harvard university education master acceptance rate

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• Master's Programs in Education

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The Office of Admissions oversees the application process for prospective students interested in master’s and PhD programs . We answer questions about the online application and work with graduate program admissions committees, who make acceptance decisions.  

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Master of Public Health

Gain the intellectual foundation and specialized skills you need to lead change and make a difference in communities around the world.

The Harvard Chan School master of public health degree will provide you with the breadth of knowledge, subject-specific expertise, specialized skills, and powerful global network you need to forge the career you want in public health. Whether you are a medical doctor, an established public health professional, or new to the field of public health, flexible degree formats and an array of options for specific fields of study will provide you with the right mix of grounding in the core disciplines of public health and a specialized focus to meet your individual goals.

Harvard Chan School MPH graduates have achieved some remarkable things. They have led global efforts to eradicate diseases such as smallpox and Guinea worm disease. They have led departments at hospitals and health care agencies. They have become leaders of ministries of health, humanitarian organizations, corporations, academic institutions, and government agencies. They have developed life-saving vaccines. They have served as surgeons, primary care physicians, and veterinarians. They have become best-selling authors. And they have even become heads of state.

The master of public health degree opens an extraordinary number of pathways to a meaningful career. Which one will you choose?

The Curriculum: Intellectual Breadth + Career Specialization

The innovative MPH curriculum—the culmination of a multi-year planning process at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health—is designed to open clear paths to action-oriented professional careers. The new curriculum aims to instill “T-shaped” competencies, providing deep knowledge in an area of specialty (the vertical bar of the “T”) coupled with the breadth of knowledge (top horizontal bar) needed to work effectively across many disciplines and fields of inquiry.

As a Harvard Chan MPH student, you will enjoy unique educational experiences both in and out of the classroom. You will build skills not just in analytical and quantitative methods, but also in problem solving and the application of public health training in real-world situations. And you will work with a remarkable group of peers from around the globe, and with faculty members who are global leaders in their fields.

Learn more about the MPH-45 curriculum and the MPH-65 curriculum .

The Format: Flexibility That Fits Your Experience, Your Life, and Your Goals

The School offers two variants of the MPH degree designed to fit the needs of students with different educational goals and varying levels of professional experience and prior education:

• The MPH in epidemiology is a hybrid online/on-campus program completed part-time over two years.
• The MPH generalist is a fully online program completed part-time over two years.
• The clinical effectiveness field of study offers a summer-focused option in addition to the full- and part-time options.
• Most fields of study offer part-time options completed over two years to some students.
• The 65-credit MPH (MPH-65) is for individuals with a bachelor’s degree and a minimum of two years of contiguous full-time work experience in an area relevant to public health by the time of matriculation. While internships and work experience obtained during your undergraduate degree program are valuable, these do not count towards the required two or more years of contiguous full-time work experience. You can complete this full-time program in three semesters with a summer practicum experience between the second and third semesters. Part-time options are available to some students.

Our Community: Committed, Accomplished, Collaborative

As a Harvard Chan MPH student, you will work in a collaborative classroom environment alongside talented students from around the world and from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds. You will take advantage of the extraordinary resources of Harvard University and Boston’s Longwood Medical Area—home to Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and other world-class health facilities. You will meet global leaders and work with world-renowned faculty members. And when you graduate, you will benefit from Harvard’s unparalleled global network of alumni leaders.

Fields of Study

When applying to the MPH-45 or MPH-65, you must choose one of the following specialized fields of study. Eligibility requirements vary by program format and field of study.

MPH-45 Fields of Study

• Clinical Effectiveness (CLE 45-credit academic year and summer-focused options)
• Epidemiology – Online / On-Campus (EPI 45-credit)
• Generalist – Online (GEN 45-credit)
• Global Health (GH 45-credit)
• Health and Social Behavior (HSB 45-credit)
• Health Management (HM 45-credit)
• Health Policy (HP 45-credit)
• Occupational and Environmental Health (OEH 45-credit)
• Quantitative Methods (QM 45-credit)

MPH-65 Fields of Study

• Health and Social Behavior (HSB 65-credit)
• Health Management (HM 65-credit)
• Health Policy (HP 65-credit)
• Nutrition (NUT 65-credit)

Learn more about the MPH fields of study.

