Application Information

  • Required Materials

    • Online application: The application will request information on the applicant's contact information, education, professional experience, and unofficial transcripts. The online application will also include essay questions and a place for recommenders to upload recommendation letters.
      • Please note: you will create a username and password for your online application (your username defaults to your email). Please be sure that you select an email that you will keep and check often.
      • The deadline to apply for the cohort beginning in September 2024 was January 16, 2024. Our next admissions season will begin on September 4, 2024.
    • College/University (school) information: You will enter the names of all college- and university-level schools you have attended and what year you completed your studies at that institution.
    • Transcripts: Applicants will upload unofficial transcripts to the online application. Transcripts must be in English or accompanied by an English translation. The program will request official transcripts from students who are admitted into the program.
    • Recommendations: Applicants must request letters of recommendation from three referees. You will email your referee directly from the online application to request these letters. The referee will complete their letter on the letterhead of the referee's organization and sign the letter. The referee will then upload the completed letter into the application system.
    • Personal statement and resume/CV: Applicants will upload a resume/CV and a personal statement (500 words max). The personal statement introduces you as an applicant and states your interest in the program. These statements are uploaded into the online application systems as PDF files. Generally, these personal statements are one to two pages in length.
    • Additional essay questions: Applicants will upload answers to the following prompts:
      • Please describe any experience you have had working in a resource-poor setting, including the length of stay, name of the organization, and description of the work completed. (500 words max)
      • Why are you interested in the Master of Medical Sciences in Global Health Delivery program? (500 words max)
      • Thinking 10 to 15 years into the future, what kind of career do you hope to have? (500 words max)
      • Each MMSc-GHD student must complete a 5-month on-site mentored project. Write about a topic that you would be interested in researching while in the program. Explain why you are interested in studying this topic and how you might pursue it (i.e., population and site locations). (500 words max) 
    • Test scores: The MMSc-GHD program will accept scores from the MCAT, GRE, and LSAT. You may upload a copy of these into the online system. More on standardized test scores below.
    • Application fee: All Harvard Medical School master's programs require a $100 application fee.
  • Standardized Test Scores

    Standardized test scores are recommended but not required for admission with one exception: to ensure an applicant has the necessary English language skills for success in the program, applicants must demonstrate proficiency in English. 

    Applicants demonstrate proficiency in English in one or more of these three ways:

    • Submit a transcript for a four-year undergraduate college/university degree where the language of instruction is English.
    • Or submit a transcript for a two-year graduate university degree where the language of instruction is English.
    • Or submit test scores for one of the English tests below. 

    Harvard Medical School's master’s programs accept TOEFL iBT, TOEFL Essentials, IELTS Academic, and Duolingo English Test. 

    Minimum Test Score Requirements:

    • TOEFL iBT: 103
    • TOEFL Essentials: 11
    • IELTS Academic: 7.5
    • Duolingo English Test: 130
  • Submitting Official Test Scores

    TOEFL iBT and TOEFL Essentials
    Code 3151: Harvard Medical School Graduate Education Master’s Programs.

    IELTS Academic
    Contact the test center where you took the IELTS test to request that your scores be sent via E-Delivery to:  

    Account Name: Harvard Medical School Graduate Education Master's Programs  

    Address: Graduate Education Master's Programs
    25 Shattuck Street
    Boston, MA 02115
    United States 

    Duolingo English Test:
    Search for “Harvard Medical School” and select the appropriate program.

  • Financial Aid Resources

    Please review the HMS Financial Aid Office website for details on Financial aid options beyond those listed below.

    Master’s Program Tuition Discount for Faculty and Staff at HMS and Affiliated Institutions

    Beginning for the entering class of AY20 (Fall 2019), full-time, benefits-eligible faculty and staff at HMS and the affiliated institutions/hospitals are eligible for a scholarship equivalent to 10% of the full-time tuition rate for any of the HMS Master’s Degree Programs (tuition only).  Please notify the program if you think you are eligible for this scholarship.  Students who are also considering applying for financial assistance should notify the HMS Financial Aid office of this scholarship opportunity.

    Scholarships available: Funding through MMSc-GHD internal scholarships

    The information on the MMSc-GHD scholarships is not included on the HMS Financial Aid Office website because it is only available to students admitted to the MMSc-GHD program.

    The Department of Global Health and Social Medicine (DGHSM) has limited scholarship funding. Students admitted to the MMSc-GHD program are eligible to apply for that scholarship funding. In addition, eligible students may apply for Federal Loans and private loans through the Harvard Medical School Financial Aid Office website for masters programs

    Due to limited resources, the DGHSM cannot guarantee that an applicant or admitted student will receive any funding. We strongly urge applicants and admitted students to pursue scholarship and loan opportunities beyond those available through our department to ensure they secure enough funding for the program.

    Below are some funding ideas you may consider as you conduct your own research:

    • The HMS Financial Aid office offers loan options for U.S. citizens and international students. 
    • The Fulbright Program offers funding for students from abroad seeking to pursue a master's degree in the U.S.