How to Apply to Psychology at Harvard: Get Into Harvard College First, Then Choose the Psychology Concentration, With Requirements and Timeline for Chinese, Canadian High School and Transfer Students

All Harvard undergraduates study in Harvard College, which does not admit by major: students choose a concentration from about 50 fields after they arrive. Psychology is a social science concentration leading to a B.A. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on Harvard College’s official information, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), and transfer students.

1. How admission works and the psychology concentration

• College first, concentration later: you can describe your interests in the application, but you are admitted to Harvard College, not to the psychology department. Harvard also allows double concentrations (since 2022-23) and secondary fields.
• What psychology covers: Harvard says most departmental research concerns basic processes such as attention, perception, memory, categorisation, reasoning and decision-making, and students learn to assess quantitative evidence from experimental and correlational data.
• Gateway sequence:
  • first take PSY 1: Introduction to Psychological Science, a prerequisite for most psychology courses and required for the concentration or secondary field; an AP Psychology 5 or IB Psychology 7 may count toward it (ask the Psychology Undergraduate Office at psychology@wjh.harvard.edu);
  • PSY 1900: Introduction to Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences, by the end of sophomore year, before or alongside PSY 1;
  • then two foundational courses from cognition, cognitive neuroscience, social, developmental psychology and psychopathology, depending on track.
• When to declare: Harvard College’s public pages do not give a declaration date, and the psychology department site and student handbook returned 403 to our requests, so this guide does not cite them; follow your advisers’ guidance after enrolment.

2. Students at high schools in China

• One process for everyone: Harvard’s admissions and financial aid processes are the same regardless of nationality or citizenship, with no quotas or limits by citizenship or school location.
• Materials: apply through the Common Application with the school report and transcript, recommendations from two teachers in different academic subjects, and SAT or ACT scores. If you provide translations of transcripts or letters, do not translate them yourself; an English teacher at your school can do it.
• Gaokao: Harvard has no Gaokao-specific policy. In exceptional cases when the SAT or ACT is not accessible (cost or seat availability), AP, IB, A-Level or externally assessed national leaving exam results or predictions can meet the requirement; students who can take the SAT or ACT are still expected to.
• Interviews: alumni interviews are offered where possible but not to everyone, and not having one does not hurt your application.

3. Students at Canadian high schools

• The same process applies: Common Application, school report, recommendations and SAT or ACT. Harvard sets no province-specific grade requirements and no score cut-offs, and reads scores in the context of your school.
• Restrictive Early Action applicants do not need midyear grades by 1 November; if deferred to Regular Decision, send the midyear report in February.

4. Rounds and timeline

• Restrictive Early Action (REA): deadline 1 November (11:59 p.m. local time), decisions by mid-December. It is non-binding: you can compare offers and decide by 1 May.
• Regular Decision (RD): deadline 1 January, decisions by the end of March.
• Counselors may submit supporting materials up to a week after the deadline.
• REA applicants seeking aid should file aid materials by 1 November to receive an aid estimate with their mid-December decision.

5. Testing and English

• The SAT or ACT is required; you may self-report and send official scores if you enrol. There are no cut-offs; for the ACT, Harvard uses your highest composite.
• For REA, scores by the end of October are preferred, though November tests can be used; for RD, December SAT or February ACT scores are possible, but earlier is better.
• English: first-year and transfer applicants are not required to take TOEFL, IELTS or similar tests, though you may submit them. TOEFL, IELTS and Duolingo cannot replace the SAT or ACT.

6. Transfer students

• Eligibility: at least one full continuous academic year (fall and spring), and no more than two, in a full-time, in-person liberal arts degree programme at one college by the time you would enrol. Students with a bachelor’s degree are not eligible.
• Deadline: 1 March for all application and financial aid materials; decisions by June.
• Credit: the Registrar evaluates credit individually after admission; admissions keeps no list of transferable courses. Credit by examination (AP, IB, CLEP) and foundation or preparatory-year coursework do not count.
• Harvard reports more than 2,000 transfer applications a year recently; international transfer applicants can apply for need-based aid.

7. Costs and financial aid

• 2026-27 costs (US$): tuition 62,226, fees 6,216, housing 14,250, food 8,942, billed subtotal 91,634; with personal, book and travel estimates, 95,134 to 100,134. Health insurance of 4,954 is required unless covered by a family plan. 2027-28 figures are not yet published.
• Aid: all aid is need-based, with no merit awards. Harvard meets each student’s demonstrated need, and admission decisions are made without regard to aid applications, including for foreign citizens.
• Harvard states that families earning under $100,000 have an expected parent contribution of zero, and families earning up to $200,000 receive aid covering at least full tuition. Students on aid also receive a travel allowance.
• Applicants applying for aid for whom the application fee is a hardship can have it waived.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply through the Common Application by 1 November (REA) or 1 January (RD)
• Take the SAT or ACT; English tests optional
• Ask two teachers in different subjects for recommendations; file aid materials alongside if needed

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• Same deadlines and materials; midyear grades not needed for REA but required for RD

Transfer students:

• Apply after one to two full years; deadline 1 March, decisions by June
• Credit is assessed course by course by the Registrar after admission

Planning to study psychology: start with PSY 1 and PSY 1900, then two foundational courses.

Sources: Harvard College, First-year applicants; Application requirements; International applicants; Transfer applicants; Concentrations (including Psychology); Liberal arts and sciences; How aid works and cost of attendance. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures). Check Harvard College for the latest details.