MBA Harvard Business School offers a two-year, full-time MBA program with a general management curriculum focused on real-world practice. Download Brochure pdf
Becoming a student at HBS means joining a global community that propels lifelong learning and career support alongside peers, faculty, and staff who will both challenge you and cheer you on as you find and accelerate your path.
Application Process
- Written Application: To apply to Harvard Business School, we ask you to assemble and prepare a variety of materials that will help us assess your qualifications. Remember, all materials must be submitted to HBS online by the application deadlines. The following serves as a preview of what you need to prepare.
- Interview: After your written application has been submitted and reviewed, you may be invited to interview.+ More
- Post-Interview Reflection: Within 24 hours of the interview, candidates are required to submit a written reflection through our online application system. Detailed instructions will be provided to those applicants who are invited to the interview process.
Application Process
International Applicants
HBS welcomes students from around the globe. The admissions criteria applied in evaluating international applicants are the same as those for U.S. citizens. All application materials, including transcripts and recommendations, must be submitted online and in English.
Academic Requirements
An international applicant is required to hold a college or university degree equivalent to a four-year American baccalaureate degree. Equivalent degrees include international three-year bachelor degree programs. All post-secondary educational institutions you have attended and received a degree from, including technical and professional schools, should be listed on the application form. The complete, formal names of the institutions and the title of any diploma or degree earned must be used.
Transcripts
When providing uploaded transcripts for the application, all course names must be translated into English before submission. An unofficial translation is acceptable in your initial written application. However, if admitted to Harvard Business School, you will be required to provide an official original language paper transcript sent directly from each college or university attended to World Education Services (WES), a third-party verification agency, along with an official word-for-word English translation of that transcript. The School reserves the right to withdraw any offer of admission if there is a discrepancy between the uploaded unofficial translation and the official original language transcript and/or the official translation.
TOEFL, IELTS, or Pearson Test of English (PTE)
The HBS MBA Program is built upon an immersive learning experience that encourages public speaking, group discussions, and active class participation. To succeed, students must possess a highly developed proficiency in written and oral English.
- All candidates who received their bachelor’s degree and any graduate degrees from a university or universities where English is NOT the sole language of instruction are required to take an English language test.
- Candidates who received a bachelor’s degree from a university where English is NOT the sole language of instruction but received a Master’s or Ph.D. degree from a university program where English was the sole language of instruction are also strongly advised, though not required, to submit TOEFL iBT, IELTS or PTE scores as part of their initial written application process.
- For the 2026-2026 application, HBS will accept the at-home or online versions of the TOEFL iBT and the TOEFL iTP Plus (in China in partnership with Vericant), IELTS and the IELTS Indicator, and Pearson Test of English (PTE).
- Scores from tests taken before January 1, 2026 will not be accepted.
- The MBA Admissions Board discourages any candidate with a TOEFL score lower than 109 on the iBT, an IELTS score lower than 7.5, or a PTE score lower than 75 from applying.
- Those candidates required to take an English language test must have received at least their unofficial scores prior to submitting their application. Both overall and component test scores must be reported on the application form.
- All applicants must request that ETS (for the TOEFL), IELTS, or Pearson (for the PTE) send official copies of their scores to HBS. Please note that the HBS code for the TOEFL is 3444. For IELTS and PTE please follow instructions provided by IELTS and PTE.
- To obtain information about these tests, visit: www.toefl.org or www.ielts.org or www.pearsonpte.com.
When to Apply
All 2+2 applicants are required to apply in the designated 2+2 Round.
Annual Cost of Attendance
2026-2026 Cost of Attendance: Class of 2026 and Class of 2026
| SINGLE | MARRIED | MARRIED WITH ONE CHILD | MARRIED WITH TWO CHILDREN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TUITION | $73,440 | $73,440 | $73,440 | $73,440 |
| HUHS STUDENT HEALTH FEE (SHF) | $1,242 | $1,242 | $1,242 | $1,242 |
| STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN (SHIP) | $4,040 | $4,040 | $4,040 | $4,040 |
| HUSHP FOR STUDENT SPOUSES/DEPENDENTS | $0 | $8,306 | $12,720 | $14,938 |
| COURSE & PROGRAM MATERIALS FEE | $2,550 | $2,550 | $2,550 | $2,550 |
| ROOM & UTILITIES (9 MONTHS) | $14,340* ($1,593/mo) | $22,380** ($2,487/mo) | $28,780*** ($3,198/mo) | $28,780 ($3,198/mo) |
| LIVING EXPENSES (9 MONTHS) | $15,930 ($1,770/mo) | $20,270 ($2,252/mo) | $25,280 ($2,809/mo) | $30,310 ($3,368/mo) |
| TOTAL | $111,542 | $132,228 | $148,052 | $155,300 |
| COMPUTER (VARIABLE; NOT INCLUDED IN ABOVE BUDGETS) | $1,500 | $1,500 | $1,500 | $1,500 |
Note: for 3 children, add $5,000 living plus $5,760 for incremental rent for 3br. For 4+ children, add $5,000 living for each kid
*based on average area market rate for 2 bedroom apartment w/roommate
**based on average area market rate for 1 bedroom apartment
***based on average area market rate for 2 bedroom apartment
IMPORTANT ANNUAL COST OF ATTENDANCE DETAILS
9 Months of Classes, 12 Months of Rent
The academic year is nine months. While HBS dorms have a nine-month lease, off-campus housing often requires a 12-month lease. If you live off campus, or stay for a summer program, you will need to cover the additional three (3) months’ rent, as well as utilities and monthly expenses.
Federal Student Aid
According to Federal regulations, total eligibility for Federal loans is based on the total annual cost of attendance for a single student.
Health Insurance
Health insurance coverage is mandatory. The Annual Cost of Attendance above shows two separate charges for health insurance. The Student Health Fee (SHF) is mandated for all students and may not be waived. However, if you participate in another health insurance plan with comparable coverage to the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), you may waive the SHIP portion of your health fees.
Optional Activities
There are countless opportunities to participate in optional activities during your time at HBS. While the MBA Program Cost of Attendance makes allowances for many of the typical expenses, there is no way to anticipate specific costs for each individual student. It is important to understand that students who get financial aid will need to make choices—or plan additional savings to cover the costs of optional activities.