College accepts 1,937 to Class of 2028

Harvard College has accepted 1,937 students to the Class of 2028 from a pool of 54,008 applicants. This marks the fourth consecutive year Harvard has received more than 50,000 applications.

Students accepted during the regular admissions cycle number 1,245. Last December, the College offered admissions to 692 students who applied under the Early Action Program.

“Beyond another strong applicant pool, we are delighted by the stunning array of talents and lived experiences the Class of 2028 will bring with them from throughout the United States and around the world,” said William R. Fitzsimmons, dean of admissions and financial aid.

By the numbers

Nearly
1 in 4

Undergraduates come from a family whose annual income is $85,000 or less

$2,000

“Start-up grants” for first-year students and “launch grants” for juniors are given to students whose family incomes are $85,000 or less

$3 billion+

In undergraduate financial aid has been awarded since launching the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative

55%

Of Harvard undergraduates receive financial aid

$13,000

Average parent contribution for aided students

Nearly 85%

Of the Class of 2023 graduated debt-free

Members of the Class of 2028, who learned of the decisions Thursday evening, hail from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 94 countries. They are 53.1 percent women and 46.9 percent men. Students who will be in the first generation of their family to graduate from a four-year college or the equivalent represent 20.5 percent of the class. In this application cycle, 20.7 percent qualified for federal Pell grants, typically awarded to students from lower-income backgrounds.

International students make up 15.4 percent of the class, and 9.6 percent are U.S. dual citizens. An estimated 20.1 percent come from the mid-Atlantic states, 16.2 percent from the South, 16.6 percent from New England, 18.5 percent from Western and Mountain states, 11.4 percent from the Midwest, and 0.4 percent from U.S. territories.

Harvard continues efforts to recruit U.S. military veterans, working with groups affiliated with the Defense Department and through Service to School’s Vetlink program. Twenty-one veterans were admitted to the Class of 2028, and 41 students have expressed interest in ROTC.

Members of the admitted class will benefit from the recent expansion of the financial aid program. Last spring, the Griffin Financial Aid Office announced that students whose family income is $85,000 or less will receive full financial support to attend Harvard. It also announced last fall a new launch grant giving students who receive full financial support $2,000 in the fall of their junior year to help with costs associated with preparing for life after graduation. Since 2016, students receiving full financial aid have been eligible for similar startup grants to help them adjust to life on campus.

“We are always thinking about impact, and the new launch grant gives students extra resources — for graduate school test prep, or travel to a job interview — as they begin planning for their next chapters. This support — in combination with the work of the Mignone Center for Career Success — allows us to help the students who need it most,” said Jake Kaufmann, Griffin Director of Financial Aid.

The work to expand opportunities for students accessing financial aid includes the 2020 decision to remove the summer work expectation. Nearly one-quarter of students attend Harvard with no parent contribution. In the 2023-2024 academic year, the average parent contribution for aided students was $13,000.

For students who do not receive need-based aid, the total cost of attendance (including tuition, housing and food, and fees) is scheduled to increase 4.3 percent to $82,866 for the 2024-2025 academic year.

This application cycle benefited from a robust recruitment effort that included students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Admissions officers traveled to 150 cities in the U.S. and around the world to conduct in-person information sessions while more than 7,000 alums helped interview applicants and recruit students through college fairs and other events. 

“We often focus on the end results in admissions, but it is also important to acknowledge the tremendous work that goes into getting us here,” said Director of Admissions Joy St. John. “We could not build this talented and diverse pool of applicants without this support.”

Harvard welcomes admitted students to campus for Visitas programming April 14-15. At that time, the Class of 2028 is invited to attend classes and events as well as learn about resources and opportunities. Students will receive information about Visitas and Crimson Connect, an online platform for the Class of 2028, via the Admitted Student Website.

Students have until May 1 to reply to their offers of admission.