College Profiles/ Harvard University
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
Harvard University Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Cambridge, MA · 6,738 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to Harvard University for fall 2027, verified against the school’s own Common Data Set, cost of attendance and admissions pages, with ConnectPrep’s strategic read.
By Jeremy Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep
Updated October 11, 2026 · Data verified against official sources
✓ Every figure cited
Quick answer
Harvard University admitted 4.2% of 47,893 first-year applicants in the 2025-2026 Common Data Set.[1] The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $95,134.[2] First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $72,749.[1] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Restrictive Early Action Nov 1, Regular Decision Jan 1.[3]
4.2%
Overall admit rate[1]
33 to 35
Middle 50% ACT[1]
$95,134
Cost of attendance, 2026-2027[2]
$72,749
Average need-based grant[1]
$56.9B
Endowment, FY2025[4]
97.1%
Six-year graduation rate[1]
Harvard University at a Glance
- Location
- Cambridge, MA
- Type
- Private nonprofit
- Student to faculty ratio
- 11:1[1]
- Endowment
- $56.9 billion (FY2025)[4]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Required (SAT/ACT; AP, IB or national exams accepted in exceptional cases)[3]
- Application
- Common App, QuestBridge[3]
- First-year retention
- 98.0%[1]
The ConnectPrep Take on Harvard University
The ConnectPrep take
Harvard's process leaves very little room for a soft spot: 47,893 applicants, a 4.2% admit rate in the latest Common Data Set, and an average GPA of 4.22. The SAT or ACT is required again, with AP, IB, or national exams accepted only in exceptional cases. Restrictive Early Action on Nov 1 is nonbinding, and Harvard does not report early admit counts, so we treat REA as a question of readiness rather than odds. The middle 50% ACT is 33 to 35. We want students at 35, and a retake is worth it for anyone below 34. Harvard offers 51 concentrations and lists no caps on them. The usual mistake is an REA family that waits on the aid application. It should go in with the Nov 1 materials so aid news arrives with the mid-December decision.
What to do this fall
- Plan a fall retake if your student's ACT is below 34; a 35 sits at the 75th percentile.
- Submit the financial aid application with REA materials by Nov 1 so the aid estimate arrives in mid-December.
- Serious musicians should review the Harvard/NEC and Harvard/Berklee dual degree programs before finalizing the application.
- Remind the school counselor that supporting materials may come up to one week after the deadline, but not later.
Applying to Harvard University? Get a free strategy session. We map your student’s round, testing plan, essays and every scholarship deadline for this school.
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Harvard University Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
47,893 |
2,003 |
4.2% |
- Yield, the share of admitted students who enrolled, was 83.6%.[1]
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing[1] |
720 to 770 |
| SAT Math[1] |
730 to 790 |
| ACT composite[1] |
33 to 35 |
| Enrolled students who submitted the SAT[1] |
79% |
| Enrolled students who submitted the ACT[1] |
27% |
| Average high school GPA[1] |
4.22 |
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 770 in Reading and Writing and 790 in Math, the 75th percentile for each section here, or 35 on the ACT. A higher score is always better, and the test can be retaken. Not there yet? Take a free practice test and we will build the plan to close the gap.
What Harvard University looks for
In its own words: Harvard describes aid as completely need-based with no merit awards and says a family's financial need will never affect an applicant's chance of admission.[6]
Harvard University Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Restrictive Early Action |
Nov 1 |
mid-Dec |
| Regular Decision |
Jan 1 |
end of Mar |
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from Harvard University’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
| REA financial aid application |
Nov 1 (REA); Feb 1 (RD) |
REA applicants should submit the financial aid application with their REA materials so aid information arrives with mid-December decisions; RD aid applications are listed for Feb 1.[3] |
See how Harvard University compares with other colleges in the Northeast deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
Harvard University Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance (2026-2027)[2] |
$95,134 |
| Tuition[2] |
$62,226 |
| First-years awarded need-based aid[1] |
56.9% |
| Average need-based scholarship or grant[1] |
$72,749 |
| Average total financial aid package[1] |
$75,166 |
| Average share of need met[1] |
100.0% |
| Merit (non-need) awards to first-years[1] |
4 students, average $4,728 |
Total billed and unbilled costs range $95,134 to $100,134 (low end shown); billed costs $91,634 = tuition 62,226 + fees 6,216 + housing 14,250 + food 8,942; health insurance $4,954 extra unless waived.[2]
- For a family that qualifies for need-based aid, the average grant would bring the $95,134 cost of attendance down to roughly $22,385 before loans and work-study. This is a ConnectPrep calculation for illustration; your student’s number depends on your family’s finances, so run the school’s net price calculator.
