

Harvard University Complete Guide for Indian Students 2026: Scholarships & Fees
- Private University
3 Campuses
- Estd. 1636
Harvard UniversityRankings & Grading
#3
#2
Commonly asked questions On Rankings
In the world rankings, Harvard University's QS ranking is #5 in 2026. Even in Times Higher Education rankings, this university ranks at #5 in 2026. Also, in Shanghai rankings, this university ranks at #1 in 2025. In the US News Global rankings, Harvard Uni rank at #1 in 2025.
Harvard Uni ranks at #1 in the Global Universities category in 2025 ranking by U.S. News ranking. In the other rankings, this university ranked among the Top 10 Universities in the world. In the QS rankings for 2026, Harvard Uni rank at #5 and in Times Higher Education ranks at #5 in 2026.
Harvard University is one of the top ranked universities by some of the different ranking bodies. The university has a ranking of #2 in the world and USA by the Shiksha Popularity Rankings. It can bem considered the best in the world too.
The rankings of the university by different ranking bodies are mentioned below -
| Ranking Body | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QS | Not Ranked | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| THE | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| US News | 1 | 1 | 1 | Not Ranked |
It is true that Data Science course which is offered at the Harvard University is ranked by top ranking body in world. Harvard SEAS School is part of Ivy League. According to the QS World Ranking- 2025, Data Science programme is ranked #6.
Harvard University Popular programs
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Commonly asked questions On Popular Programs
Admission into the Harvard LLM programme is quite competitive. It is one of the most popular courses opted by international students. Each year, around 1,600 applicants compete for around 180 seats. While evaluating the applications, the Admissions Committee considers the following:
- Grades in their previous law or other studies
- LOR
- Extracurriculars (professional or personal)
- Occupational interests
Harvard MBA is a 2-year long course. Also, the university offers need-based scholarships to international students, with an average award of USD 47,000 per year. More than 50% of the university's MBA graduates go for entrepreneurship. Harvard's MBA tuition fee is USD 78,700 for 9 months. The placement rate for the Class of 2024 is 84%.
Harvard's LLM is a one-year long course. 97% of the students in Harvard LLM course are international. The annual tuition fee for this course is USD 80,760 (Around INR 73.2 lakh) and the living expenses is around USD 41,040. For admission to this course, Indian students are required to submit resume, personal statement, previous studies transcripts, etc.
Harvard University Admissions
- Application fees :USD 75 - 250
- Type of deadline :Depends on course
| Type of documents | Applicable for |
|---|---|
| SOP | Needed for few courses |
| LOR | Needed for few courses |
| Essays | Needed for few courses |
| CV | Needed for few courses |
| Additional documents | Required |
Commonly asked questions On Admissions
Indian students who want to get into the LLM course at Harvard must meet the entry requirements-
- A J.D. (Juris Doctor) from an ABA-approved US law school or a first law degree (J.D., LLB or the equivalent) from a law school
- Usually, to study LLM from Harvard, no work experience or further study beyond law school is needed. However, the applicants with two or more years of work experience have a better sense of what they hope to accomplish during the LLM program
- TOEFL test score
Indian students who want to get Harvard's LLM should submit the following:
- Previous studies degrees (including Diplomas for all the degrees that have been received)
- Online application form
- CV / resume
- Personal statement
- TOEFL score
- Two LORs
- Financial aid application (if applicable)
- Application fee of USD 85
According to some of student reviews at an unofficial source, the following are the key points that Indian students have to keep in mind if they want to get into Harvard University:
- Focus on Academics: Try to ace your academics. Get good marks in the standardized tests (as required), school examinations, Olympiad tests, etc. In short, have a stellar academic record
- Extra-curriculars: Choose any activity as per hobbies and be the best. For instance, if you like debating, try to win some of the international debates, etc.
