Harvard Outreach Newsletter

152nd Issue, April 2026

In this issue:

  • Welcome Class of 2030!
  • Information for students who have received offers of admission to US colleges
  • Orientation Program
  • Pre-Orientation Programs
  • Information for students who will be applying to US colleges next year

Welcome Class of 2030!

Click here to watch this ‘Welcome’ video for the Class of 2030

Admissions decisions for the Class of 2030 (who will commence their studies in August 2026) were posted on the applicants’ online portal on 26 March, and those offered places included an excellent group from the UK.  Congratulations to all of you!

The Harvard Club of the UK is holding a ‘Welcome’ event for UK admits, their parents and interviewers in London on Sunday 17 May.  All UK admits have already received an invitation to the event, which was a huge success last year (see photo below).

Some of last year’s UK admits to Harvard College (Class of 2029) line up for a group photograph at the 2025 ‘Welcome’ event. (Photo subject to copyright)

Information for students who have received offers of admission from Harvard and/or other US colleges

Firstly, many congratulations on receiving an offer of admission from one or more US colleges. You have until the national deadline of Friday 1 May to accept, decline or defer any offers you have received.

How do I respond to my offer from Harvard? To reply to your offer of admission, to apply for housing, and to find out about your financial aid decision, go to the online portal you have been using throughout your application and respond online. You will be able to join your classmates on campus in August, when there will be comprehensive orientation and pre-orientation programs available to help you get settled in before you start your classes.

Orientation Program

First-Year Orientation for the Class of 2030 will take place from the evening of Wednesday 26 August until Tuesday 1 September. The full schedule will be made available in early August. Students should not plan additional events outside of Orientation as there will be full days of activities.

Virtual orientation will also be available. Through several online modules, first-year students will learn about the many resources, offices, and individuals who will accompany them throughout their undergraduate journey at Harvard College. More instructions on how to access and complete the modules prior to moving in will be shared over the summer.

In previous years, Harvard’s Orientation Program has included:

  • Organised workouts at the Harvard gyms
  • Regular walking tours of campus
  • ‘First-Year Fling’, the opening social of the year for first-years only
  • Training regarding laws, regulations, and university policies
  • Intramural field day, optional day of sports events & games
  • Day of Service – optional day of volunteering around Cambridge and Boston community programs
  • Extracurricular fair
  • Concentrations fair
  • The First-Year Convocation – a formal welcoming event in Harvard Yard with music and speeches, followed by a barbeque. (See photo).
Students at a First-Year Convocation ceremony.

Pre-Orientation Programs

First-year students get to know each other at a Pre-Orientation social event

Harvard’s Pre-Orientation Programs are designed to provide new students with additional support and resources to ease them into college life. There are six programs to choose from, and they take place from mid to late August. The programs occur simultaneously; therefore, participation is limited to one. They enable first-years to build relationships with their peers who share similar interests, learn about student life at Harvard from upper-level student mentors, and connect with faculty and professional staff who are invested in their success.

For further information, see the pre-orientation page of the Harvard College website.

Summary of the six Pre-Orientation Programs

First-Year Arts Program (FAP)

FAP is a multidisciplinary introduction to the arts at Harvard, bringing together students who are passionate about the arts, enthusiastic to share their interests, and eager to learn.  No formal training is required.

First-Year Outdoor Program (FOP)

FOP is a great way to meet new classmates and to ease the adjustment from high school to college. No outdoor experience is necessary to participate.

First-Year Retreat and Experience (FYRE)

FYRE aims to provide first-generation, low-income first-year students with the resources and community to feel supported, celebrated, and ready to take ownership of their Harvard experience.

First-Year Urban Program (FUP)

The First-Year Urban Program (FUP) is an immersive pre-orientation experience that engages and inspires incoming first-year students to pursue civic paths by orienting them to campus civic offices and community partners while helping them find their public purpose at Harvard College.

First-Year International Program (FIP)

The First-Year International Program (FIP) is a pre-orientation program for international students and U.S. residents who have lived and studied primarily overseas. Participants receive foundational information for a happy, successful start at Harvard, including sessions and discussions about U.S. and Harvard culture. Participants also receive support with practical matters like setting up a bank account and cell phone service.

Leadership Institute for the First-Year Experience (LIFE)

The LIFE program provides first-year students the opportunity to discover, reflect and exercise what it means to be leaders and change makers at Harvard College, within their communities, and in society at large. No formal leadership training or experience is required.

First-year pastoral support

First year Harvard students outside their dorm

For many students, going to college will be the first time they have left home. To help with the transition from living with parents/guardians to living with other students in a large community, Harvard first-years have access to a number of different advisers.

Your first-year advising team will include:

• Advising Programs Office – offers centralised advising support. The staff at the APO will offer a series of virtual seminars over the summer and optional one-on-one drop-in appointments with advisers to help students plan their course schedule.

• Resident Deans of First-Year Students take care of the overall well-being of first-year students at Harvard College. They track their students’ academic progress, advise first-year students, and supervise Proctors in their affiliated residences.

• Proctor – this is an administrator or graduate student who lives in your dormitory and acts as your resource for personal, residential, social, and other issues. Each Proctor oversees an entryway community of approximately 20-40 students, and helps plan residence-based social activities.

• Peer Advising Fellow (PAF) is an older Harvard student who has been specially trained to offer assistance throughout your first year. PAFs work with a specific dorm entryway, but don’t live in first year dorms. As your peers, PAFs have a unique perspective within the advising team. They can give you advice on how to balance your curricular and extracurricular choices, how to face the challenges of transitioning to college life, and how to tap into College resources.

Information for students in the penultimate year of secondary school who will be applying to Harvard and/or other US colleges next year

This information is relevant to the following UK year groups:

Year 12 (England and Wales)
S5 (Scotland)
Year 13 (Northern Ireland)

How does Harvard assess its candidates?

To assess its candidates, the Admissions Office carries out what it calls a ‘whole person review.’ It looks at everything about a candidate, not just grades and scores:

Where can I find further information about the assessment process?  Please read the Admissions Overview on the Harvard College website.

What admissions criteria does the Harvard Admissions Committee use?  There is no formula for gaining admission to Harvard.  Academic accomplishment in your secondary school is important, but the Admissions Committee also considers many other criteria, such as community involvement, leadership, distinction in extracurricular activities, and personal qualities and character.  The Committee relies on teachers, university advisors, and alumni to share information about an applicant’s strength of character, their ability to overcome adversity, and other personal qualities. 

Will I have to take standardized tests?  Yes. Harvard requires the SAT or ACT to meet its standardized testing requirement.  In exceptional cases, when those are not accessible for a student, one of the following can meet the requirement:

  • AP exam results
  • IB Actual or Predicted Scores
  • GCSE/A-Level Actual or Predicted Results
  • National Leaving Exams Results (externally assessed) or Predictions

Exceptional cases typically involve a student facing challenges in paying for or accessing a test site or a student being unable to secure an available seat at a test site prior to the Regular Decision deadline.  

Will I have access to financial aid?  Yes. Harvard’s generous financial aid program means that families with an income of less than $100,000 (around £75,000) per year with average assets will typically receive a free Harvard education.  Full details can be found on the Harvard College website.

Where can I find information about Harvard’s application requirements generally?  You will find excellent information in this article.

Do you have any application tips?  Yes. This article contains many useful tips about how to fill out the main application as well as the Harvard supplement. 

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