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Why Choose Harvard?

One of the great benefits of studying life sciences at Harvard is access to state-of-the-art research facilities across the University.

The Cambridge campus provides superlative facilities to conduct cutting-edge research. The Longwood Medical Area in Boston comprises one of the most concentrated areas of scientific research facilities in the United States and many HILS faculty affiliates have their laboratories at some of the world’s premier medical research entities located at the Harvard Medical School, the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, and throughout the greater Boston area. Harvard Core Facilities, or shared central laboratories, provide resources and services that are beyond the means of most individual labs. Harvard is fortunate to have a world-class array of these important resources, some of which are shown above.

Harvard Griffin GSAS also offers PhD students guaranteed full financial support, including stipends and grants for tuition and health insurance. Funding for HILS students comes from a range of sources, including Harvard University, training and research grants, and student-won fellowships. 

Because different points of view are critical to life sciences research, you will join a diverse scholarly community where advancing knowledge often requires bringing a new perspective or approach to a problem. At Harvard Griffin GSAS, we strive to create an inclusive community where all students can thrive and grow academically and personally. The School is proud of its diverse community representing many abilities, belief systems, ethnicities, genders, nationalities, races, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic statuses and welcomes applications from all groups underrepresented in graduate education, particularly Black and African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and native Pacific islanders.

In addition, Harvard Griffin GSAS and Harvard University offer a wealth of resources to support you academically and personally throughout your graduate experience:

  • academic resources and career resources for enhancing writing, research, and teaching skills and for planning academic and nonacademic career paths
  • access to a large, vibrant, and diverse alumni network for mentorship, career exploration, and social, cultural, and intellectual engagement
  • health and wellness services, such as comprehensive health care and a range of resources promoting physical and mental wellness
  • a community of inclusion fostered by Harvard Griffin GSAS and supported in part by the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging and the Disability Access Office
  • opportunities to connect with a community of students who share common interests and goals through graduate student groups such as GSAS Minority Biomedical Scientists of Harvard, Harvard Graduate Women in Science and Engineering, GSAS Harvard Biotechnology Club, and more
  • the Student Center at Harvard Griffin GSAS, where students and faculty from multiple disciplines interact with one another and participate in activities such as dinners, discussion groups, language tables, dances, concerts, ski trips, and other outings.
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