- Sports: If you can represent India abroad and manage to win, it will boost your Harvard University application considerably
For admission to the UG courses of Harvard Uni, as such no GPA has been mentioned. But since with an acceptance rate of 4% for Indian students, Harvard Uni is one of the most selective universities in the world, UG students should have a GPA of 4.0 - 4.2 in their Class 12. The PG course requirements may vary as per the course.
Harvard UniversityScholarships
Commonly asked questions On Scholarships
Approximately 50% of Harvard MBA students receive a need-based scholarship from HBS, with 10 per cent of the student body – those with the greatest financial need receiving full-tuition scholarships. The awards range from USD 2,500 – USD 76,000 per year (Around INR 2.17 Lacs – INR 66 lakh). Also, note that the annual need-based scholarship last year was USD 46,000 – USD 92,000 over two years (Around INR 40 Lacs – 80 lakh).
The Boustany MBA Harvard Scholarship is granted once every two years by Harvard Business School for a two-year course. As per this scholarship, the following will be done:
- Financial aid amounting to 75% of the tuition fees
- Accommodation and travel expenses related to the internship
Students who have an excellent academic background and show considerable promise are eligible for this scholarship.
Yes, Harvard University is a need-blind for international students. This means that students will not be disadvantaged in the UG admission process due to the financial need. Additionally, Harvard promises to meet 100% of the demonstrated need for the admitted students, including international. However, make sure to apply for financial aid as per the deadline. Then, complete the CSS profile, access the IDOC portal and submit the application for financial aid. The total Harvard University cost for the academic year 2025-26 for UG students is going to be around USD 90,426- USD 95,426 (Around INR 77.4 L - 82 L).
Around 50% of the students receive a need-based scholarship from Harvard Business School. The average scholarship for MBA awarded is approximately USD 100,000 for over 2 years. To apply for the financial aid for Harvard MBA, students are required to submit-
- The MBA financial aid application
- The Certificate of Finances form
- Any other supporting documents
- Income verification documentation from the previous 3 years
Harvard UniversityStudents Ratings & Reviews
- 100% students never faced discrimination in this university

Harvard University Placements 2026
Top Recruiters
Commonly asked questions On Placements
As per the details, the Harvard Business School placements packages is impressive. The median base salary was USD 184,500 or INR 1.69 Cr and a median signing bonus of USD 30,000 or INR 27.5 L. The top industries where the MBA Class of 2025 graduates have been hired are Consulting, Private Equity, Technology, Hedge Fund, etc.
For the Class of 2025, Harvard Uni placement rate for MBA graduates is around 90% (received a job offer three months after graduation). The graduates have landed job roles in Consulting, Technology, Venture Capital, and Private Equity industries. The median base salary of the MBA graduates of Harvard is USD 184,500 or Around INR 1.67 Cr.
The median base salary of Harvard MBA graduate is around USD 184,500 (Around INR 1.65 Cr). and the median signing bonus is USD 30,000. For the Class of 2025, the placement rate is 84% (received an offer). Some of the job functions on which the graduates of this university have been employed are Consulting, Business Development, Marketing, General Management, etc.
Yes, current F1 students can work part-time on campus for up to 20 hours per week at the time of classes. They can work full-time at the time of vacations. Some of the popular part-time jobs in the US are:
- Tour Guide
- Campus Tech Support
- Teaching Assistant
- Barista
- Campus Tech Support
Harvard UniversityStudent profile
Others
60%
Asian
19%
Hispanic
11%
Black
8%
Out of state
68%
Foreign
15%
In state
15%
24 and under
83%
25 and over
16%
UG Number of Applicant
Overall Graduation Rate
UG Enrollment
PG Enrollment
Harvard UniversityStudying in USA
Key Facts About USA
Insights on education, demographics & weather.Harvard University FAQs
Harvard University application requirements is the same for US residents as well as overseas applicants. So, to apply for Harvard University admissions, all the first-year candidates must complete the Common Application or the Coalition Application along with the required supplements. Harvard is unbiased and has no preference. Each application is treated equally by the Admissions Committee of Harvard University.
