Harvard University

• Resume/CVRequired

  This should include education, work experience if any, honors, awards, papers submitted for publication, and other achievements. Awards and papers belong on the resume or CV rather than as separate materials.

• Statement of PurposeRequired

  Tell the Admissions Committee about your experiences (including additional training not indicated on your transcript), interests, future goals, etc. Keep the statement to about 1,000 words.

• Transcripts (uploaded)Required

  Transcripts must be uploaded electronically. These copies can be official or unofficial. Do not mail hard copies to SEAS or Harvard Griffin GSAS. No minimum GPA requirement. After submission you can update the Fall 2026 Grade Report page with your fall grades.

• Three letters of recommendation3 letters

  From faculty, advisors, and/or employment supervisors who can speak to your abilities as a potential graduate student. Former professors are valuable, but letters from managers or colleagues from your work experience can also be helpful. Letters arriving after the Dec 1 deadline are added, but review begins shortly after the deadline.

  Three (3) letters of recommendation are required from faculty, advisors, and/or employment supervisors. No more than four (4) letters should support an application. Register your letter writers in the online application; they receive email instructions. Interfolio is not accepted.

• GRE (optional)Optional

  General GRE and Subject GRE scores are optional. No single factor will be used as a filter in the admissions decisions. SEAS does not make recommendations about the subject test.

• Duolingo English Test (not accepted)If your degree wasn't taught in EnglishNot accepted

  No test other than the iBT TOEFL or IELTS will be accepted as proof of English proficiency; a Duolingo test is not accepted.

• IELTS Academic or TOEFL iBTIf your degree wasn't taught in EnglishRequired — waiver possible

  IELTS Academic: Accepted instead of the TOEFL. Minimum score of 7 on the IELTS Academic test and minimum Speaking score of 6.5. Scores valid for no longer than two years: for fall 2027, tests taken no earlier than January 5, 2025. Send scores to Harvard Griffin GSAS via the IELTS Test Center E-Delivery service. Home/online IELTS Academic accepted.

  TOEFL iBT: Required from applicants whose native language is not English and who do not hold a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) from an institution where English is the language of instruction; IELTS may be taken instead. Minimum score of 5 (95 for tests taken prior to January 21, 2026) and minimum Speaking score of 4.5 (23 for tests taken prior to January 21, 2026). Scores valid for no longer than two years: for fall 2027, tests taken no earlier than January 5, 2025. Use ETS code 3451. Home/online TOEFL iBT accepted; TOEFL MyBest score reports are not accepted. Official score report required by the application deadline.

  Waiver / exemption: Not required if you received an undergraduate degree from an institution where English is the primary language of instruction. If your undergraduate degree is from a US institution where English was not the primary language of instruction but a significant portion of your program was conducted in English, you may petition for a waiver of the TOEFL/IELTS requirement (US institutions only); contact the office of admissions. A master's degree or other graduate degree is not accepted as proof of English proficiency.

• PTE Academic (not listed)If your degree wasn't taught in EnglishNot accepted

  Not on the list of accepted tests: 'No test other than the iBT TOEFL or IELTS will be accepted as proof of English proficiency.'

• No interviewIf invited

  We do not require an interview as part of the application process and we cannot offer applicants the opportunity for an in-person interview with the admissions staff.

Who can apply

• Bachelor's degree by matriculationRequired

  A BA, BS, or equivalent undergraduate degree by the time of matriculation (for international applicants, a three- or four-year undergraduate degree from an institution of recognized standing).

• Basic computer science concepts (expected, not formal)Optional

  There are no formal prerequisites, but successful applicants need an understanding of basic computer science concepts. If this training isn't on your transcripts, use the Additional Materials section or your Statement of Purpose to show it.

• Calculus, linear algebra and differential equations (expected, not formal)Optional

  There are no formal prerequisites, but successful applicants need a comfortable working knowledge of calculus, linear algebra and differential equations.

• Programming fluency, e.g. python or R (expected, not formal)Optional

  There are no formal prerequisites, but successful applicants need fluency in at least one programming language such as python or R.

• Probability and statistical inference (expected, not formal)Optional

  There are no formal prerequisites, but successful applicants need familiarity with probability and statistical inference.

• Essay 1 · Required · Recommended: about 1,000 wordsThis is your chance to tell the Admissions Committee about your experiences (including additional training not indicated on your transcript), interests, future goals, etc. Please keep the statement to about 1,000 words.

  This is your chance to tell the Admissions Committee about your experiences (including additional training not indicated on your transcript), interests, future goals, etc. Please keep the statement to about 1,000 words.