Before applying, confirm that three faculty members or others qualified to evaluate your potential for graduate study have agreed to submit letters of recommendation on your behalf. At least one letter should be from a faculty member at the school where you earned your most recent degree, unless you have been out of school for more than five years.
Your recommenders must submit their letters through the recommender portal by the application deadline: Harvard Griffin GSAS does not accept letters submitted via email, mail, or a dossier service.
During the application process, you will be asked whether you wish to waive your right to see these letters. By law, enrolled students have the right to view their letters of recommendation unless they indicate otherwise at the time of application. Learn more about your right to inspect letters of recommendation.
Can I submit my application before my recommenders submit their letters?
Yes. Please remember that letters of recommendation must be received by the graduate program’s application deadline.
How many letters of recommendation can be included in my application?
Harvard Griffin GSAS requires three letters of recommendation. You may ask additional recommenders to submit letters if you choose, however, it is not guaranteed that the admissions committee will review additional letters.
What if my recommender is unable to submit a letter in English?
If you have a recommender who is unable to submit a letter in English, they can choose to obtain a certified English translation of their letter. The recommender would need to upload a copy of their original letter in the language it was written, a copy of the English translation of the letter, and verification from the professional translator certifying the translation. Translations must be literal and complete versions of the original record. Harvard Griffin GSAS does not endorse a specific translator or translation service.