How to Apply

What are the application requirements for 2009-2010?

A completed application to a Doctoral or Master's program consists of the following:

• Online Application Form (this form will be available in late summer, 2008)
• $85 Application Fee – paid via credit card with the online application
• Statement of Purpose
• Three Letters of Recommendation (these must be submitted through the online application system)
• Resume
• Official Transcript(s) from each Postsecondary Institution Attended
• International Transcript Request Form (1.3MB pdf) for each institution outside the United States
• Standardized Test Score(s):
  • GRE (mandatory for all applicants)
  • TOEFL (if applicable)

Please note: Interviews are not a part of the admissions process at HGSE.

Please note that there is no downloadable or paper application form. You must submit all of your required documents online except for your academic transcripts. We prefer that you collect all of your academic transcripts (each individual transcript should be in a signed and sealed envelope) and place them together in one envelope before sending them to the Admissions Office.

When filling out the application, please enter your academic history as early as possible, so that we are able to match incoming transcripts to the schools you have entered. Once you have submitted your application, you will be able to view which transcripts the admissions office has received.

After you enter the contact information for your three recommenders on your application, we will send each of them an e-mail with instructions about logging onto our system. At that time, they will have the opportunity to fill out the Recommendation Form and upload a recommendation letter. Recommendations must be submitted online.

What information should be included in the Statement of Purpose?

In your statement, please discuss:

• Your background: how your experiences (education, work, volunteer, and/or personal) have prepared you for graduate study;
• Your objectives for graduate study: your career goals, possible faculty mentors, and (for doctoral students) initial research interests;
• Your decision to apply to HGSE: why you think there is a good fit between your objectives and our program;

Several programs have additional requirements. Please read the online application instructions for the specifics.

Your statement should be written by you alone and represent your original work. The statement should be no more than 1,500 words.

Where do I mail my transcripts?

When mailing your transcripts, please use one of the following addresses:

For doctoral applicants:

Doctoral Admissions
Harvard Graduate School of Education
114 Longfellow Hall
13 Appian Way
Cambridge, MA 02138

For all others:

Admissions
Harvard Graduate School of Education
116 Longfellow Hall
13 Appian Way
Cambridge, MA 02138

How do I reapply?

You are welcome to apply to HGSE up to three times. If you applied for admission for the 2008-2009 academic year and were not admitted, or you were admitted but did not register, you are eligible to reapply for the 2009-2010 academic year without resubmitting all supporting documents. In this case, your requirements are as follows:

• Application form
• Application fee
• New or updated Statement of Purpose
• Updated resume
• At least one new letter of recommendation, updated from a previous recommender or a new letter from a new referee

Please note that you need not resend your transcripts, unless new courses were taken or a new degree program was completed. You will not need to resubmit your GRE scores unless your score report is from a test administered before February 1, 2004. If applicable, you will not need to resubmit your TOEFL scores unless your score report is from a test administered before February 1, 2007.

If you applied for an academic year other than 2008-2009, you must resubmit all your supporting document when you reapply.

What if I have a problem with the online application process?

If you encounter a problem with the online application process, such as difficulty uploading a document, please contact technical support at +1 (800) 526-3313. If one of your recommenders encounters a problem, please ask your recommender to click on the "Need Help" link on the recommender form.