Starting next fall, Harvard College will welcome a limited number of transfer students from other colleges and universities. This decision follows a temporary suspension of the transfer program in 2008.
Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Michael D. Smith, and Dean of Harvard College, Evelynn Hammonds, announced that a recent review confirmed sufficient residential space for the upcoming academic year. They highlighted, “Over the years, the transfer program has been a source of outstanding students who have made significant contributions to society. We look forward to welcoming a new group of transfer students this fall.”
The deans emphasized that residential accommodation is crucial for a successful transfer program. “Undergraduate education at Harvard College is fundamentally residential,” they noted. “Students benefit greatly from the House experience, which complements classroom and laboratory activities.”
Eligibility for transfer admission generally requires students to have completed at least one year but not more than two years of full-time study at another institution. Harvard’s financial aid policies extend to cover transfer students.
Marlene Vergara Rotner, director of transfer admissions, explained, “Harvard seeks students with clear academic interests that can be well-served here. Applicants should be enrolled in a challenging liberal arts curriculum that includes mathematics, science, and a foreign language.”
She added, “Transfer admission criteria closely mirror those for freshman admissions, focusing on creativity, intellectual curiosity, and independent thinking. Other factors considered include nonacademic talents, personal qualities such as leadership, energy, character, motivation, and a sense of responsibility.”
For more detailed information about the transfer program, visit the Admissions Office website.
A memorial tribute to the late John E. Malmstad was read during a meeting of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences on October 6, 2026. However, the text of the tribute is not included in the provided article.
The article also briefly mentions other topics such as why people love the Charles River, parenting styles, and smartphone addiction, but these are not directly related to the main news about Harvard’s transfer student program.
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News is prepared from public university announcements for general guidance. Policies change frequently; confirm current details with each university admissions office.