Admissions & Financial Aid

The deadlines for fall 2013 have now passed. Applicants for 2013 may continue to log in to the online application for updates. Applicants interested in fall 2014 can request information about our programs and events.

Harvard Divinity School attracts a talented and diverse student body engaged with the rich theological questions that undergird much of today’s scholarly, political, and social world.

We are delighted that you are interested in learning more about joining this vibrant academic community that prepares students for lives of leadership, ministry, and scholarship.

HDS graduates go on to a wide variety of professions and vocations, including ordained and lay ministry; chaplaincy; higher education teaching and research; public and private secondary education; community development, advocacy, and human services; management and consulting, especially nonprofit; public policy, law, conflict resolution, and mediation; the arts, publishing, communications, and media.

Students come to HDS because they are passionate about theological or religious study and ministry preparation and wish to explore this passion within the context of a wider university. Because HDS is one of the graduate Schools of Harvard University, students enjoy access to all the University's libraries and to courses and resources at the other Schools at Harvard. They study both with Harvard's Faculty of Divinity, which includes some of the most distinguished scholars of religion and practitioners of ministry in the world, and with faculty from other areas of the University.

The four degree programs HDS offers allow for a flexible curriculum in a rigorous academic environment. The three-year master of divinity program combines academic work with field education and preparation in the arts of ministry. The two-year master of theological studies program includes 18 areas of focus, ranging from East Asian religions to Hebrew Bible to religion, ethics, and politics. The doctor of theology degree program prepares scholars for teaching and research in their specialized fields, while the master of theology program provides a year of advanced theological studies for those seeking additional competence beyond the master of divinity degree.

In considering applicants, the HDS Admissions Committee uses selection criteria aimed at admitting a class that represents a wide range of academic interests, personal experiences and aspirations, and diversity in age, gender, religion, geographic region, race and ethnicity, and academic background.

In the spirit of Harvard University's commitment to assuring broader access to its educational resources, HDS is committed to providing financial assistance to all students who demonstrate need.

We invite you to explore the HDS website to learn about the financial aid available to help fund your graduate education; Diversity and Explorations, an HDS initiative intended to interest students underrepresented in the graduate study of religion, ministry, and theology; and the many other opportunities available to connect with the HDS community and learn about the admissions application process.