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Harvard Graduate School of Education’s rankings

The harvard graduate school of education (hgse) is the education school of harvard university. it is now the nation’s best education school according to us news and world report . learn more about the reasons behind harvard graduate school of education’s stellar reputation., table of contents, hgse – preparing education leaders, researchers, and innovators, harvard graduate school of education – legacy, harvard graduate schools of education rankings, why harvard graduate school of education has high rankings, usable knowledge – relevant research for today’s educators, what is the harvard graduate school of education acceptance rate, harvard graduate school of education – esteemed alumni , why is harvard graduate school of education better than the average, key takeaways.

The Harvard Graduate School of Education is a career-oriented professional school that engages the field to put innovative concepts into practice in order to enhance opportunities and outcomes for all learners. Everything at HGSE is based on the conviction that education is the most important issue of our time and that practice and policy in education that is based on research may lead to a society that is more just and prosperous.

HGSE teachers, students, and alum engage in groundbreaking research in a wide range of areas, including early childhood education, international education policy, organizational leadership, and learning design. They also use evidence-based techniques to help students, schools, organizations, and systems support educational growth.

The Harvard Graduate School of Education has been training talented, driven people to become transformative leaders in education for more than a century. Established in 1920, the Harvard Graduate School of Education is a world-class community of faculty, students, and alumni committed to enhancing lives and enhancing possibilities through the thorough study and successful application of education. Through master’s, doctoral, and professional education programs, HGSE develops creative leaders and entrepreneurs, investigates the most crucial issues in education, and disseminates fascinating concepts and cutting-edge methods around the globe.

Harvard’s graduate school of education is first among all graduate schools of education in the United States according to US News and World Report. Their performance across numerous generally recognized metrics of quality was taken into account while ranking the graduate schools of education at Harvard. The school comes in third place, according to Times Higher Education.

The Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), a graduate division of Harvard University, is one of the best schools of education in the US.

The goal of the HGSE is to provide knowledge and nurture leaders in education in order to support student opportunity, accomplishment, and success. To accomplish this goal, it functions at the nexus of practice, policy, and research. The Harvard Education Publishing Group, whose imprint is the Harvard Education Press, is the source of the Harvard Educational Review.

HGSE is a professional school with an emphasis on the social effect that strives to enhance opportunities and results for all students by collaborating with the industry to implement innovative concepts. For almost a century, HGSE has trained gifted, driven people to lead educational transformation.

The Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Usable Knowledge online resource offers educators, legislators, members of the media, NGO executives, business owners, and parents access to the latest research and best practices in education.

Useful knowledge is highly valued at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, regardless of whether students plan to teach, create policies, or do research. In just one year, students can earn a master’s degree in one of 13 specialties, such as international education policy and mind, brain, and education. Although doctoral programs typically span three years, Massachusetts winters can be avoided by enrolling in a semester or two of coursework at the University of California—Berkeley Graduate School of Education.

The school runs initiatives aimed at assisting the nation’s failing schools, including the Change Leadership Group and WIDE World, which look at ways to reform systems at the district and school levels. There is no tuition for the Doctor of Education Leadership program, which prepares graduate students to lead transformation. Students looking for extracurricular activities can participate in initiatives like Project Zero, a research project on how art affects learning or work at centers for scientific inquiry like the Center on the Developing Child.

Harvard Graduate School of Education’s acceptance rate is relatively low at 4.7. You must have heard that the schools are very competitive, meaning that only a small fraction of the applicants are accepted yearly. For the class of 2022 (those admitted back in 2018), the acceptance rate was 5.7%. Over 43,000 applications were sent for the 2019-2020 schooling year, and just slightly over 2000 got accepted.

Alumni of HGSE include entrepreneurs like Twitter co-founder Dom Sagolla, educators like Mount Holyoke College President Joanne V. Creighton, and government officials like Tom Payzant, the former U.S. Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.

