Application Information

The application will open in early September. All materials must be submitted through the Harvard Griffin GSAS Applicant Portal by 5:00 PM (EST) on December 1.

Selecting the Degree Program: On the GSAS application, select "Biological and Biomedical Sciences" as your Degree Program.

Selecting BBS Subcommittee: Please review the descriptions of our four subcommittees and select the one that best corresponds to your intended area of future research as well as your previous academic and professional experience. Choosing the subcommittee most closely aligned with your interests and background will ensure that your application is evaluated by experts who are best suited to assess your potential and fit for the program. If you are unsure which subcommittee to choose, we recommend considering both your proposed research direction and your foundational training to make the most informed decision. Please note - If you choose "Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Mechanisms" as your preferred area of interest, please further specify your focus by selecting one of the following options: a) Molecular Mechanisms, b) Structural Biology, c) Cellular Biology, or d) Stem Cell Biology and Development. This selection will help us direct your application to the most relevant reviewers, but it does not commit you to a specific area.

Faculty of interest: Since we ask students to indicate one of the general areas represented in our admissions committee, we don’t ask students to list specific faculty of interest in the application.  Once candidates are invited for interviews, however, we will inquire if there are particular faculty that each applicant may wish to meet, if available.  Students are not required to contact faculty or secure a thesis laboratory prior to submitting their applications to BBS. Once matriculated, students will have the opportunity to rotate in labs prior to declaring a thesis mentor at the end of their G1 year (July 1st).

Statement of Purpose (SoP): Through the SoP, we’re looking to get to know you as a scientist. What are your goals for graduate school? How do your research experiences fit within this context? You are welcome to briefly mention multiple research experiences as they relate to your trajectory, but your SoP should focus on your primary research experience, discussing the question/topic that drove the project, its importance, your hypotheses, how you tested your hypotheses, your findings or possible outcomes, and how you interpreted those outcomes. In this part of the application, we're eager to see how you demonstrate your ability to approach problems and ideas with a scientific mindset. (Not to exceed 1,000 words)

Ultimately, the statement should provide evidence of research readiness through descriptions of past projects with clarity including explaining your role, methods, and what was learned.

Personal Statement: Describe the personal experiences that led you to pursue graduate education and explain how these experiences will contribute to the academic environment and/or community in your program or Harvard Griffin GSAS. These may include leadership positions, community engagement, other opportunities, or challenges. Your statement should be no longer than 500 words.  Please note that there is no expectation to share detailed sensitive information and you should refrain from including anything that you would not feel at ease sharing. Please also note that the Personal Statement should complement rather than duplicate the content provided in the Statement of Purpose.

Letters of Recommendation:  Applicants are required to submit three letters of recommendation. We rely heavily on sincere, candid and detailed accounts of each candidate’s accomplishments in their scholarly pursuits and research training from mentors and advisors who have taken the time to cultivate a deep familiarity and understanding of each candidate’s strengths and unique attributes.

Transcripts: Applicants are required to upload unofficial transcripts from each institution attended.  We do not accept transcripts received by mail or email during the application submission and review process.  Official transcripts are only required from those who have been admitted and accepted the offer of admission.  Transcripts from international institutions must be in English or be accompanied by a certified English translation.  All translations must be literal and complete versions of the original records.  For more information, please visit the GSAS Transcripts Page.

GRE: BBS no longer accepts GRE scores.  If you submit scores, they will not be seen by our admissions committees.

TOEFL/IELTS: Adequate command of spoken and written English is essential to success in graduate study at Harvard. Applicants who are non-native English speakers can demonstrate English proficiency in one of three ways:

• Receiving an undergraduate degree from an academic institution where English is the primary language of instruction.
• Earning a minimum score of 5 (100 for tests taken prior to January 21, 2026) on the TOEFL iBT and a minimum Speaking score of 4.5 (23 for tests taken prior to January 21, 2026).
• Earning a minimum score of 7 on the IELTS Academic test and a minimum Speaking score of 6.5.

We are unable to accept any other proof of proficiency.  A master’s degree or other graduate degree is not accepted as proof of English proficiency. This requirement applies to all applicants regardless of residency or citizenship status.  If you received an undergraduate degree from an institution in the United States in which English was not the primary language of instruction but a significant portion of your program was conducted in English, you may petition for a waiver of the TOEFL/IELTS requirement. Please note this ONLY applies to US institutions. Contact the office of admissions for details.