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Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of transcripts will I have to provide in my application?

You’ll need to provide HDS with unofficial transcripts for all post-secondary institutions where you have completed, or are currently pursuing a degree, unless the courses and grades from a previous institution are listed on your current, degree-bearing institution’s transcript. You don’t need to submit a separate transcript if they were courses completed at the college level while you were in high school, although you are welcome to submit those if you would like to. If you have any questions about your transcript(s), please contact our office at...
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What is the admissions timeline?

Harvard Divinity School has a single annual application cycle for fall enrollment. Each year, our application is available in mid-September, and the application deadline is in early January. All decisions will be released via our online system in mid-March. Admitted students will receive their financial aid information within 24 hours of their admissions decision, if they applied for need-based aid.

What is the reapplication process?

Applicants may reapply for admission to HDS. Applicants that have applied to HDS within the past three years may elect to reuse up to three letters of recommendation from their previous application. Please find more information on this process, including a Letter of Recommendation Reuse form, in the application instructions within the HDS online application for admission. If you submit this form, please do not submit your application for admission until you have received a response from HDS Admissions.

If you have any questions, or would like guidance on...

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What is the difference between an MDiv and an MTS?

The master of divinity (MDiv)  is a three-year full-time program, in which students work at the intersections of the academic study of religion and the practices of religious communities, the past and the present, classroom study and field study, and the convictions and practices of their own religious tradition and the convictions and practices of traditions other than their own. The MDiv prepares students for ministerial engagement in a wide range of settings.

The master of theological studies (MTS) program is a two-year full-time degree that enables students to explore deeply and broadly the languages, literatures, thought, institutions, practices, normative claims, and structures of a variety of theological fields and religious traditions. It also enables students to think critically, with sophistication and self-awareness, about the scholarly study of these concepts and traditions.

View a comparison chart of all HDS degree programs.

What is the minimum GPA requirement?

We do not have a minimum GPA (grade point average). The admissions committee reviews each application holistically and each component of the application is carefully reviewed with the knowledge that successful HDS students possess strengths in different areas. The components of the application are intended to allow you to demonstrate, in a variety of ways, your academic preparation to engage in graduate-level theological study at Harvard Divinity School.

How do I submit my transcript?

Applicants are required to upload unofficial transcripts from each postsecondary institution that they have attended in the academic history section of the application. All transcripts should show courses completed, grades received, duration of study, and degree or diploma received, if applicable.

Please keep in mind that you will need to provide official transcripts (and translations, if applicable) for verification, should you be admitted. HDS reserves the right to withdraw an offer of admission if there is a discrepancy between an applicant’s uploaded transcript and...

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Does HDS prepare students who plan to be ordained and lead congregations?

If your call is to be ordained and serve a church, HDS has a deep and long-standing commitment of preparing people for pastoral ministry. This is supported by denominational counselors who work with students in fulfilling the specific requirements of particular denominations. Students engage in field education in church placements and take classes that meet denominational requirements. Ordination in Buddhist communities usually is arranged by that community. Similarly, ordination as a Rabbi (smicha) usually follows extensive work with appropriate Jewish authorities in addition to the degree requirements of HDS.

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