Here are some other prominent alums of HGSE

• Andrew McCollum, co-founder of Facebook; angel investor
• James McGreevey, former New Jersey state governor
• Martha Minow, dean, Harvard Law School
• Dianne Morales (born 1967), non-profit executive and political candidate
• Anne Sweeney, president, Disney-ABC Television Group
• Carl Gershman, president of the National Endowment for Democracy
• Denise Juneau, superintendent of Seattle Public Schools; former Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction
• Elizabeth Dole, former United States Senator from North Carolina and wife of Bob Dole
• Geoffrey Canada, founder, Harlem Children’s Zone
• Lorna Hodgkinson, Australian educator; first woman to receive an Ed.D. from HGSE
• Nínive Clements Calegari, CEO of 826 National and founding executive director of 826 Valencia
• Sandra Sucher, business executive; professor, Harvard Business School
• William E. Trueheart, president of Bryant University, nonprofit CEO
• Joan Wexler, dean and president of Brooklyn Law School

• The Harvard Graduate School of Education, a professional institution with an emphasis on careers, works with business to advance innovative ideas to improve opportunities and results for all students.
• According to US News and World Report, it is currently the finest educational institution in the country.
• The competitive acceptance 4.7 rate is one of the reasons why the ranking of the Harvard Graduate School of Education is so high.

We hope this blog was informative. If so, please share your views in the comments below. Click here to reach out to us for more information. We would be happy to assist you with your queries.

Liked this blog? Read next: All about Bocconi University fees and more!

Q1. Does HGSE provide evening classes?

Ans. The majority of courses at HGSE are available throughout the day, so there are no evening classes.

Q2. May I apply to HGSE as a part-time student?

Ans. A limited number of master’s students are admitted to HGSE on a part-time basis. Applicants must provide a brief statement in the Program Information area of the online application explaining why they want to study part-time.

Q3. Is the GRE part of the application process?

Ans. The GRE is not a requisite for Ed.M. applicants for the 2022-2023 school year. GRE or GMAT scores are required for Ed.L.D. applicants.

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Harvard master’s in education acceptance rate

One of the oldest & greatest universities, Harvard University is situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. An Ivy League school, Harvard University is one of the most renowned universities in the world.

In addition to being old, it has a low admittance rate because of the high caliber and variety of programs it offers.

Some of the most well-liked courses at Harvard are offered by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), which is the university’s largest graduate school.

The Ranking of Harvard University

The acceptance rate at Harvard university

Harvard’s current admission rate for 2021-2022 is 4.7% . It is among the most difficult institutions in the United States, with a notably difficult enrolment process, prerequisites, and extracurriculars. 

The Harvard University admissions office selects the best and most deserving individuals by evaluating each candidate in many categories such as academics, volunteerism, extracurricular activities, statement of purpose , and letter of reference.

To get admitted to the university, students need to focus on their applications and distinguish themselves.

The postgraduate acceptance rate at Harvard university

Harvard University has about 22,000 students, 15,250 registered in professional and graduate study programs. Harvard is a stiff competitor for P.HD and other business qualifications, with an acceptance rate of 3.1 %. 

Every year, over 5% of overseas students enroll in postgraduate programs. Before getting into the Harvard admission rate, understanding the eligibility conditions is essential. A student must complete specific prerequisites to register for any course at Harvard.

• It is required that they meet their GPA criteria and take the SAT/ACT. These results reflect the prospective student’s academic potential.
• A minimum of 80% in the 12th board test is required for a student to gain a strategic advantage in undergraduate courses.
• A letter of recommendation (LOR) and a statement of purpose (SOP) are also significant in the application’s consideration.
• To prove their command of the language, international students must pass an English proficiency test, such as the standardized IELTS, TOEFL, and others.
• Harvard wants students to be at the top of their Class with a GPA of 4.18. Furthermore, students should take online programs – AP or IB courses – to demonstrate that school-level scholastics is simple.
• If the overall GPA is at or below the school average of 4.18, individuals will need to improve their SAT or ACT scores. It will help them compete effectively against other candidates with greater GPAs than you

As per the last admitted class of 2026 at Harvard University, admission count details are as follows:

1. number of students.

