We welcome applications from all over the world. Our admissions and financial aid processes are the same for all applicants - regardless of nationality or citizenship. The application requirements are the same for all applicants whether a student attends high school inside or outside the U.
All first-year candidates must complete the Common Application or the Coalition Application along with the required supplements. We have no preference and each application is treated equally by the Admissions Committee.
View our detailed application requirements here. In exceptional cases, when those are not accessible for a student, one of the following can meet the requirement:. Exceptional cases typically involve a student facing challenges in paying for or accessing a test site or a student being unable to secure an available seat at a test site prior to the Regular Decision deadline. English language proficiency examinations such as the TOEFL, IELTS and Duolingo cannot be used to meet the standardized testing requirement, though students are welcome to submit them for review as part of their application materials.
Students may self report their standardized test scores. If applicants are ineligible for fee waivers, but still face financial hardship in paying for a SAT or ACT, the Admissions Committee still encourages these students to apply. We encourage students in this situation to take and submit results from other standardized tests to which they have greater access. A strong knowledge of English is essential for successful study at Harvard, including the ability to understand and express thoughts quickly and clearly.
First-year and transfer applicants are not required to take an English proficiency exam, but you may submit scores if you wish to do so. There are no quotas or limits of any kind at any point in the admissions process. All students are considered in the same pool for all places in the incoming class, regardless of citizenship or the secondary school they attend.
