GRE requirements · United States

Harvard University GRE requirements (2026)

Harvard's Griffin GSAS lets each program choose Required, Optional, or Not accepted. There is no single university-wide GRE rule.

Updated 12 Jun 2026Last checked 12 Jun 20264 min read

About Harvard University

Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Most PhD and masters programs are administered through the Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, which sets GRE policy program by program.

GRE requirement by program

Harvard University sets its GRE policy by program, so there is rarely a single university-wide answer. Below is each program we have checked, with its status, a link to the program's own admissions page, and the date we last confirmed it.

Program	Status	Official source	Last checked
Griffin GSAS (most PhD & masters programs)	Varies by program Each program lists one of Required, Optional, or Not accepted. Check your specific program's page.	gsas.harvard.edu	Jun 2026

Each status was read from the program's own admissions page (last checked 12 06 2026). Policies change between cycles; always confirm on the linked official page before you apply.

Not the program you need? The status is set department by department. Use the three-step check on the is the GRE required page to confirm any program in a couple of minutes.

Should you submit a GRE score?

Where Harvard University marks a program Optional, a score comfortably above the program's admitted-student median can strengthen a borderline application, especially for funded or international applicants. Below that median, your effort is usually better spent on the required parts of the file. Where a program is Not accepted, do not send a score, it will not be reviewed.

Unsure where you would land? Sit a free full-length mock and convert your scaled score to its exact official percentile before you decide.

Frequently asked questions

It depends on the program. Harvard's Griffin GSAS lets each program mark the GRE as Required, Optional, or Not accepted, so there is no single Harvard-wide answer.

For some programs, yes; for others it is required or not accepted. The status is set per program, so confirm yours on the program's own admissions page.

Every status here is read from the program's own admissions page and dated. Policies change between cycles, so always confirm on the linked official page before you apply. See our editorial standards for how we source and date claims.

GRE policy is set program by program, so two departments at the same university can differ. Use the three-step check on our is the GRE required guide to confirm any program in a couple of minutes.

If you can score at or above the program's admitted-student median, a strong score is a low-risk way to add a signal, especially for funded or international applicants. Below that, focus on the required parts. A free mock is the fastest way to see where you would land.