Applicants – 61,221

Admitted – 1,984

Admitted from the waiting list – 36

2. Geographical breakdown

New England – 16.6%

Middle Atlantic – 22.3%

South – 17.8%

Midwest – 9.8%

Central – 2.0%

Mountain – 3.2%

Pacific -13.4%

Territories – 0.2%

International – 14.8%

3. Popular specialization subjects

The acceptance rate at harvard in 2022.

Harvard, which is already regarded as one of the most demanding colleges in the world, has become much more selective in recent years. In a typical summer semester, Harvard accepts around 5% of candidates.

Because of the changing global climate and the elimination of the SAT/ACT, Harvard attracted 61,220 applications for the Class of 2026. (compared with 57,435 for the Class of 2025). The record-low acceptance rate for the Class of 2026 fell to 3.1% or 1,965 accepted students.

All through history, Harvard’s admittance rate has progressively declined. The admission percentage for the Class of 2001 was 12.3% in 1997.

Only a decade later, in 2007, the Class of 2011 admission rate had dropped to 9%. After a decade, in 2017, the admission rate for the Class of 2021 dropped to 5.2%.

Tips for your child to beat the low acceptance rate at Harvard

• Harvard candidates must be among the highest level of their class and have a certain GPA in order to get admitted. Students with GPAs ranging from 4.0 to 4.18 have the highest probability of acceptance.
• Harvard University requires a minimum SAT score of 1460, with students commonly obtaining between 1460 and 1580.
• A composite ACT score of at least 33 is required for admission to Harvard University. Admitted students normally score between 33 and 35.
• Applicants must be fluent in English and be able to communicate themselves properly.

Harvard University students have an average GRE score of 155-166 in verbal and 155-170 in quantitative. The MBA program at Harvard University is the university’s flagship curriculum.

To be considered, candidates must have an average GMAT score of 730. To be considered for admission to Harvard, Indian candidates must have a GMAT score of 700 or above.

Harvard is looking for students who will add value to the campus community and who are unique and diverse. They seek out driven individuals who will excel in any field they choose.

They want students to enthusiastically represent Harvard around the world in addition to improving it as a university.

Consult an expert advisor to get the right plan

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Graduate Student Data

Graduate enrollment (fall 2023).

• Terminal Masters: 286
• PhD:  514

BY DEGREE & DEGREE AREA

• Applied Mathematics: 38 Ph.D.s
• Applied Physics: 114 Ph.D.s
• Computational Science and Engineering: 61 Masters
• Computer Science: 155 Ph.D.s
• Data Science: 109 Masters
• Design Engineering: 58 Masters
• Engineering Sciences: 207 Ph.D.s
• MS/MBA: Engineering Sciences: 58 Masters

BY GENDER (ALL DEGREES)

Degree Completion

• Median years to complete degree: 6
• Percent of PhD graduates who graduate within 8 years: 96%

Graduate Admissions Data (Fall 2023)

For the class of graduate students entering in Fall 2023, SEAS received nearly 6,000 applications across all PhD and masters programs; over 200 graduate students enrolled in Fall 2023. For enrolled students across all PhD and masters programs, the average undergraduate GPA was ~3.8 (on a 4.0 scale).  Due to the interdisciplinary nature of SEAS, students come with a variety of undergraduate majors. Common undergraduate majors include computer science, engineering (examples: mechanical, bio, electrical, and chemical), mathematics, physics, and chemistry.

Master in Public Administration in International Development

Join the next generation of global development leaders in this two-year, economics-centered program

Key Program Information

Program Length: Two years (varies for students pursuing joint or concurrent degrees)

Degree Awarded: Master in Public Administration in International Development

Admission Application Deadline: December 3, 2024 at 11:59 a.m. ET

Financial Aid Application Deadline: January 2025

Contact the MPA/ID Program

79 John F. Kennedy Street Rubenstein Building, Rooms 122, 124, and 126 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138

Be a leader in global development

The Master in Public Administration in International Development Program combines rigorous training in economics and quantitative methods with an emphasis on policy and practice.

