A concentration within the College
Harvard says students choose a concentration, its word for a major. The pages read describe no separate application to Chemistry.
Undergraduate · Harvard College
Harvard Chemistry: the science of matter, with research by senior year
Harvard College admits students to the College, and Chemistry is one of the concentrations they can choose once enrolled. Harvard describes chemistry as the science of the structure, properties and reactions of matter and says every concentrator should have an authentic research experience by the end of senior year. This guide makes no claim of a separate application to Chemistry.
Official information · read 1 November 2026, no entry-year label
What Harvard says about Harvard Chemistry
Taken from Harvard's Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology undergraduate programs page, Harvard College's Concentrations page and Application Requirements page, read on 1 November 2026. The pages carry no entry-year label, so for a 2028-entry application every statement below is evidence for the previous cycle and may change; check Harvard's pages for the 2028-entry details.
Research is expected
Harvard says all students in the concentration should take part in an authentic research experience by the end of their senior year.
Introductory chemistry in both terms
First-year students should take one introductory chemistry course in the fall and one in the spring.
Related concentrations nearby
The department also supports the Chemistry and Physics and Chemical and Physical Biology concentrations.
Calculus is not an admission requirement
Harvard says it views math records holistically with no specific course required, and calculus is not required for admission.
The SAT or ACT is required
Harvard requires one of them; A-level and IB school reports carry predicted grades.
Official sources
- Harvard College: Concentrations (Liberal Arts & Sciences)college.harvard.edu
- Harvard Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology: undergraduate programschemistry.harvard.edu
- Harvard College: Application Requirementscollege.harvard.edu
Read on 1 November 2026 on Harvard's Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology undergraduate programs page, Harvard College's Concentrations page and Application Requirements page, which describes 2027 entry. The pages carry no entry-year label. Harvard's course catalogue, the full requirement lists, fees, deadlines and financial aid were not read and are not stated.
The concentration
What the Chemistry concentration teaches
Harvard's concentrations page defines chemistry as the science of the structure, properties and reactions of matter, fundamental to understanding biology, biochemistry and parts of geology, astronomy, physics and engineering. Graduates gain skills from reading scientific papers to conducting experiments safely and ethically and proposing solutions to novel problems. First-year students choose among introductory options such as Chemistry 10, Life Sciences 1a and Physical Sciences 11, and Chemistry 10 fulfils two semesters of general chemistry. This guide does not list the full requirements.
Is it the right concentration?
Chemistry beside Chemical and Physical Biology and Physics
Harvard lists these as separate concentrations, so the choice is made after admission. Avandy's comparison is general.
Chemistry fits if
you want chemistry itself, with laboratory research as a foundation.
Chemical and Physical Biology fits if
you want chemical and physical tools aimed at biology. Avandy's Harvard Chemical and Physical Biology guide covers it.
Physics fits if
your interest is the physical laws behind matter. Avandy's Harvard Physics guide covers it.
Admission and testing
A College application, an SAT or ACT, and predicted grades
Harvard requires the SAT or ACT, and accepts other results such as the IB or A levels only in exceptional cases when those tests are not accessible. Schools on the IB or A-level curriculum are expected to send predicted grades. Harvard says calculus is not required for admission and no specific math course is required. This guide states no score.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not Harvard's.
Do you want to do laboratory research as part of the degree?
Harvard says every student should have an authentic research experience.
Are chemistry and mathematics comfortable first-year foundations?
First-year students take introductory chemistry in both terms.
Can you plan the SAT or ACT with your A levels or IB?
Harvard requires one of them for first-year applicants.
Planning for 2028 entry
Planning for 2028 entry: what carries over and what is awaiting publication
Harvard's pages carry no entry-year label, so nothing on them is confirmed for 2028 entry. Use them to understand the structure of the application, then check Harvard's own pages for the 2028-entry details.
The requirements and descriptions on the pages read on 1 November 2026, which carry no entry-year label
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Harvard has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
Deadlines, fees, financial aid and any department prerequisites not quoted here: not stated
This guide has not read them. Check Harvard for the values that apply to your application year.
What to do now
Read the Chemistry entry on Harvard's concentrations page and the department page, and plan the SAT or ACT alongside your A levels or IB.
Support
Independent support with planning your own application
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with Harvard College or any of its colleges or departments. Preparation sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant, a PhD-level Academic Mentor and a Subject-specific Tutor, working to the actual requirements of each course. Support here is limited to understanding the requirements and planning the applicant's own work; Avandy does not write or edit essays, does not submit any materials and has no partnership with Harvard College. No outcome is promised.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
Can I apply directly to Harvard Chemistry?
The pages read describe admission to Harvard College. Students choose a concentration, Harvard's word for a major, once enrolled.
Which department teaches Chemistry?
The department page says the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology is the home for the undergraduate Chemistry concentration.
Is research required?
Harvard says it believes all students in the concentration should participate in an authentic research experience by the end of senior year.
Do I need calculus before applying?
Harvard says calculus is not a requirement for admission and that no specific math course is required.
Do I need the SAT or ACT with A levels or the IB?
Harvard requires the SAT or ACT; IB or A-level results meet the requirement only in exceptional cases when those tests are not accessible.
Are these the rules for 2028 entry?
No. They are Harvard's wording with no entry-year label. Check Harvard's pages again when Harvard publishes its 2028-entry requirements.
Students and families
Talk to us about Harvard Chemistry
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their chemistry, physics and mathematics, their interest in laboratory research and their SAT or ACT plan, the universities on the list, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.