What are the criteria for submitting an application?
You must submit a completed online application, three letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, a personal statement, a resume/CV, official GRE or GMAT scores (required for the Management concentration; standardized tests are optional for all other concentrations), and transcripts from any schools attended. Additionally, applicants whose native language is not English and who do not hold the equivalent of a US Bachelor's degree from an institution at which English is the language of instruction must submit scores from the Internet based test (IBT) of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
When can I begin to work on the online application?
The application becomes available in early-mid September through the Harvard Griffin GSAS website (http://www.gsas.harvard.edu/apply) and the application is due on December 1st at 5 p.m. EST.
Are the GRE/GMAT scores required?
All applicants to the Management concentration of the PhD program, regardless of their academic or professional background, must submit official scores from the GRE General Exam or GMAT exam. The program prefers GRE scores, but will also accept GMAT scores. Standardized tests are optional for the Decision Sciences, Economics, Methods for Policy Research, and Political Analysis tracks.
Is there a minimum GRE or GMAT score to qualify for admission?
The program does not have a minimum score requirement. Generally, successful applicants score above the 80th percentiles on these standardized tests. The program does not screen or rank applications based on the GRE. Every application will be read and considered as a package.
What school code should I use to send my official GRE/TOEFL scores to the program?
For the GRE and TOEFL, please use the code 3451 for the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
If the GRE is optional (with the exception of the Management track), how do I decide whether to take and submit the GRE?
Students often fall into a few different groups. Some students tell us the GRE helped them demonstrate strength in an area where they felt they had less evidence of a skill or preparation for the PhD. If that sounds like you, we recommend you submit the GRE. Other applicants (and potential applicants) report that the GRE is a burden or a poor way to represent their unique skills and strengths. If that describes you, we suggest you focus your efforts on other pieces of the application that demonstrate your strengths. It will not “count against you” if you submit an application without the GRE. The health policy PhD program does not screen applications based on the GRE. It is one of many pieces of evidence we consider. It is possible to have a strong application even without having all possible “pieces.”
How does the Health Policy PhD program evaluate applications?
Every application is reviewed carefully to consider all aspects of a potential student. Broadly, we are looking for evidence of commitment to training in the field of health policy research, a foundation of analytic and communication skills that will position our students to benefit from coursework, mentoring, and the support of the broader health policy community at Harvard, and the potential to pursue PhD level research. Evidence of maturity, perseverance, and creativity are also highly valued because successful students often show evidence of these as they navigate the PhD process from admission through completion. Because there are many different successful paths through the PhD, we look for student strengths in all available application materials: transcripts, work experience, letters, personal statements, and when available, test scores. Rarely will an applicant “have it all,” and every applicant acquires and demonstrates strengths differently. While one student may demonstrate potential based on an academic transcript, another may demonstrate it through work experience, and a third may convey strengths on the basis of successfully managing substantial personal or family responsibilities alongside work or academic demands.
Do I need a master’s degree in order to apply to the program?
No, we do not require applicants to have a master’s degree.
What are the instructions for writing the Statement of Purpose?
Describe your reasons and motivations for pursuing a PhD in Health Policy at Harvard. What experiences led you to your research ambitions? Concisely state your past work in your intended field of study and in related fields. Briefly indicate your career objectives. Your statement should not exceed 1,000 words.
What are the instructions for writing the Personal Statement?
A core part of the Harvard Griffin GSAS mission is to identify and attract the most promising students to form a dynamic and diverse community. We are committed to educating individuals who reflect the growing diversity of perspectives and life experiences represented in society today and who will contribute to our commitment to sustain a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment. Please share how your experiences or activities will advance our mission and commitment. Your statement should be no longer than 500 words.
What should I tell my letter writers to focus on?
In addition to describing their general assessment of you as a student and/or researcher, it would be helpful for your letter writers to comment on your quantitative skills and aptitude as well as your experience as it relates to the track which you are applying.
I am an international student, am I eligible to apply to the program?
Yes, international students are eligible to apply to the program.
Am I required to submit a TOEFL/IELTS score with my application?
Applicants who are non-native English speakers and who received their undergraduate degree from an academic institution where English is not the primary language of instruction must take the TOEFL or IELTS. No test other than the TOEFL or IELTS will be accepted as proof of English proficiency; a master's degree is not accepted as proof of English proficiency.
I am applying for a joint MD/PhD in Health Policy degree at Harvard; do I apply to each program separately?
Those interested in earning an MD/PhD in Health Policy will only apply to HMS/MD-PhD via AMCAS, with all tailored Harvard Griffin GSAS application components included in the MD-PhD secondary application. Applicants do not need to apply to both programs.
I am applying for a joint JD/PhD in Health Policy degree at Harvard; do I apply to each program separately?
Yes, you should apply to each program separately but please note on the Harvard Griffin GSAS application that you also applied to the JD program. There is a box to select this in the application and/or you may include this in your statement of purpose. For further information on the JD/PhD program please visit: https://hls.harvard.edu/academics/degree-programs/special-programs/coordinated-jd-phd-program/
What is the size of the applicant pool? How many students will you accept?
In a typical year, we receive about 200 applications. We usually admit 12 applicants.
Do you offer financial aid to admitted students?
Yes, we provide five years of tuition and health insurance to admitted students, along with three years of a stipend to cover living expenses. In the years when a stipend is not provided, students cover living expenses by working as a research assistant, teaching assistant, and/or winning their own fellowships.
Can I reapply to the program?
Previous applicants to the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and applicants who did not register must submit a new application. The new application must include all required documents: statement of purpose, resumet/CV, transcripts, test score reports, updated letters of recommendation, and the application fee.
Note that, according to Harvard Griffin GSAS policy, an individual may submit no more than three applications to GSAS programs during the course of their academic career.
Is there a visiting day or open house for prospective students?
No, we do not have a formal visiting day or open house for prospective students.
Do I need a commitment from a Harvard faculty member to advise me before I apply to the program? Should I meet with faculty prior to submitting my application?
No. Faculty advisors are determined after admission to the program. Furthermore, we do not admit students specifically to collaborate on faculty research; collaborations between faculty and students develop during the first two years of study based on mutual areas of interest. Given the breadth of information provided online about the program, faculty, students, and alumni - and in an effort to create a level playing field for applicants - most faculty will not take individual meetings with prospective students. Some, however, will provide insight about the program via websites or social media so that everyone receives the same information. For example, Dr. Laura Hatfield and Dr. Davene R. Wright created pages for students interested in our program. You can read their thoughts here and here.
What are the backgrounds of students admitted to the program?
Student backgrounds vary but the typical student has a prior master’s degree and/or relevant work experience. Please see our student profiles for a sense of the students that we admit.
Do you offer online courses/distance learning?
No, we do not.
May I complete the PhD on a part-time basis?
No. Our program requires all students to be full-time and in residence.
Are students required to be in residence for the entire duration of the program?
Students are required to be in residence until they pass their dissertation proposal oral exam, and it is preferred that they remain in residence until completion of the dissertation. The dissertation proposal oral exam is taken in the third or fourth year.
How long does it take to complete the PhD Program in Health Policy?
On average, it takes students about five to six years to complete the PhD.
What types of jobs do your students obtain after completing the PhD?
Graduates of the PhD Program in Health Policy go on to jobs in a variety of fields. A majority of graduates go on to jobs in academia, though some go into the government, non-profits, think-tanks, and the private sector. A complete list of graduates of our program and their current positions can be found here.