The Master in Public Administration in International Development (MPA/ID) Program offers unparalleled training for a professional career in development. The mix of theoretical rigor with practical approaches has proven to be a powerful combination. Our graduates hold influential policy, advocacy, and management positions at international organizations, national governments, non-governmental organizations, and private sector companies.

The right fit

The MPA/ID Program may be the right fit for you if you:

• Demonstrate commitment to solving the economic, social, or political problems facing low-income communities, regions, or nations 
• Work in the development field, whether in government, nonprofits, central or regional banks, international development institutions, research organizations, or the private sector
• Want to deepen and broaden your understanding of development problems and acquire the analytical tools and global perspectives to design and implement effective solutions

“The MPA/ID Program expanded my perspectives and equipped me with a set of analytical tools to make the impact I seek to have in the world.” — Jiawen Tang MPA/ID 2021

Information sessions and events

About the mpa/id program, training for development practitioners.

The MPA/ID Program is a rigorous, economics-centered program designed to train the next generation of practitioners and leaders in the field of global development.

Within a multidisciplinary core curriculum,  you will take advanced economics and quantitative methods sequences  with an emphasis on key policy applications to development. You will also complete core courses in economic development, politics, political philosophy, and management—integrated with the theory and practice of development.

In your second year, you’ll choose from elective options at HKS, at the other graduate schools at Harvard—such as  Business ,  Design ,  Education ,  Law , and  Public Health  as well as the  Faculty of Arts and Sciences —and at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Core Curriculum

• Advanced Microeconomic Analysis I: Supply, Demand, and Equilibrium ( API-109 )
• Advanced Microeconomic Analysis II: Game Theory and Information Economics ( API-110 )
• Advanced Macroeconomics for the Open Economy I ( API-119 )
• Advanced Macroeconomics for the Open Economy II ( API-120 ) 
• Advanced Quantitative Methods I: Description and Prediction ( API-209 )
• Advanced Quantitative Methods II: Causal Inference ( API-210 )
• Economic Development: Theory and Evidence ( DEV-101 )
• Economic Development: Using Analytic Frameworks for Smart Policy Design ( DEV-102 )
• Applications and Cases in International Development ( DEV-401 )
• The Politics of Development: Power, Institutions, and Prosperity ( DPI-410 )
• Political Philosophy for Development ( DPI-411 )
• Getting Things Done: Management and Implementation for Development ( MLD-102 )
• Second Year Policy Analysis Seminar ( DEV-250 )

You will gain professional expertise through the case workshop and speaker series, a required summer internship , and an integrative capstone paper .

Second Year Policy Analysis : Using Your Toolkit 

The Second Year Policy Analysis (SYPA) serves as the capstone experience for the MPA/ID Program. You will choose a current development issue of interest to you; select your faculty advisor; and draw on the tools of economics, management, and political analysis to define the problem, analyze the evidence, develop alternatives, and provide specific policy recommendations for a concrete development problem.

Summer Internships : Out of the classroom, into the field

During the summer between your first and second year, you will engage in a development project, typically in a low- to middle-income country other than your own. This field experience allows you to apply the skills you’ve acquired during your first year and explore a new organization, substantive area of interest, or part of the world.

STEM Eligibility

The MPA/ID Program is a designated STEM-eligible program (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Students with F-1 visas may apply to work in the United States for two additional years  beyond the standard 12-month Optional Practical Training (OPT)  following graduation.

Degree Requirements

The MPA/ID Program consists of four semesters of full-time coursework in residence at HKS. The coursework includes the core curriculum, a minimum of six electives (24 credits), a development-related internship, and the Second-Year Policy Analysis.

