# Apply ### Application Deadline The application for Fall 2026 matriculation is now closed. The application for Fall 2027 matriculation will open in early Fall 2026 with an expected due date of December 1st, 2026. ### Apply Here Access the Harvard Griffin GSAS online application by clicking the red apply button on the right side of the [Harvard Griffin GSAS Admissions website](https://gsas.harvard.edu/apply). In addition to the information below, please review the [Completing Your Application](https://live-gsas-9.pantheonsite.io/apply/applying-degree-programs/completing-your-application) page prior to starting your application. ## Student Qualifications To qualify for admission, applicants must demonstrate strong enthusiasm and ability for the vigorous pursuit of scientific knowledge. Minimum requirements include a bachelor’s degree and undergraduate preparation in the sciences. Strong consideration is given to letters of recommendation, particularly to comments from individuals who have firsthand knowledge of the applicant’s research experience. *Harvard Griffin GSAS does not discriminate against applicants or students on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry or any other protected classification.* Open all sections Close all sections ### Program Selection expand\_more Students apply to a program and, once admitted, perform lab rotations during their first year in order to select a dissertation advisor. Student do not need to secure a dissertation advisor prior to applying. Most applicants apply to one program, and we strongly recommend this targeted approach. While prospective students are encouraged to carefully choose the program that best fits their academic goals, interested applicants may apply to up to three [HILS programs](https://gsas.harvard.edu/office/harvard-integrated-life-sciences) and pay an application fee for each application. Each application must be unique, containing a tailored statement of purpose and separate recommendations. ### How to Apply expand\_more For detailed information about the application, please visit the [GSAS Admissions website](https://gsas.harvard.edu/admissions/apply) and click on "Required Application Materials" and "Completing Your Online Application" half-way down the page. ### A complete application consists of: - Online application form - Application fee payment ($105) - Transcripts uploaded to the application - Letters of recommendation - Statement of purpose - Demonstration of English proficiency, where required ### Application Fees & Deadline The cost to apply online is $105.00 U.S. (subject to change) The online application fee must be paid by credit card, no other form of payment is accepted. Your application will not be processed unless payment is submitted and received. ### Graduate Record Examination (GRE) The GRE is not accepted. ### Demonstrate English Proficiency, Where Required Adequate command of spoken and written English is essential to success in graduate study at Harvard. Applicants who are non-native English speakers and who received their undergraduate degree from an academic institution where English is not the primary language of instruction must prove their English proficiency by earning either a minimum score of 100 on the Internet based test (iBT) of the [**Test of English as a Foreign Language**](https://www.ets.org/toefl.html) (TOEFL) or a minimum score of 7.0 on the [**International English Language Testing System**](https://www.ielts.org/) (IELTS) Academic test. Applicants who took tests more than two years ago must retake them. No test other than the iBT TOEFL or the IELTS Academic will be accepted as proof of English proficiency; a master’s degree is not accepted as proof of English proficiency. For those students planning to submit TOEFL scores, please arrange to have an official score report sent to the Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences using code 3451. If you have a copy of your Score Confirmation Report, you can upload it to your online application for consideration by the admissions committee. However, you will still need to ensure that [**Educational Testing Service**](https://www.ets.org/toefl.html) sends an official score report. For those students planning to submit IELTS scores, please note that we will only accept official IELTS Academic scores submitted electronically by the IELTS test center via the E-Delivery service. Scores from the IELTS General Training module are not accepted. At the time of test-taking, please specify Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences as a score recipient. We do not accept IELTS paper Test Report Forms, nor do we verify Test Report Forms (TRFs). Applicants unable to take the TOEFL IBT, IELTS or IELTS indicator exams may apply without these scores, and if programs recommend these applicants for admission, their admission will be provisional until they provide scores from one of the accepted tests that demonstrate the required level of English proficiency. ### Financial Aid Applicants to the HMS OGE PhD Programs should NOT­ complete the Statement of Financial Resources for Graduate Study. OGE PhD students receive full tuition and stipend support while they are enrolled. ### Letters of Recommendation We do not accept any paper letters of recommendation. Be sure to register your recommenders’ information in your application, as all recommendation letters must be submitted online. Paper letters of recommendation will NOT be included as part of your application. ### Fee Waiver expand\_more We are committed to ensuring that our application fee does not create a financial obstacle for prospective applicants. Application fee waivers are available to those for whom payment of the application fee would be financially challenging. A fee waiver can be requested in the "Applicant Fee" section of the application.