Harvard Club of Australia Inc.

Applying To Harvard

This page helps Australians find the right pathway into Harvard, understand what is different about applying from Australia, and find scholarships, including those funded by the Harvard Club of Australia (HCA).

Please note: HCA is an alumni association. We are not part of Harvard's admissions process. We cannot advise on or influence applications, and we do not respond to admissions enquiries. Please direct all questions to the admissions office of the relevant Harvard school, linked below.

On this page: Choose your pathway | Applying to Harvard College | Scholarships | Graduate and professional schools | FAQ

1. Choose your pathway

Harvard is made up of an undergraduate college, twelve graduate and professional schools, and the Radcliffe Institute. Each admits students separately. Start by identifying which pathway fits you.

Pathway	Who it is for	Typical timing	Start here
Undergraduate degree (Harvard College)	Students in or recently finished Year 12, seeking a first bachelor's degree	Apply during Year 12. Restrictive Early Action closes 1 November (decision mid-December). Regular Decision closes 1 January (decision end of March).	Harvard College: International Applicants
Graduate and professional degrees	Graduates seeking a master's, doctorate or professional degree (e.g. MBA, LL.M., MPP, MD, PhD)	Deadlines vary by school and program, most between September and February for entry the following August or September	Graduate and professional schools directory
Executive and professional education	Working professionals and leaders seeking short, non-degree programs	Year-round. Programs run from a few days to several weeks, on campus or online.	School-by-school links and Harvard Professional & Executive Development
Online learning	Anyone wanting to study with Harvard from Australia without relocating, from single courses to certificates and part-time degrees	Year-round, with many self-paced options	Harvard Online, HBS Online, Harvard Extension School (online degrees and certificates)
Summer and visiting study	High school students (summer pre-college programs), university students and visiting students	Varies by program	Harvard Summer School, Visiting Undergraduate Students, GSAS Visiting Students

Harvard College does not admit students who already hold a bachelor's degree. If you have already enrolled at university after finishing school, see Harvard's transfer applicant guidance.

2. Applying to Harvard College from Australia

This section covers undergraduate admission to Harvard College. Harvard College's admissions and financial aid processes are the same for all applicants regardless of nationality; the differences for Australians are mainly about timing, testing and logistics.

Applying to a graduate or professional school? The schools have broadly similar requirements and generally follow a similar calendar, but each sets its own rules, tests and deadlines. Always read the admissions website of the school you are applying to; see the directory below.

Timing

Harvard College applications are due in November (Restrictive Early Action) or January (Regular Decision) of your Year 12 year, so most of the work happens alongside Year 12 study and exams.
Regular Decision results arrive at the end of March, after the Australian university year has started. If you plan to begin an Australian university course while waiting, check Harvard's first-year eligibility rules first.
The Harvard academic year starts in late August, so Australian students typically have a gap of around nine months between finishing Year 12 and starting at Harvard. Harvard publishes guidance on gap years.

Testing and academic credentials

Harvard College requires the SAT or ACT. Plan to sit one well before your application deadline; for Restrictive Early Action, Harvard asks for scores by the end of October.
In exceptional cases, where the SAT or ACT is genuinely not accessible, Harvard will consider alternatives such as IB actual or predicted scores, or externally assessed national leaving exam results or predictions. Harvard still expects applicants to sit the SAT or ACT if they reasonably can.
English proficiency tests (such as IELTS or TOEFL) are not required for first-year applicants and cannot replace the SAT or ACT.
Full details: Harvard College application requirements.

Cost and financial aid

At Harvard College, financial aid policies are the same for international and US applicants. Aid is based on financial need, Harvard meets each admitted student's demonstrated need, and applying for aid does not affect the admissions decision.
Estimate your costs with the Harvard College Net Price Calculator.
For graduate study, funding varies widely by school and is often limited for master's degrees, so external scholarships (see Scholarships below) are an important source of funding for Australians.

Interviews

Harvard College offers alumni interviews where possible, arranged by Harvard after you apply. Not every applicant can be interviewed, and the absence of an interview does not count against you. See What to expect after you apply.

Visas

All admitted international students, at Harvard College and the graduate schools, need a US student visa. For current requirements and updates, refer to the Harvard International Office.

3. Scholarships for Australians

Eligibility, award values and dates change from year to year. Always check the linked page for the current round. Some scholarships cannot be combined with others; check each scholarship's rules.