To graduate, you must:

• Matriculate as a full-time, in-residence student and take 12-24 credits per semester
• Earn at least 76 credits, which must include the required courses, SYPA, and electives
• Finish with a GPA of B or better
• Earn a B- or higher in all required MPA/ID courses

Combined Degrees

You might consider  pursuing a second degree jointly or concurrently  if you’re interested in how the world’s challenges can be addressed at the intersection of international development and business, law, medicine, design, or other fields.

Pursuing a joint or concurrent degree reduces coursework and residency requirements and makes it possible to earn two degrees in a shorter amount of time.

Joint Degrees

As an MPA/ID student, you can pursue a  joint degree —either an MBA at  Harvard Business School  or a JD at  Harvard Law School —that involves carefully crafted and integrated coursework.

Concurrent Degrees

You can pursue a concurrent degree in business, law, medicine, design, or another field—as long as it is:

• A professional degree (for example, an MBA, MD, or JD; not a PhD or an academic master’s degree)
• At least a two-year program
• Completed at a partner school

The concurrent degree program allows you to pursue degrees at HKS and at a partner school; however, the coursework is not as closely integrated as the joint degree program. As a concurrent degree student, you are responsible for weaving together the two halves of your learning experience.

Faculty & Research

Where ideas meet practice.

Our faculty members are changing the ways in which poverty and underdevelopment are analyzed and approached.

MPA/ID faculty members are scholars  and  practitioners working with governments, international organizations, and NGOs. They are  diagnosing economic woes and helping develop cures , bringing  real-world development and political experience  to bear on complex challenges, and helping people  escape poverty  by understanding what hinders development progress.

MPA/ID Faculty Research

Don’t Fret About Green Subsidies

In this Project Syndicate article, Professor Dani Rodrik argues, “Governments should stop decrying each others’ green industrial policies as norm violations or dangerous transgressions of international rules. The moral, environmental, and economic arguments all favor those who subsidize their green industries, not those who want to tax others’ production.”

Looking at the world through a wider lens

The thread running through Professor of Public Policy Eliana La Ferrara’s work is an unwillingness to limit herself to traditional microeconomic models.

Diagnosing economic woes and helping develop cures

Professor Ricardo Hausmann’s Growth Lab is training students and practitioners to develop prescriptions for economic growth.

Bringing real-world experience to bear

Juan Jimenez MPA/ID 2010 has returned to HKS to share valuable wisdom gained from high-level development policy positions in the government of the Dominican Republic.

MPA/ID Core Faculty Members

Dani Rodrik

MPA/ID Faculty Co-Chair; Ford Foundation Professor of International Political Economy

Eliana La Ferrara

MPA/ID Faculty Co-Chair; Professor of Public Policy

Matthew Andrews

Edward S. Mason Senior Lecturer in International Development

Arthur Applbaum

Adams Professor of Political Leadership and Democratic Values

Luis Armona

Assistant Professor of Public Policy

Jeffrey Frankel

James W. Harpel Professor of Capital Formation and Growth

Michael Gechter

Visiting Assistant Professor of Public Policy

Jeffrey Cheah Professor of South-East Asia Studies

Ricardo Hausmann

Rafik Hariri Professor of the Practice of International Political Economy

Anders Jensen

Associate Professor of Public Policy

Juan Jimenez

Lecturer in Public Policy

Asim Khwaja

Director, Center for International Development;  Sumitomo-FASID Professor of International Finance and Development

Senior Lecturer in Public Policy

Celestin Monga

Adjunct Professor of Public Policy

Gautam Nair

Carmen Reinhart

Minos A. Zombanakis Professor of the International Financial System

Federico Sturzenegger

Our alumni do development differently

Around the world, MPA/ID graduates are in pivotal roles, leading development.

Inside governments and traditional development organizations, and outside the box in startups and social enterprises, MPA/IDs are changing the way development is done.

Our graduates hold influential policy and management positions in a wide range of international organizations, national governments, central and regional banks, nonprofit and research organizations, and private sector companies. 

Where do MPA/ID graduates work?

Learn more about how MPA/ID alumni are shaping development.

Dalia Al Kadi MPA/ID 2011

Dalia Al Kadi MPA/ID 2011 is a Senior Economist in the Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment Global Practice at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining the World Bank, Dalia worked as a Project Manager at the Abu Dhabi General Secretariat of the Executive Council.

