reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in this field. What experiences led you to your research ambitions?
- Essay 2: Write an essay on a book that has influenced your thinking about your proposed field. The writing style must be expository rather than academic (i.e., footnotes, a bibliography, and the published opinions of others regarding this book are unnecessary; however, any source quoted or paraphrased must be properly cited).
Digital Media Design
Submit essays on both topics:
- Essay 1: Write a two-page autobiographical essay describing your past experiences and future plans, and how the Digital Media Design degree will play an influential role.
- Essay 2: Write a two-page essay describing your specific background in computer science, mathematics, information systems, or digital media.
Dramatic Arts
Submit essays on both topics:
- Essay 1: Write an essay describing your academic, professional, and personal reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in this field. What experiences led you to your research ambitions?
- Essay 2: Write an essay on a book that has influenced your thinking about your proposed field. The writing style must be expository rather than academic (i.e., footnotes, a bibliography, and the published opinions of others regarding this book are unnecessary; however, any source quoted or paraphrased must be properly cited).
English
Submit essays on both topics:
- Essay 1: Write an essay describing your academic, professional, and personal reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in this field. What experiences led you to your research ambitions?
- Essay 2: Write an essay on a book that has influenced your thinking about your proposed field. The writing style must be expository rather than academic (i.e., footnotes, a bibliography, and the published opinions of others regarding this book are unnecessary; however, any source quoted or paraphrased must be properly cited).
Finance
Submit an essay on the following topic and a cover letter:
- Essay: Write an essay describing a challenging situation or interaction you faced. In this essay, please tell us the background on the situation or interaction, who was involved, your role, and the end result. Please note that positive outcomes do not always make the most compelling essays.
- Cover letter: Write a cover letter applying for a position as a graduate degree candidate. The cover letter should adhere to common business communication standards and include information on your professional accomplishments, why you are a good fit for the finance field, and any other information you consider important for us to know.
Foreign Literature, Language, and Culture
Submit essays on both topics:
- Essay 1: Write an essay describing your academic, professional, and personal reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in this field. What experiences led you to your research ambitions?
- Essay 2: Write an essay on a book that has influenced your thinking about your proposed field. The writing style must be expository rather than academic (i.e., footnotes, a bibliography, and the published opinions of others regarding this book are unnecessary; however, any source quoted or paraphrased must be properly cited).
Government
Submit essays on both topics:
- Essay 1: Write an essay describing your academic, professional, and personal reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in this field. What experiences led you to your research ambitions?
- Essay 2: Write an essay on a book that has influenced your thinking about your proposed field. The writing style must be expository rather than academic (i.e., footnotes, a bibliography, and the published opinions of others regarding this book are unnecessary; however, any source quoted or paraphrased must be properly cited).
History
Submit essays on both topics:
- Essay 1: Write an essay describing your academic, professional, and personal reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in this field. What experiences led you to your research ambitions?
- Essay 2: Write an essay on a book that has influenced your thinking about your proposed field. The writing style must be expository rather than academic (i.e., footnotes, a bibliography, and the published opinions of others regarding this book are unnecessary; however, any source quoted or paraphrased must be properly cited).
Information Management Systems
Submit essays on both topics:
- Essay 1: Write a two-page autobiographical essay describing your past experiences and future plans, and how the Information Management Systems degree will play an influential role.
- Essay 2: Write a two-page essay in describing your specific background in computer science, mathematics, information systems, or digital media.
International Relations
Submit essays on both topics:
- Essay 1: Write an essay describing your academic, professional, and personal reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in this field. What experiences led you to your research ambitions?
- Essay 2: Write an essay on a book that has influenced your thinking about your proposed field. The writing style must be expository rather than academic (i.e., footnotes, a bibliography, and the published opinions of others regarding this book are unnecessary; however, any source quoted or paraphrased must be properly cited).
Journalism
Submit an essay and writing sample:
- Essay 1: Write an essay describing your academic, personal, and professional reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in journalism and your goals for your career.
- Writing sample: Submit a brief writing sample of a newspaper or magazine article that you have written for a class or a publication.
Legal Studies
Submit essays on both topics:
- Essay 1: Write an essay describing your academic, professional, and personal reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in this field. What experiences led you to your research ambitions?