Scholarships funded by or with HCA

Scholarship	Who it is for	Harvard program
R.G. Menzies Scholarship to Harvard	Australians admitted to full-time graduate study at Harvard who intend to contribute to Australia. Awarded in partnership with the Australian National University.	Any Harvard graduate degree
Sir James Wolfensohn Public Service Scholarship	Senior Commonwealth, State and Territory public servants, nominated by their Department or Agency head	Harvard Kennedy School executive education
Ferris Family Fellowships	Chief executives of established Australian not-for-profit organisations	Harvard Business School, Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management
HCA Weiss Family Technology Scholarship	Founders of Australian-headquartered, high-growth technology companies	Harvard Business School executive education
Public Education Foundation HCA Education Scholarship	Principals of Australian government schools	Harvard Graduate School of Education professional education
Roberta Sykes Indigenous Education Scholarship	Government school principals with Indigenous heritage, or leading schools with a substantial proportion of Indigenous students	Harvard Graduate School of Education principals program
Principals Centre in Australia Scholarships	Principals of government primary and secondary schools	Harvard Graduate School of Education Principals Centre in Australia (held in Sydney)

HCA also funds fellowships for researchers and academics. See Scholarships & Fellowships for the full list.

Other scholarships open to Australians

Scholarship	Who it is for
Frank Knox Memorial Fellowships	Graduate study at Harvard for students from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom
John Monash Scholarships	Postgraduate study by Australians at leading universities worldwide, in any field
Fulbright Australia	Postgraduate, postdoctoral, professional and research exchanges to the United States
Harkness Fellowships in Health Care Policy and Practice	Mid-career health services researchers and practitioners, for up to 12 months in the United States (non-degree)
Rotary Scholarships	Club, district and Rotary Foundation scholarships for study abroad, including Rotary Peace Fellowships
Harvard Club of Victoria Non-Profit Fellowship	Chief executives of Victorian not-for-profit organisations, for Harvard Business School's Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management

Each Harvard school also offers its own financial aid. See the school admissions pages below.

4. Graduate and professional schools

Each school runs its own admissions and sets its own requirements and deadlines. Contact the school directly with questions.

School	Degree admissions	Professional and executive education
Harvard Business School Business	MBA Doctoral programs	HBS Executive Education
Harvard Kennedy School Public policy and government	Master's programs (MPP, MPA, MPA/ID, Mid-Career MPA) Doctoral programs	HKS Executive Education
Harvard Law School Law	J.D. LL.M. and S.J.D. (for those who already hold a law degree)	HLS Executive Education Program on Negotiation
Harvard Medical School Medicine and biomedical science	MD Master's programs PhD programs	Professional, Corporate and Continuing Education
Harvard School of Dental Medicine Dentistry	DMD, international dentists track and advanced graduate education	Continuing Education
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Public health	Master's and DrPH programs	Advanced Learning Academy (non-degree and executive education)
Harvard Graduate School of Education Education	Ed.M., Ed.L.D. and PhD	Professional Education
Harvard Graduate School of Design Architecture, landscape, urban planning, real estate	Degree admissions	GSD Executive Education
Harvard Divinity School Religion and theology	Degree admissions	Professional and Lifelong Learning
Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences and engineering	PhD and master's programs (including graduate engineering and applied sciences)	Visiting Students Program
Harvard Extension School Part-time and online study	Degree and certificate admissions	Harvard Professional & Executive Development
Harvard Radcliffe Institute Advanced study (not degree-granting)	Not applicable	Radcliffe Fellowship for established scholars, artists and professionals

For a full list of Harvard's degree programs, see Harvard degree programs.

5. Frequently asked questions

Can HCA review my application, help with essays or write a reference?

No. HCA is an alumni club and has no role in Harvard admissions. We cannot review applications, provide references or advise on your chances of admission.

Who should I contact with questions about applying?

The admissions office of the Harvard school you are applying to. HCA does not respond to admissions enquiries. Contact details are on each school's admissions page, linked in the directory above.

Is applying from Australia a disadvantage?

Harvard College states that it has no quotas or limits based on citizenship or the location of your school, and that all applicants are considered in the same pool.

Do I need the SAT or ACT for Harvard College?

Yes, in almost all cases. Alternatives are accepted only in exceptional circumstances where the SAT or ACT is genuinely not accessible. See Applying to Harvard College from Australia.

Can international students get financial aid?

At Harvard College, yes, on the same basis as US students. Graduate school aid varies by school. See Cost and financial aid.

When should I start preparing for Harvard College?

Start researching in Year 10 or 11, and plan to sit the SAT or ACT in time for your scores to be ready before your chosen deadline. Applications are submitted during Year 12.

How do I apply for an HCA scholarship?

Through the page for each scholarship, listed in Scholarships. Several are administered by partner organisations, and each page gives the current process and contact.

This page is a guide only. Harvard's policies, requirements and deadlines change; always confirm details with the relevant Harvard school. Last reviewed: October 2026.

Scholarships

There are a number of scholarships available for Australians to attend degree programs at Harvard

Click on each scholarship to learn more about it

Admissions Offices

Below are links to the Admissions Offices at Harvard