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 80 on the Internet based test (iBT) of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)**
- Earning a minimum score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic test.**
A master’s degree or other graduate degree is not accepted as proof of English proficiency.
*Special note for applicants with an undergraduate degree from a US institution where English was not the primary language of instruction: if a portion of your program was conducted in English, you may petition for a waiver of the TOEFL/IELTS requirement. Contact admiss@fas.harvard.edu for details.
**Some degree programs may require a higher score on either the TOEFL or IELTS. Visit your degree program page of interest for more information.