Harvard University accepts international applications through two application types: Restrictive Early Action or Regular Decision program. Once an applicant has applied for Harvard University admissions, it takes the university about 6 - 8 weeks to take a decision and notify the students. Listed below are the Harvard University decision dates for international students:
- Restrictive Early Action candidates will receive notification by Mid-Dec
- Regular Decision candidates will receive notification by the Mar-End
The range of scholarship amount offered at Harvard Uni is USD 46,000 every academic year. The criteria for Harvard MBA Scholarship is mentioned below:
- Excellent academic background;
- Scholarship can be offered to students of any nationality;
- Students can apply only after receiving an offer for the course.
It will also offer financial aid for up to 75% of the tuition fees and travel as well as housing expenses will be covered.
Harvard University provides students the opportunity to apply under either Restrictive Early Action or Regular Decision program, both of which allow the candidate to compare admission and financial aid offers from other institutions and to wait until the specific deadline to make a final college choice.
| Particulars | Final date to apply |
|---|---|
| Restrictive Early Action | Nov 1, 2025 |
| Regular Decision Program | Jan 1, 2026 |
Students can apply to Harvard using the Common Application or the Coalition Application.
Here are some of the requirements that students must meet to take admission to Harvard MBA:
- GPA requirements: On a the US 4.0 scale, the average GPA of the students admitted in the Harvard MBA course is 3.73.
- Letters of recommendation: Candidates must submit two very strong letters of recommendation within the deadlines as it is one of the most crucial factors for admissions.
- Statement of purpose: In order to connect with the admissions committee and stand out among all the deserving candidates, an essay/statement of purpose plays the deciding role.
- Proof of English language proficiency: Candidates who submit very high English proficiency exam scores stand a good chance to get enrolled in Harvard University.
- Resume/CV: It is an applicant's resume that makes them shine apart. Candidates must keep in mind that they need to be an all rounder to get into the university. Hence, activities outside also play a very important role.
- GMAT/GRE score: Harvard does not have a minimum GMAT/GRE score requirement. However, the average GMAT score submitted by the admitted applicants is in the range 500 - 790. Whereas, the average GRE score is around 163 each for median verbal and median quantitative.
- Work experience: On an average, the applicants who get admitted in MBA at Harvard have a work experience of 5 years.
Though the overall international student enrollment at Harvard in Fall 2025 was up, Indian student enrollment declined. The total number of international students enrolled at Harvard was 6,749. In Fall 2025, the number of Indian students enrolled was 545. In the Business School 110+ Indian students and in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences 100+ students were enrolled.
Harvard University
Student Forum
Answered 3 days ago
Harvard University does require an interview for MBA applicants. If you are shortlisted after your application has been evaluated you will be invited for a 30 min interview conducted by an MBA Admissions Board member.
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
No, while the University of Cambridge and Harvard University are two of the most well-known universities in the world, one is not equal to the other. Look at the inferences made below -
- As per US News, Harvard is ranked #1 in the global universities category and the University of Cambridge is at #5
P
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 3 days ago
To secure a seat in the MBA programme at Harvard Uni students will have to submit following docs mentioned below-
- Transcripts
- GRE/GMAT scores
- English proficiency proof
- Essays
- LORS
- Resume
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, Harvard can be considered one of the best in the world. Look at the pointers given below -
- As per the US World and News rankings in 2025, Harvard University is ranked #1 in the world. And this is the case for 3 years in a row now.
- In the National rankings category, Harvard is ranked #3. Also, Ha
M
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a week ago
Harvard University is undoubtedly in the top university in the world, with an Ivy League status.
As per QS World rankings, Harvard is ranked #5 in the year 2026, which is a decline from last year. Look at Harvard rankings given below -
- As per Harvard THE ranking, it ranked #5
- US World and News has ra
K
Contributor-Level 9
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