Harvard does not set a minimum GPA for undergraduate or graduate admission. Among first-year students who enrolled in fall 2024, about 72% had a high school GPA of 4.0 or higher and a further 22% were between 3.75 and 3.99, according to Harvard’s Common Data Set. Graduate programs review applications holistically and almost none publish a GPA cutoff. Below is what the data shows for each, and how to compare your own profile with real Harvard applicant results on GradCafe
| Undergraduate (Harvard College) | Graduate (Harvard’s 12 graduate and professional schools) | |
| Published minimum GPA | None | None (holistic review) |
| What admitted students report | ~94% at 3.75 or above (fall 2024 entrants) |
Varies by program; see reported Harvard results on GradCafe |
| Standardized tests | SAT or ACT required since the 2024-25 cycle |
Set per program: GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, or none (what counts as a good GRE score) |
| Latest published admit rate | 3.59% (Class of 2028) | Not published centrally |
What GPA do you need to get into Harvard?
There is no number that guarantees admission and no number that automatically disqualifies you. Harvard’s admissions offices, at both the College and the graduate schools, describe their review as holistic: GPA is read alongside course rigor, recommendations, essays, research or work experience, and test scores where required.
That said, the GPA data for admitted undergraduates is tightly clustered near the top. For graduate applicants the picture is far more varied, because a PhD committee in physics and an MPP committee at the Kennedy School are looking for different things. The two sections below treat them separately.
Harvard undergraduate GPA requirements
Average GPA of admitted students
Harvard does not publish an average GPA. It does publish the GPA distribution of enrolled first-year students in its Common Data Set. For the class that entered in fall 2024:
| High school GPA | Share of enrolled first-years |
| 4.0 and above | 72.4% |
| 3.75 to 3.99 | 22.2% |
| Below 3.75 | about 5% |
Two cautions. These are enrolled students, not all admits, and schools report GPA on different scales (weighted and unweighted mixed together), so treat the table as a strong signal rather than a precise cutoff. Only about 29% of enrolled students submitted a class rank; all of them were in the top half of their class.
Is there a minimum GPA for Harvard?
No. Harvard College states no GPA floor. In practice, applicants admitted with GPAs below 3.75 almost always bring something exceptional elsewhere in the file: a national-level achievement, a rare talent, or an unusual personal context. If your GPA is in that range, your application needs to make that case explicitly. Our full guide to getting into Harvard covers the rest of the application.
Harvard SAT and ACT requirements in 2026
Harvard reinstated its standardized testing requirement in April 2024. Applicants for the Class of 2029 and later must submit SAT or ACT scores.
For first-years who enrolled in fall 2024, the middle 50% of scores were:
| Test | 25th to 75th percentile |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing | 740 to 780 |
| SAT Math | 770 to 800 |
| ACT Composite | 34 to 36 |
Source: Harvard Common Data Set 2024-25, section C9.
Harvard acceptance rate: the latest published figures
For the Class of 2028, Harvard received 54,008 applications and admitted 1,937 students, an overall admit rate of 3.59%. Of those admitted, 692 came through restrictive early action and 1,245 through regular decision.
Since then, Harvard has stopped announcing admission statistics on decision day. It withheld the figures for the Class of 2029 and the Class of 2030, and now releases them only after they are filed with the U.S. Department of Education in the fall. We will update this section when the next figures are public.
Harvard graduate school GPA requirements
This is the section that matters most if you are reading GradCafe. Harvard has 12 graduate and professional schools, and each sets its own admissions policy. Within the Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), individual departments set their own as well. For how Harvard compares with its peers, see our guide to Ivy League grad school acceptance rates.
Does Harvard grad school have a minimum GPA?
No Harvard graduate school we reviewed publishes a minimum GPA. Harvard Divinity School says directly that it has no minimum GPA and reviews applications holistically. The Mathematics, Statistics, and Sociology departments in GSAS do not mention a GPA requirement at all. SEAS says no single factor is used as a filter.
What this means in practice: a strong GPA in your major and in relevant upper-level courses carries more weight than your cumulative number. A 3.4 overall with a 3.9 in your final two years of physics reads very differently from a flat 3.4.
