A concentration within the College
Harvard says students choose a concentration, its word for a major. The pages read describe no separate application to Comparative Literature.
Undergraduate · Harvard College
Harvard Comparative Literature: literature across languages, cultures and media
Harvard College admits students to the College, and Comparative Literature is one of the concentrations they can choose once enrolled. Harvard describes it as the department for students who want to cross boundaries between languages, cultures and disciplines, and invites students to build an individualised programme. This guide makes no claim of a separate application to Comparative Literature.
Official information · read 1 November 2026, no entry-year label
What Harvard says about Harvard Comparative Literature
Taken from Harvard's Department of Comparative Literature home 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.
Crossing boundaries
Harvard describes it as the department for students who want to cross boundaries between languages, cultures and disciplines.
Literature beside other arts and media
Students can study literature in relation to film, music, visual art or disciplines such as philosophy, government and religion.
An individualised programme
Harvard welcomes students who seek to formulate an individualised programme of study within the arts and humanities.
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 Comparative Literaturecomplit.fas.harvard.edu
- Harvard College: Application Requirementscollege.harvard.edu
Read on 1 November 2026 on Harvard's Department of Comparative Literature home 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 Comparative Literature concentration teaches
Harvard's concentrations page welcomes students interested in studying literature in more than one national and linguistic tradition, in relating literature to other arts and media such as film, music and visual art or to disciplines such as philosophy, government and religion, and in formulating an individualised programme of study. It says degrees in Comparative Literature build habits of mind that serve in many professions: writing well, reading critically, arguing analytically and speaking eloquently. Students are encouraged to try a Comparative Literature 100 course to see what the study involves.
Is it the right concentration?
Comparative Literature beside History and Literature and East Asian Studies
Harvard lists these as separate concentrations, so the choice is made after admission. Avandy's comparison is general.
Comparative Literature fits if
you want to read literature in more than one language or tradition and connect it to other arts.
History and Literature fits if
you want primary-source tutorials joining history and literature. Harvard lists it as a separate concentration.
East Asian Studies fits if
you want a language-based regional study. Harvard lists it as a separate concentration.
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 read in more than one language?
Harvard welcomes literature in more than one national and linguistic tradition.
Do you want literature joined to film, music or philosophy?
Harvard says students can explore literature in relation to other arts, media or disciplines.
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 Comparative Literature 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 Comparative Literature?
The pages read describe admission to Harvard College. Students choose a concentration, Harvard's word for a major, once enrolled.
What kind of student does Comparative Literature welcome?
Harvard welcomes students interested in more than one national and linguistic tradition, in literature related to other arts, media or disciplines, and in an individualised programme of study.
How can I get a sense of the concentration?
Harvard encourages students to enrol in any Comparative Literature 100 class.
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 Comparative Literature
Tell us about the student's curriculum, the languages and literatures they read, their interest in other arts and media, 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.