HBS welcomes students from around the globe. The admissions criteria applied in evaluating international applicants are the same as those for US citizens. All application materials, including transcripts and recommendations, must be submitted online and in English. See Application Process for a detailed explanation of our MBA application process and requirements.
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.
English Language Test
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.
A TOEFL, IELTS, Pearson Test of English (PTE), or Duolingo English Test is required if you did not attend an undergraduate institution where the sole language of instruction is English. If you completed a graduate degree which was taught in English, it is recommended you submit one of these tests, but it is not required.
HBS does not have a minimum test score to apply, however, the MBA Admissions Board discourages any candidate with a TOEFL score lower than 109 on the IBT, an IELTS score lower than 7.5, a PTE score lower than 75, or a Duolingo score lower than 145 from applying.
Be advised that in order to apply in the 2024-2025 cycle, scores must be dated as follows:
| If you are applying in… | Your English Language test date must fall on or between |
|---|---|
| Round 1 | September 4, 2022 and August 30, 2024 |
| Round 2 | January 6, 2023 and January 1, 2025 |
| 2+2 Round | April 23, 2023 and April 18, 2025 |
All applicants must request that ETS (for the TOEFL), IELTS, Pearson (for the PTE), or Duolingo send official copies of their scores to HBS. Please note that the HBS code for the TOEFL is 3444. For IELTS, PTE, and Duolingo please follow instructions provided by IELTS, PTE, and Duolingo.
To obtain information about these tests, visit: www.toefl.org or www.ielts.org or www.pearsonpte.com or www.duolingo.com.