- Essay 2: Write an essay on a book that has influenced your thinking about your proposed field. The writing style must be expository rather than academic (i.e., footnotes, a bibliography, and the published opinions of others regarding this book are unnecessary; however, any source quoted or paraphrased must be properly cited).
Literature and Creative Writing
Submit essays on both topics and submit writing samples for evaluation:
- Essay 1: Write an essay describing your academic, professional, and personal reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in this field . What experiences led you to your research ambitions?
- Essay 2: Write an essay on a book that has influenced your thinking about your proposed field. The writing style must be expository rather than academic (i.e., footnotes, a bibliography, and the published opinions of others regarding this book are unnecessary; however, any source quoted or paraphrased must be properly cited).
- Writing samples: Submit a literary critical paper of 15–20 pages that was written for a graduate-level literature course at Harvard Extension School and approximately 20 pages of original fiction. Please e-mail only the writing samples to admissions_litcrea@dcemail.harvard.edu.
Management
Submit an essay on the following topic and a cover letter:
- Essay: Write an essay describing a challenging situation or interaction you faced. In this essay, please tell us the background on the situation or interaction, who was involved, your role, and the end result. Please note that positive outcomes do not always make the most compelling essays.
- Cover letter: Write a cover letter applying for a position as a graduate degree candidate. The cover letter should adhere to common business communication standards and include information on your professional accomplishments, why you are a good fit for the management field, and any other information you consider important for us to know.
Math for Teaching
Submit essays on both topics:
- Essay 1: Write an autobiographical essay of no more than two pages in which you outline your specific background in mathematics and teaching or tutoring. Please include a description of what it was that drew you to the idea of teaching mathematics originally.
- Essay 2: Write an essay of no more than two pages describing how you anticipate that the mathematics for teaching degree will play an influential role in your future career plans.
Middle Eastern Studies
Submit essays on both topics:
- Essay 1: Write an essay describing your academic, professional, and personal reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in this field. What experiences led you to your research ambitions?
- Essay 2: Write an essay on a book that has influenced your thinking about your proposed field. The writing style must be expository rather than academic (i.e., footnotes, a bibliography, and the published opinions of others regarding this book are unnecessary; however, any source quoted or paraphrased must be properly cited).
Museum Studies
Write a three-page essay describing your academic, personal, and professional reasons for pursuing a graduate degree and your goals for a career in a museum setting.
Psychology
Submit essays on both topics:
- Essay 1: Write an essay describing your academic, professional, and personal reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in this field. What experiences led you to your research ambitions?
- Essay 2: Write an essay on a book that has influenced your thinking about your proposed field. The writing style must be expository rather than academic (i.e., footnotes, a bibliography, and the published opinions of others regarding this book are unnecessary; however, any source quoted or paraphrased must be properly cited).
Religion
Submit essays on both topics:
- Essay 1: Write an essay describing your academic, professional, and personal reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in this field. What experiences led you to your research ambitions?
- Essay 2: Write an essay on a book that has influenced your thinking about your proposed field. The writing style must be expository rather than academic (i.e., footnotes, a bibliography, and the published opinions of others regarding this book are unnecessary; however, any source quoted or paraphrased must be properly cited).
Software Engineering
Submit essays on both topics:
- Essay 1: Write a two-page autobiographical essay describing your past experiences and future plans, and how the Software Engineering degree will play an influential role.
- Essay 2: Write a two-page essay in describing your specific background in computer science, mathematics, information systems, or digital media.
Sustainability
Submit essays on both topics:
- Essay 1: Write an autobiographical essay of no more than two pages. Describe your experiences and how the sustainability program might play an influential role in your plans.
- Essay 2: Share with the admissions’ committee your future professional plans in the field of sustainability, as well as your tentative capstone or thesis project ideas. List the degree program courses that you’ve taken to date and all future courses that you plan to take to meet these career and research goals.
Visual Arts
Submit essays on both topics:
- Essay 1: Write an essay describing your academic, professional, and personal reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in this field. What experiences led you to your research ambitions?
- Essay 2: Write an essay on a book that has influenced your thinking about your proposed field. The writing style must be expository rather than academic (i.e., footnotes, a bibliography, and the published opinions of others regarding this book are unnecessary; however, any source quoted or paraphrased must be properly cited).