Applications for Harvard (as with most school) are due in early December. This application can be found on our department website. Students may also apply to the separate Chemical Biology program whose application can found online as well.

Our program does not require the GRE or chemistry GRE—though some schools still do. Harvard’s full application requirements can be found here.

Many fellowships can be applied to at the same time as applying to graduate school. The most common of these is the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program. In addition, the Hertz Fellowship and the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship Program are prominent programs. There are many other fellowships available, so please do not consider this an exhaustive list.

Unlike college applications, graduate school decisions arrive at unpredictable times, but most come out between February and March. Harvard (like most other schools) hosts a visiting weekend for admitted students somewhere around March or April, which you are very much encouraged to attend.

On-campus housing is available but most graduate students live in apartments. Finding an apartment in Cambridge can be a little tricky, so we encourage you to begin looking around four months before moving in. Several Facebook groups can help with this, in addition to apartment available through Harvard University Housing.

Harvard does not have entrance exams—though this is not a reason alone to apply to the program.

All first-year students (G1s) will rotate through at least three different labs during their first semester. These rotations are four weeks long and are designed to help new students make informed decisions on which lab to join.

You do not teach your first semester—hopefully allowing time to acclimate to Harvard and to our department. Beginning in your second semester, however, all students are expected to serve as teaching assistants (known as teaching fellows at Harvard) for two semesters. Many students will teach beyond this requirement, although this needs to be a discussion between you and your advisor.

You only need to take four courses, and most students fulfill this requirement by their second year. (N.B., Chemical Physics students need to take five courses.) These courses can be a combination of ones in chemistry and outside of the field, with specific guidelines clarified elsewhere.

Most students join a lab at the end of their first semester—though you have until June 30 of your first year if you need more time. Your relationship with your primary advisor is among the most important in graduate school, further motivating the rotation system and giving yourself the time and space to make an informed decision. In addition, you will meet with your thesis committee annually beginning in your third year.

Harvard (like most schools) has qualifying exams in the Spring of your second year. This consists of a written report and an oral presentation, and is intended to assess your early progress in the program and in your lab. This process can be stressful— despite the passing rate being over 95%—which is why the current graduate students have created a Qualify Exam Survival Guide.

After passing your Qualifying Exam, a three-member Thesis Committee will be formed, which is also known as your Graduate Advising Committee (GAC). This will include your advisor and two other faculty members, which may come from within the department or without. Please see the departments website for more specifics. You will formally meet with this committee on an annual basis, culminating in your thesis defense.

During your 3rd year, you will formally meet with your thesis committee for the first time. This 1 hour meeting is half a review of research to date and half proposing new research, and includes both a written part and a presentation. Importantly, your proposals can be within your field, and more specifics can be found here. You can’t consult your advisor when preparing your materials, but you are very much encouraged to talk with your group and others when preparing.

Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) organize the FAS Postdoctoral Association, which is “a community by and for the postdocs” aiming “to enrich the postdoc experience by providing opportunities for social and professional development.” The FAS Postdoctoral Association is entirely independent from the GPC. In addition, HWIC sponsors several events oriented towards postdocs and the department maintains a list of resources available to current and prospective postdocs.

Leah DeFrancesco is the CCB Research Scholar Coordinator and is the primary administrative support person for postdoctoral fellows. More information about this position can be found here. Please reach out to her via email (defrancesco@chemistry.harvard.edu) with any questions you have. She will either be able to answer you directly or direct you to the appropriate person or resources.