College profilesIvy League · MA

Harvard University

Harvard University publishes an acceptance rate of 3.6% and is required for the 2026-27 cycle.

Acceptance rate

3.6%

College Scorecard, latest cycle

SAT middle 50%

1510–1580

Section 25th–75th, summed

ACT middle 50%

34–36

Avg. HS GPA

Not published

Test policy

Required

2026-27

Regular deadline

Jan 1, 2027

Testing

Required for 2026-27

Policy: Harvard requires SAT or ACT scores, reinstated for the Class of 2029 cycle and already in effect for 2026-27. In exceptional cases where SAT/ACT is inaccessible, applicants may submit AP, IB, GCSE/A-Level, or national leaving-exam results instead.
Source (high confidence)All 100 schools
SAT middle 50%: 1510–1580sum of section 25th–75th percentiles
ACT middle 50%: 34–36
Average HS GPA: Not published by the school

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Applying

Deadlines, essays and AI policy

Early deadlines: Nov 1, 2026 (REA)
Regular decision: Jan 1, 2027Source
Supplemental essays: 5 required
5 required short-answer questions (the 'Harvard College Questions' on the Common Application), each with a 150-word limit.
AI use in essays: Prohibited — applies to Application essays for first-year applicants to Harvard College
“The Common Application identifies the following as a possible form of fraud and violation of its application standards: 'submitting plagiarized essays or other written or oral material, or intentionally misrepresenting as one's own original work: (1) another person's thoughts, language, ideas, expressions, or experiences or (2) the substantive content or output of an artificial intelligence platform, technology, or algorithm.'”
Source All 50 schools

Full cycle calendar: Application Deadlines.

At a glance

Size and cost

Undergraduate enrollment: 7,601
Tuition (out-of-state): $61,676
Category: Ivy League
Admissions site: www.harvard.edu

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Sources

Harvard University test policy (2026-27)
Harvard University AI-use policy
Harvard University admissions pages
Harvard University admissions pages
Acceptance rate, test-score percentiles, enrollment and tuition: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, pulled 2026-08-19.

Test policy and deadlines last verified 2026-08-17.

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