Harvard University Acceptance Rate 2024

One of the most popular Ivy League institutions, Harvard University is the oldest university in United States and is consistently ranked among the top 5 global universities. Students around the globe desire to study in this university. However, only a fraction of candidates secure an admission in Harvard University due to the extremely competitive nature of Harvard.

It is interesting to note that despite of being one of toughest universities to get into, Harvard University does not mandate proof of English language proficiency for students applying for bachelor’s courses.

Harvard University Acceptance Rate 2024

Harvard University boasts an inclusive community of students from all around the globe and diverse backgrounds. For the Class of 2027, Harvard received over 56,000 applications. However, only about 2,000 candidates got enrolled in the university for their higher education. Thus, it can be concluded that with the Harvard University acceptance rate of merely 3.4%, the university is extremely competitive to get into.

Harvard University Acceptance Rate for International Students

When it comes to the Harvard acceptance rate for international students, the statistic again stands at less than 4%, making it one of the toughest study-abroad universities to get into.

Harvard University international students count stands at nearly 4,000, which contributes about 15.4% to the total student population. When it comes to the geographical breakdown, a vast number of students of Harvard are from Middle Atlantic, South, New England, Pacific and more.

Harvard University Acceptance Rate Trends

For the class of 2026, the acceptance rate of Harvard University stood at 3.1%. Whereas, the following year observed a rise and now stands at 3.4% for the class of 2027. When it comes to the class of 2028 admissions, Harvard admitted only 692 out of 7,921 applicants through their Early Decision program. When compared to the previous year early decision acceptance rate of 7.6%, Harvard University acceptance rate for international students has observed a slight rise and stood at 8.7%.

On a usual basis, acceptance rate of Harvard is recorded between 3.0 - 3.5%. Refer to the table below for a comprehensive comparison between Harvard University acceptance rate over the last few years:

Harvard University Early Decision vs Regular Decision

Every year, Harvard University admits international students through Early Decision as well as Regular Decision. Usually, the university’s early decision acceptance rate is higher in comparison to regular decision acceptance rate. Early decision allows applicants to apply to a university earlier than regular decision.

For the class of 2028, Harvard University Early Decision acceptance rate witnessed a surge as compared to previous years and is recorded at 8.74%. As the university is still accepting applications for Regular Decision enrollment, it is yet to release the acceptance rate data for current year.

When we talk about the class of 2027, Harvard admitted 722 out of 9,553 candidates through early decision and 1,220 out of 47,384 applicants through the regular decision program. Thus, the early decision acceptance rate stood around 7.6%. Whereas, the regular decision acceptance rate was recorded to be merely 2.6%. Hence, it can be observed that securing an enrollment in Harvard through regular decision is much more competitive as compared to the early decision program.

Harvard University Requirements for International Students

Harvard University accepts international students based on their overall character and personality. Students must be all-rounder to secure admission to this prestigious Ivy League institution.

Harvard University Eligibility for Indian Students

• Undergraduate: Harvard University takes a holistic approach when it comes to admissions. Hence, academic accomplishment in high school is crucial for prospective undergraduate students of Harvard University. Apart from this, Harvard's admissions committee also considers other criteria such as community involvement, leadership and distinction in extra-curricular activities, character, personal qualities and more.
• Graduate: Harvard University's admission requirements for graduates comprise of 4-year undergraduate degree or equivalent, English language requirements, standardized test scores (SAT/ACT), GMAT/GRE scores, LORs, SOPs and more. Apart from the academic requirements, students should be an all-rounder outside of class.

Harvard University English Proficiency Requirements

For bachelor's courses, no English language exam scores are required from international students to secure admission to Harvard University.

However, students planning to pursue master's courses from Harvard do need to fulfil the language requirements and the minimum score requirements are listed below:

Harvard University Average GPA, SAT & ACT Scores

Harvard University is an extremely competitive university to get into and thus, students must be academically outstanding along with being all-rounder even outside class in order to secure an enrollment for their higher studies. To compete with other applicants, a candidate must obtain straight A’s in all their subjects.

When it comes to standardized test score requirements, the average SAT score submitted by Harvard applicants lies between 1490 – 1580. Whereas, the average ACT scores of the university’s applicants is around 34 – 36.

Tips to Get Selected at Harvard University

In order to secure an enrollment, the candidate must be an all-rounder as Harvard accepts students on the basis of their overall character and personality and takes a holistic approach when it comes to Harvard University admissions.

Apart from fulfilling the academic qualifications, some of the best practices that students can follow include acquiring strong letters of recommendations from their teachers/professors, participating in co-curricular activities and leaving a positive impact in the world outside classrooms.

In addition, the admissions committee of this Ivy League institution takes into account additional factors such as leadership and distinction in extracurricular activities, character, personal qualities, and involvement in the community.

Harvard University Acceptance Rate vs Oxford University Acceptance Rate

Oxford University acceptance rate stands at around 17%, which makes it an extremely competitive university to get into. However, with an acceptance rate of merely 3.4%, Harvard is considered to be much more selective in their admission criteria.

University of Oxford admissions are very selective in nature and students must be at the top of their class as well as exceptional in co-curricular activities in order to get admitted in the university.