Abdulhamid Haidar MPA/ID 2021

Abdulhamid Haidar MPA/ID 2021 is the founder of  Darsel , a non-profit aimed at bridging the digital divide. In Haidar’s words, “The [MPA/ID] curriculum, faculty, and incredible student community all played an integral role in Darsel’s development and its positive impact on education in developing countries.”

Katherine Koh MPA/ID-MBA 2008

Katherine Koh MPA/ID-MBA 2008 is the Principal Investment Officer and Global Climate Lead for Infrastructure at the International Finance Corporation (IFC).  In  Putting Climate at the Heart of IFC Infrastructure Business , she describes “the transition to a low-carbon and resilient global economy—and the need for climate-smart infrastructure solutions—(as) among the most urgent and important issues of our time.”

Johannes Lohmann MPA/ID 2017

Johannes Lohmann MPA/ID 2017 is an Executive Director at Pollination.  Johannes advises a range of public and private sector clients on their transition to net zero, and on decarbonization and nature positive strategies. Previously, Johannes worked as Head of Work and Financial Behaviour at the Behavioural Insights Team, advising public and private sector partners on topics such as green jobs and sustainable pensions.

He “Charlie” Tian MPA/ID 2015

He “Charlie” Tian MPA/ID 2015 is a Senior Professional/Project Team Leader at New Development Bank in the Project Sector Department. He joined the New Development Bank a few weeks after its establishment in 2015. Since then, he has worked on projects in renewable energy, green transportation, and social infrastructure, totaling $5 billion of the Bank’s investments.

MPA/ID at a glance

*Statistics are based on a five-year average.

Featured MPA/ID stories

A mission to develop equality.

Economist Ganchimeg Ganpurev MPA/ID 2021 was moved to shift her focus by the startling inequality she saw in her homeland.

Complementing economics with soft skills

Isidro Guardarucci MPA/ID 2018 adds soft skills to his economics toolkit.

Delving deeper into development

A desire for more grounding in economic theory led Zainab Raji MPA/ID 2022 to  the HKS/HBS joint degree program.

“Every day is an opportunity to weave together economic theory and development practice using the insights from my professors and classmates’ own professional and personal experiences.”

Miguel ventura mpa/id 2024 (philippines), applying to the mpa/id program, what we look for, career focus.

Most students admitted to the MPA/ID Program have at least two years of development-related work experience in government, nonprofits, central or regional banks, international development institutions, research organizations, or private businesses. Usually at least some of the work has been in developing countries.

Quantitative Analysis

We also look for applicants who are interested in applying quantitative analysis and economics to development policy design.

Prerequisites

To apply to the MPA/ID Program, y ou must have:

• A bachelor’s degree with a solid academic record, including strong grades in economics and mathematics courses
• Completion of at least one university-level course each in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and calculus through multivariable calculus (usually part of a three-course college sequence). Applicants may satisfy some of these prerequisites after submitting an application as long as they are completed before the program starts. Statistics and linear algebra courses are desirable, but not required. 

How to Apply

A complete application to the MPA/ID Program includes: 

• Online application
• Three letters of recommendation
• GRE or GMAT required; in general, you are most competitive for admission if your quantitative section score is 160 or above on the GRE, or 48 or above on the GMAT.
• Non-native English speakers who did not earn an undergraduate degree conducted in English must submit TOEFL, IELTS, or Cambridge English exam results. We recommend an overall TOEFL score of at least 100 on the iBT or an overall band score of 7 on the IELTS.
• Academic transcripts
• $100 application fee or waiver

Read more about how to apply .

The application for the 2025-2026 academic year is now available. All applications and required materials must be submitted by Tuesday, December 3, 2024 at 11:59 a.m. ET.  There is one admission application deadline and one start date for each degree program per year. You may apply to only one master’s degree program per admissions cycle. 

