1. What are the application dates?
The current application deadline for September 2024 admission is December 15, 2023.
2. Can students apply to begin in the Spring semester?
Offers of admission are made for the Fall only.
3. What is the minimum score required for the GRE/TOEFL?
The department does not have a minimum score requirement for the GRE. The minimum required score for the TOEFL is 80, while the minimum score for the IELTS is 6.5. Per the Admissions Office, students for whom English is a second language are only able to waive the TOEFL/IELTS requirement if they hold a Bachelor's degree from a university where instruction is primarily in English. Even applicants holding a Master’s degree (but not a Bachelor’s) from an Anglophone institution are required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores. To read more about standardized testing requirements, visit this page.
4. How important is the GRE?
GRE scores are one among many factors in deciding whether or not to admit an applicant. The department considers GRE scores alongside the statement of purpose, academic record, writing sample, and letters of recommendation.
5. What should I write in my Statement of Purpose?
The statement of purpose is a key factor in deciding whether to admit a candidate. Your statement should be focused, informative, and convey your research interests and qualifications. You should provide a vivid picture of your intellectual profile: how you formulate research topics, how you pursue them, and how you articulate any interesting findings. It is important to emphasize how these experiences have influenced both your decision to undertake graduate study and your goals within the EALC/HEAL graduate program. You should also indicate which Faculty members you are interested in working with, should you be admitted to the program.
6. What is the required length of the writing sample/statement of purpose?
There is no fixed length for either, though on average statements of purpose are1–3 pages, while writing samples are generally 20–25 pages, with 25 pages being the maximum acceptable length. If your writing sample is an excerpt from a longer piece of work, such as a thesis, you may include a brief abstract to provide context.
7. Is there a Master’s Degree program?
The Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations accepts applications only for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), and grants the PhD degree either in East Asian Languages and Civilizations (EALC) or in History and East Asian Languages (HEAL). The Department does not offer a Master’s. Students interested in the Master of Arts degree should apply to the AM program administered by the Committee on Regional Studies-East Asia.
8. How does financial aid work?
Harvard guarantees full financial support to PhD students—including tuition, health fees, and basic living expenses—for a minimum of five years. This multiyear funding package includes a combination of tuition grants, stipends, traineeships, teaching fellowships, research assistantships, and other academic appointments. Click here for more information on funding for PhD students.
9. Should I contact the Faculty members I want to work with?
It is not necessary to contact faculty members directly, but you may e-mail them if you like. Applicants should indicate on their applications which professors they wish to work with.
10. How should I choose my writing sample?
An ideal writing sample pertains to your desired area of focus and demonstrates your ability to use and cite both primary and secondary sources skillfully.
11. How competitive is admission to the programs?
Admission to the EALC and HEAL degree programs is extremely competitive. In an average year, the Department receives over one hundred and fifty applications for about ten slots.
12. When will I learn whether I have been admitted to the program?
Notification of admissions decisions is typically issued in mid-March. You can check the status of your application online at any time.