How to Apply to Computer Science at Harvard: Get Into Harvard College, Then Declare the CS Concentration in Sophomore Spring, With Requirements, Math Preparation and Timeline for Chinese, Canadian High School and Transfer Students

All Harvard undergraduates study in Harvard College, which does not admit by major. Computer Science is taught by the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS); Harvard calls a major a concentration, and Computer Science leads to an A.B. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on Harvard’s websites, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver) and transfer students.

1. The Computer Science concentration

• Admission: SEAS says all prospective undergraduates, including those intending to study engineering and applied sciences, apply directly to Harvard College and declare a concentration in sophomore spring. You do not choose Computer Science when you apply.
• Options:
  • Basic requirements: 11 to 14 courses (44 to 56 credits);
  • Honors requirements: 13 to 16 courses (52 to 64 credits); a thesis is optional but required for high or highest honors;
  • Joint concentrations: 10 to 13 courses for the CS field, with a thesis combining both fields;
  • Mind, Brain, and Behavior track: honors-only, 13 to 16 courses, thesis required;
  • CS can also be a secondary field (4 courses) or part of a double concentration. Enrolled Harvard College students may apply for the concurrent A.B./S.M.
• Mathematical preparation (2 to 5 courses): calculus (Math Ma, Mb and 1b, or Math 1a and 1b), one linear algebra course and one probability course (such as Stat 110). The number depends on your starting math course: 14 courses in total starting in Math Ma, 13 starting in 1a, 12 starting in 1b and 11 starting in 21b or similar.
• CS core (9 courses for the basic requirements): together they must meet these tags: Programming 1 and 2 (2 courses), Formal Reasoning (3 courses, covering discrete mathematics, computational limitations and algorithms), Systems (1), Computation and the World (1) and Advanced Computer Science (CS 1000 and above, 4). One course can meet several tags, but you still need nine courses, and a strict majority must carry Harvard CS course numbers. Honors requires 11 core courses, plus Artificial Intelligence and Intermediate Algorithms.
• Prior work: the requirements say that apart from placing out of Math Ma, Mb/1a and 1b, prior work does not reduce the concentration requirements. Discrete mathematics can be skipped with approval from the Directors of Undergraduate Studies, but three formal reasoning courses are still required.
• First-year courses: the most common path is CS 50 (two thirds of its students have never taken CS) or CS 32, then CS 51 or CS 61, with CS 20 (discrete mathematics) in first-year spring. Harvard advises not delaying math courses and starting them in first-year fall. Discovering CS in sophomore year is not too late.
• Other rules: at most two courses used for CS requirements may be taken pass/fail; concentrators file a Plan of Study, and its approval guarantees that the courses meet the requirements.
• Caps or thresholds: the pages we read do not mention a cap or grade threshold for declaring Computer Science; this is not published. Check with the CS undergraduate office or peer concentration advisors.

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 (another line on the first-year page says REA scores are needed by the end of November); 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. The transfer page says you can transfer at most 16 semester-long courses (two full years), taking the remaining half of your courses at Harvard.
• 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); you can describe your interest in CS, but admission is to Harvard College
• 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; at most 16 semester-long courses transfer
• Prior work does not reduce the CS requirements (except calculus placement), so plan math and CS core courses early

If you want Computer Science: start math courses right away, take CS 50 or CS 32 and CS 20 in your first year, then declare in sophomore spring and file a Plan of Study.

Sources: Harvard University, First-year applicants; Application requirements; International applicants; Transfer applicants; How aid works and cost of attendance; SEAS: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science; CS concentration requirements; CS first-year exploration. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures). Check Harvard for the latest details.