University of Harvard Admissions 2024: Process, Requirements & Deadlines

Harvard University, one of the world’s most prominent and revered institutions, holds a special place in the hearts of students seeking academic excellence. While admittance to this Ivy League university is a difficult task, understanding the admissions process is the first step towards realizing this desire. We will delve into the Harvard University admission process in this article, including acceptance rates for both undergraduates and postgraduates, eligibility criteria, required paperwork &’ tests, popular courses, the evaluation procedure, and’ essential applicant tips.

Acceptance Rate

Harvard’s reported acceptance rate is around 3.41%. Out of the 60,000+ candidates who applied for 2026 admission, less than 2,000 candidates were admitted to the University. Even in the previous years, Harvard’s acceptance rate has hovered around 8-4%. 

Admission Eligibility Criteria

To have the best chance of getting into Harvard University, you should:

• Have a high school GPA of 4.0 or better
• Earn A/A+ grades in high school
• Score 1530 on the SAT or 34 on the ACT
• Graduate in the top 10% of your high school class
• Submit letters of recommendation from your teachers.

Documents Required

The documents required for admission into Harvard University include:

• School report and high school transcript
• Teacher report (2)
• Midyear school report (after the first semester grades)
• Final school report
• SAT or ACT (optional for 2022-2026 applicants, but recommended)
• English Proficiency Test - Not Required for First-year Undergraduate Students 3.

Tests Required

Applicants may provide self-reported SAT and ACT test scores (including Subject Tests, Advanced Placement, IB, etc.). Admitted students who decide to enroll at Harvard College will be required to submit official test scores.

Popular Courses

The most popular courses at Harvard University are 

• Business (MBA)
• Law and Justice
• Social Sciences 
• Biology/Biological Sciences
• Mathematics
• Computer and Information Sciences
• History
• Physical Sciences
• Engineering
• Psychology
• Visual and Performing Arts
• English Language and Literature

How the University Evaluates Applicants

Harvard University has exceptionally high admission requirements, generally admitting students who can score in the top 2 percent on standardized admission tests. The university typically accepts and attracts “A/A+” average high school students with an average GPA of around 4.0. Certain personal characteristics are listed commonly across Harvard websites of nearly all schools. These include maturity, integrity, leadership, kindness, ambition and passion. Letters of recommendation are also considered by admissions officials at Harvard University.

Tips for Applying to Harvard University

Here are some tips for applying to Harvard University:

• Start early and stay organized.
• Take challenging courses in high school.
• Get involved in extracurricular activities.
• Write a compelling essay.
• Submit strong letters of recommendation.
• Apply early decision if you’re sure that Harvard is your top choice.

Application Deadline

The application deadline for Harvard University is November 1st for Early Action and January 1st for Regular Decision.