- Harvard University states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need.[6]
- Aid packages are loan-free.[2]
- Families with annual incomes below $100,000 have an expected parent contribution of zero; for incomes up to $200,000, aid covers at least the full cost of tuition.[2]
- International students: Harvard states financial need "will never affect your chance of being admitted" and that international students are eligible for exactly the same aid as American students.[6]
What families actually pay: net price by income
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus the average grants and scholarships for first-year students receiving aid, by family income. It comes from federal data, which runs a year or two behind the school’s current cost figures.[7]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$8,697 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$2,991 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$2,091 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$9,941 |
| Over $110,000 |
$53,337 |
| All aided students |
$19,066 |
Academics and Majors at Harvard University
Most popular fields by share of bachelor’s degrees awarded[1]
- Social sciences27%
- Mathematics and statistics14%
- Biological/life sciences13%
- Computer and information sciences11%
- History7%
Signature programs
General Education program
Every student takes one course in each of four areas: Aesthetics and Culture; Ethics and Civics; Histories, Societies, Individuals; and Science and Technology in Society.[8]
Joint and special concentrations
Students can combine two fields into one integrated concentration with an interdisciplinary thesis, or petition to design their own.[9]
Dual degree music programs with NEC and Berklee
Combined programs pair a Harvard A.B. with conservatory study at the New England Conservatory or Berklee College of Music.[10]
Concurrent Master's Program
Students in select fields can apply in their fourth year to earn a master's degree alongside the A.B.[11]
Honors thesis and independent research
About half of students pursue an honors track, mostly through senior theses or research projects.[12]
Choosing a major and getting in
[5]
Special admission paths
- Harvard/NEC and Harvard/Berklee dual degree music programs.[10]
Harvard University Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[1] |
98.0% |
| Graduated within four years[1] |
61.5% |
| Graduated within six years[1] |
97.1% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[7] |
$101,817 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[7] |
$14,000 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[7] |
16% |
Make Harvard University a realistic goal
ConnectPrep builds the full plan: the right round, a score target and test schedule, essays that sound like your student, and every scholarship and program deadline on one calendar. Start with a free consultation or a free practice test.
Compare Similar Colleges
Harvard University FAQs
What is the Harvard University acceptance rate?
Harvard University admitted 4.2% of first-year applicants (2,003 of 47,893), according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
When are the Harvard University application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Restrictive Early Action Nov 1; Regular Decision Jan 1.
How much does Harvard University cost?
The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $95,134. First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $72,749. The school states it meets 100% of demonstrated need.
Is Harvard test optional?
No. Harvard requires the SAT or ACT to meet its standardized testing requirement, and it accepts other exams such as AP, IB, or national tests only in exceptional cases where the SAT or ACT is inaccessible. The middle 50% ACT among enrolled students is 33 to 35. We encourage students to treat the test as an opportunity and retake toward the 75th percentile.
Does Harvard give merit scholarships?
Harvard describes its aid as completely need-based with no merit awards. It meets 100% of demonstrated need without loans, and families with incomes below $100,000 have an expected parent contribution of zero. For incomes up to $200,000, aid covers at least the full cost of tuition. International students are eligible for exactly the same aid as American students.
About the author
Jeremy Fine
Jeremy Fine founded ConnectPrep in 2013 and brings more than 20 years of experience in education, spanning test preparation, college advising and academic program management. He holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA from the University of Pittsburgh.
ConnectPrep is based in Westport, Connecticut, and works with students from kindergarten through graduate school, in person and online. Meet the team.
This profile is an independent ConnectPrep resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Harvard University. Figures come from the sources listed above as published when checked in October 2026; the Common Data Set year is noted where used. Policies and costs change, so confirm with the school before applying.