Tuition & Fees

The cost of attendance for the 2024-2025 academic year is outlined in  Funding Your Master’s Education  to help you plan financially for our master’s degree programs. Living expense costs are based on residence in Cambridge. The 2025-2026 academic year rates will be published in March 2025. HKS tuition and fees are subject to change without notice. 

Financing your education is a partnership—we are here to help guide you. You are strongly encouraged to explore all funding opportunities .

Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program

The MPA/ID Program is a  participating program  of the  Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program  (JJ/WBGSP). The scholarship provides tuition, a monthly living stipend, round-trip airfare, health insurance, and travel allowance. The JJ/WBGSP is open to citizens of certain  developing countries  with relevant professional experience and a history of supporting their countries’ development efforts.

Learn more about the HKS community

Center for international development (cid).

CID is the intellectual home of MPA/ID students and faculty members. It seeks to advance the understanding of development challenges and offer viable solutions to problems of global poverty.  Learn more from its director, Professor Asim Khwaja , and read about the work and perspectives of those in the CID community.

Student Life

Student stories, admissions & financial aid blog.

Harvard University: Statistics

Updated: February 29, 2024

Quick Review

Harvard university acceptance rate and admissions statistics.

Harvard University has an acceptance rate of 3% and is among the top 1% of the most difficult universities to gain admission to in the United States. The university reports the admission statistics without distinguishing between local and international students.

1,962 students enrolled in some distance education courses.

6,923 enrolled exclusively in distance education.

Among admitted applicants 903 or 55% submitted SAT

25% of them had 1490 or below

75% of them had 1580 or below

Typical SAT scores of first-years in Harvard University are 1490-1580 (middle 50% range).

Among admitted applicants 466 or 28% submitted ACT

25% of them had 34 or below

75% of them had 36 or below

Typical ACT scores of first-years in Harvard University are 34-36 (middle 50% range).

Admissions requirements

Enrollment demographics by race or ethnicity

Costs per year: Tuition, Housing, Fees

The average net cost to attend Harvard University is $19,491 per year, calculated as the sum of the average cost of tuition, room and board, books, and supplies, reduced by the amount of average financial aid received.

The final cost of attendance varies for each student based on household income, residency, program, and other factors.

Average costs by household income

Tuition and fees

Room and board costs

Harvard University majors

Harvard University has granted 1,697 bachelor's degrees across 47 programs, 5,791 master's across 104 programs, and 1,596 doctorate degrees across 79 programs. Below is a table with majors that lead to degrees at Harvard University.

Harvard University has a graduation rate of 98%, which is among the 2% highest for universities in the US.

Publications & Citations

Harvard University is a world-class research university with 578,922 scientific papers published and 33,603,915 citations received. The research profile covers a range of fields, including Medicine, Biology, Chemistry, Genetics, Biochemistry, Computer Science, Pathology, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, Psychology, and Engineering.

Publication / Citation count by topic

Annual publication & citation counts

Harvard University alumni

Barack Obama

Barack Hussein Obama II is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African-American president in U.S. history. Obama previously served as a U.S. senator representing Illinois from 2005 to 2008, as an Illinois state senator from 1997 to 2004, and as a civil rights lawyer and university lecturer.

John F. Kennedy

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, often referred to as JFK or Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the youngest person elected president. Kennedy served at the height of the Cold War, and the majority of his foreign policy concerned relations with the Soviet Union and Cuba. A Democrat, Kennedy represented Massachusetts in both houses of the U.S. Congress prior to his presidency.

William Henry Gates III is an American businessman, investor, philanthropist, and writer best known for co-founding the software giant Microsoft, along with his childhood friend Paul Allen. During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions of chairman, chief executive officer (CEO), president, and chief software architect, while also being its largest individual shareholder until May 2014. He was a prominent pioneer of the microcomputer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s.

Mark Zuckerberg

Mark Elliot Zuckerberg is an American businessman and philanthropist. He co-founded the social media service Facebook, along with his Harvard roommates in 2004, and its parent company Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook, Inc.), of which he is executive chairman, chief executive officer and controlling shareholder.

General info

Location and contacts

Harvard University in social media

Harvard University

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