GPA and test policies by Harvard school
| School | GPA policy | Test policy (2026-27 cycle) | See reported results |
| Griffin GSAS (PhD and master’s in arts and sciences) | No minimum published | GRE set per program: Required, Optional, or Not Accepted. Statistics: optional. Math: GRE Math Subject Test recommended. Sociology: see department FAQ. | Harvard results on GradCafe |
| SEAS (engineering, computer science, applied sciences) | No minimum; no single-factor filter | GRE General and Subject tests optional for the upcoming cycle (Computer Science page) | Harvard Computer Science results |
| Harvard Kennedy School (MPP, MPA, MPA/ID) | No minimum published | GRE or GMAT required for MPP, MPA, MPA/ID; not required for MC/MPA | Harvard Public Policy results |
| Harvard Divinity School | No minimum GPA (stated) | Check program page | Harvard Divinity results |
| Harvard Business School (MBA) | No minimum published | GMAT or GRE required | Harvard MBA results |
| Harvard Graduate School of Education | No minimum published | Harvard Education results | |
| Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health | No minimum published | Harvard Public Health results | |
| Harvard Law School (JD) | No minimum published | LSAT or GRE accepted | Harvard Law results |
| Harvard Medical School (MD) | No minimum published | MCAT required | Harvard Medicine results |
Policies change every cycle. Confirm on the official program page before you apply, and treat the test column as a starting point, not the final word.
What GPAs do admitted Harvard grad applicants report?
GradCafe’s results database holds thousands of self-reported Harvard outcomes, many with GPA, GRE scores, and the date the decision arrived. Search for your program and filter by degree to see the range of profiles that reported acceptances, rejections, and waitlists in recent cycles.
Two honest caveats. The data is self-reported and self-selected, so it is not an official statistic and not a representative sample. Applicants who were admitted may be more likely to post. Use it to calibrate expectations, not to predict an outcome.
Can you get into Harvard with a lower GPA?
For undergraduate admission, a GPA below 3.75 makes Harvard a long shot, and the rest of the application has to do unusual work.
For graduate admission, a lower cumulative GPA is far more survivable, because committees weigh things that undergrad admissions cannot:
- An upward trend, especially strong grades in your final two years and in your field
- Research experience, publications, or a thesis, which matter more than GPA for most PhD programs
- Letters of recommendation from faculty who can speak to your research ability
- Relevant work experience, which professional schools like HKS and HBS weight heavily
- A master’s degree completed with a high GPA, which can reset how your record is read
- A clear, specific statement of purpose that explains the dip without dwelling on it
If your GPA is below 3.0, read our guide on getting into grad school with a low GPA before you decide where to apply, and check when to apply for grad school so you leave time to strengthen the rest of your file.
How to check your chances
- Search Harvard results on GradCafe for your program and degree. Note the GPA and test ranges of recent admits and when decisions went out.
- Read the Harvard threads in the GradCafe forum for the current cycle. Applicants post interview invites and decision dates in real time.
- Compare your profile honestly, then build a list that includes programs where your numbers sit in the middle of the reported range, not only at the bottom.
- After you hear back, submit your own result so the next applicant can benchmark against it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average GPA for Harvard?
Harvard does not publish an average. In its 2024-25 Common Data Set, 72% of enrolled first-years had a high school GPA of 4.0 or higher and 22% were between 3.75 and 3.99.
What is the minimum GPA for Harvard?
There is none. Neither Harvard College nor any Harvard graduate school publishes a GPA cutoff. Admissions review is holistic at every school.
What GPA do you need for Harvard grad school?
No minimum is published. Competitive applicants usually have strong grades in their field, but research experience, recommendations, and your statement of purpose can outweigh a modest cumulative GPA, especially for PhD programs. Check reported outcomes for your specific program on GradCafe.
Does Harvard require the SAT or ACT in 2026?
Yes. Harvard reinstated the SAT/ACT requirement for undergraduate applicants starting with the 2024-25 cycle. Verify the current policy on Harvard College Admissions before you apply.
Does Harvard require the GRE?
It depends on the program. Within Griffin GSAS each department marks the GRE as required, optional, or not accepted. SEAS lists it as optional, the Kennedy School requires the GRE or GMAT for most master’s programs, and other schools use the GMAT, LSAT, or MCAT instead.
Next steps
- Search real Harvard admissions results to see the GPA and test profiles of recent applicants.
- Join the GradCafe forum and find the Harvard thread for your program and cycle.
- Heard back already? Submit your result and help the next applicant.
- Subscribe to the newsletter for decision-season updates.
Lisa is a full-time writer specializing in career advice, further education, and personal development. She works from all over the world, and when not writing you'll find her hiking, practicing yoga, or enjoying a glass of Malbec.
