FAQs

December 1, 2026 for Entry in the Fall of 2027

The Online Application generally becomes available beginning in early September.

The average GRE General Test scores for students admitted to the 2017 incoming class of students were as follows:    Verbal: 164 / 94%   Quantitative: 168 / 95%   Writing Analysis: 5 / 93%

Please Note:  As of the 2018-19 application year, the Biophysics Program is no longer requiring the submittal of GRE General Test scores for applicants to the program.

The GRE Subject Test is NOT a required part of the application to the Biophysics Program.

Please Note:  The GRE General Test scores are no longer being required for applicants to the Biophysics Graduate Program.

The average year to degree for all students in the Biophysics Program to complete the PhD is 5.4 years.

In the month of December, all applications and supporting materials that have been received are read and reviewed by a Committee of Faculty Reviewers, who then meet to discuss and decide on those students whom the Biophysics Program Co-Chairs and Program Administrator will invite to our In-Person Interview/ Recruitment Visit Weekend with Harvard Biophysics faculty, and current students.  The past admissions cycle interviews took place from February 5th-6th, 2026. Students invited to interview visits were contacted prior to January 1st, 2026. Based on student applications and interviews, the Biophysics Program then confers with the Office of the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences to receive approval for the proposed list of admitted and waitlisted students. Official notification of admission into the Biophysics Program comes from the Office of the Dean of GSAS.

Notification for those being invited to interview and visit for the Biophysics Program is expected to be made prior to new year's day.

The GSAS Admissions Office attempts to notify students as quickly as possible regarding the outcome of the application process. Students who are being invited to Interview and the annual In-Person Recruitment Visit Weekend will receive notification from the Biophysics Program Co-Chairs, plus the Program Administrator, as soon as possible after the meeting of the Faculty Review Committee. Once final admissions decisions are made, and the Biophysics Program receives approval of our proposed admitted students from the Dean of GSAS, those students will be notified by the Biophysics Program Co-Chairs and through the GSAS Dean and Office of Admissions. Students who are not being extended an offer of admission, may see notification of the decision status posted in their GSAS Application Portal. There are some instances where a decision to admit or to deny admission to an applicant is contingent on additional factors and the receipt of additional information before a final admissions decision can be made, in which case the notification of the applicant may be delayed.

Dates for the Fall 2027 entry into the Biophysics Program are being determined.

For the 2025-2026 Admissions Season, the Biophysics Program held an In-Person Interview/ Recruitment Visit during February, 5th & 6th, 2026, as part of its admissions process for Fall 2026 entry. 

The Biophysics Program's Admissions Decision Committee makes a decision on those applicants we want to invite to visit the program.  We then invite a select group of students to interview and visit the University, to meet with current students and faculty members in both formal and informal events and through individual meetings with those faculty members in whose research the student is interested.  The visit weekend includes meals and outings with current students, a Student & Faculty Reception and Dinner, the Annual Mini-Symposium and Poster Session, and usually an excursion or activity in and around the Boston/ Cambridge area during the visit.   The Interview/ Recruitment Visit dates for the upcoming year have not been set, as of yet. 

Applicants from the Harvard Medical School MD-PhD Program and who are considered Track 1 MD-PhD students should submit a "pre-application" by October 15th, 2026, to be considered for entry in the Fall of 2027.  The application should be completed in the GSAS Application Portal and downloaded (or screenshots saved) without completing the submittal of the application to GSAS.  On receiving the "pre-application" (to be sent to the Program Administrator), the Biophysics Faculty Admissions Review Committee will read the application, and we will set up times for interviews for the applicant with members of the Admissions Committee.  Student applicants who are considered appropriate for the Biophysics Program will then be invited to submit their finalized application to the program through the GSAS Application Portal.  Decisions on whether or not an MD-PhD student applicant will be invited to submit a finalized, official application, with the understanding that they will be accepted into the program for Fall 2027, will be communicated to the student by November 15th, 2026.  Please reach out to the Biophysics Program Administrator as soon as possible, if planning to submit an application in case any procedural/ application system changes have gone into effect.

Harvard Medical School MD-PhD students who are not considered a Track 1 MD-PhD student should apply by the December 1, 2026 application deadline through the GSAS/ HILS Application Portal to be considered for admission as part of the Biophysics Program's usual admissions decision process.

MD-PhD students admitted starting in the 2025-2026 admissions cycle will be required to do rotations in at least 2 Biophysics Program labs (either as part of their MD-PhD program rotations prior to starting in the Biophysics Program and/or once admitted to the Program), consistent with the current program requirement for PhD-only Biophysics students.

GSAS is committed to ensuring that our application fee does not create a financial obstacle. Applicants can determine eligibility for a fee waiver by completing a series of questions in the Application Fee section of the application. Once these questions have been answered, the application system will provide an immediate response regarding fee waiver eligibility. The application fee is non-refundable.  Please see the GSAS Admissions Page for more Information.