Graduate Admissions

Graduate Admissions Frequently Asked Questions

Admissions Overview and Key Dates

Applications for admission to the PhD and AM programs for Fall 2027 will open up in Fall 2026 with a deadline of December 1 2026. The Department does not consider applications at any other time. All applications must be submitted online. The application portal will be available here.

The Director of Graduate Studies holds a series of information sessions about our graduate program over Zoom during the fall. Join in to ask questions about the application process as well as our PhD and A.M. Programs. Specific dates and times will be posted here in late summer.

On contacting faculty: Students may contact faculty with whom they are interested in working, but this is not required and it does not impact the admissions process. Note that for reasons of equity in admissions, the Department does not normally organize formal visits or interviews for prospective students.

The Graduate School notifies successful applicants in February. The Department of the History of Science normally provides opportunities for admitted PhD students to meet with faculty and current students in advance of the April 15 decision deadline.

 

Applications to both the PhD and AM programs require submission of the following materials.

  • Statement of Purpose
  • Personal Statement
  • University and College Transcripts
  • A Writing Sample
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation
  • CV or Resume
  • (Optional) GRE Scores
    The GRE code for Harvard GSAS is 3451.
  • Application Fee*
  • TOEFL or IELTS Scores (for international applicants whose undergraduate institution’s language of instruction was not English)

For guidance on the Statement of Purpose, the Personal Statement, and the Writing Sample, see the description on the Harvard Griffin GSAS admissions page, as well as the History of Science Grad Admissions FAQ. 

* The non-refundable application fee is $105.00, payable by credit card only. All applications received by the appropriate deadline with the correct application fee are guaranteed full consideration by the admissions committee. In those uncommon situations where an applicant has demonstrated that paying the application fee would cause them extreme financial hardship, GSAS will waive the fee. In order to determine eligibility for and apply for a fee waiver see this page. For further questions about fee waivers, email admiss@fas.harvard.edu. The Department of the History of Science is not involved in determing elibility for a fee waiver.

AM Degree for Current Harvard Griffin GSAS PhD students 

PhD students in other Harvard departments may apply to pursue an AM in History of Science. Students wishing to pursue this option should email the following materials by the December 1st application deadline to the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of the History of Science, and CC the Graduate Program Coordinator:

  • Statement of Purpose
  • A Writing Sample
  • CV or Resume

In addition, applicants should indicate that their primary advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies in their home department approves of their application to the AM program. This can be done via emails of support to the History of Science DGS and Graduate Program Coordinator. 

 

Information about the Department's Programs

Program Descriptions for the AM and the PhD in the History of Science are available online from the Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS).

Applicants are encouraged to explore the Department’s web pages describing its Graduate Program and the many opportunities available to students.

See also Harvard’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website for further information for prospective graduate students concerning admission, grants, tuition, and registration policies.


Special Students and Visiting Fellows

Students who meet the eligibility requirements to apply for admission as Special Students or Visiting Fellows—the non-degree programs of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences—and who are interested in being admitted with affiliation with the History of Science department, must secure approval from the faculty member with whom they would like to work prior to applying. The department only considers applications by scholars/students whose application a faculty member has agreed to sponsor.

Note: GSAS does not allow applicants applying to AM or PhD programs to apply as Special Students in the same year.

Exchange Scholar Program: The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences participates in the Exchange Scholar Program. Doctoral candidates in the History of Science and related fields at participating institutions who are interested in visiting the Department as an Exchange Scholar are strongly encouraged to contact the members of the faculty with whom they would like to work prior to applying.
 

Further Information

Prospective applicants are encouraged to consult the Department’s Graduate Admissions Frequently Asked Questions.

Inquiries about the graduate programs in the History of Science may be directed to:

Linda Schneider
Graduate Program Coordinator
Department of the History of Science
linda_schneider@harvard.edu
617-495-9978

Inquiries concerning the Harvard Graduate School’s admissions process and requirements in general may be directed to:

Office of Admissions, Harvard Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
admiss@fas.harvard.edu
(617) 495-5315

Harvard does not discriminate against applicants or students on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry or any other protected classification.