A concentration within the College
Harvard says students choose a concentration, its word for a major. The pages read describe no separate application to Environmental Science and Public Policy.
Undergraduate · Harvard College
Harvard Environmental Science and Public Policy: science and policy together
Harvard College admits students to the College, and Environmental Science and Public Policy (ESPP) is one of the concentrations they can choose once enrolled. Harvard founds it on the premise that judging environmental challenges needs scientific understanding and an appreciation of economic, political, legal, historical and ethical dimensions. This guide makes no claim of a separate application to ESPP.
Official information · read 1 November 2026, no entry-year label
What Harvard says about Harvard Environmental Science and Public Policy
Taken from Harvard's Environmental Science and Public Policy academics 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.
A science-and-policy core
All students meet a core in the physical, biological and social sciences and mathematics.
A specialisation of your own
Students design an individual plan of advanced study around natural or social science relating to the environment.
Junior-year seminars integrate the fields
The department describes the junior seminars as the central integrating component of the concentration.
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 Environmental Science and Public Policy: academicsespp.fas.harvard.edu
- Harvard College: Application Requirementscollege.harvard.edu
Read on 1 November 2026 on Harvard's Environmental Science and Public Policy academics 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 ESPP concentration teaches
Harvard's concentrations page describes ESPP as a multidisciplinary introduction to current problems of the environment, built on the premise that rational judgements about environmental challenges need both scientific and technical understanding and an appreciation of economic, political, legal, historical and ethical dimensions. All students take courses in biology, chemistry, earth and environmental sciences, economics, government and mathematics, and then specialise in natural or social science relating to the environment. The gateway list offers introductory courses on the oceans, climate, energy and water, and encourages mathematics and chemistry in the first year. This guide does not list the full requirements.
Is it the right concentration?
ESPP beside Earth and Planetary Sciences and the engineering options
Harvard lists these as separate concentrations, so the choice is made after admission. Avandy's comparison is general.
ESPP fits if
you want environmental science and public policy joined, with a specialisation you design.
Earth and Planetary Sciences fits if
you want the Earth's systems and history as a science. Avandy's Harvard Earth and Planetary Sciences guide covers it.
An engineering concentration fits if
you want to design environmental technology. Avandy's Harvard engineering guides cover the model.
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 policy and ethics alongside the science?
ESPP's premise is that both are needed.
Which environmental field would you specialise in?
Students design their own field of specialisation.
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 Environmental Science and Public Policy 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 Environmental Science and Public Policy?
The pages read describe admission to Harvard College. Students choose a concentration, Harvard's word for a major, once enrolled.
Does ESPP include policy as well as science?
Yes. Harvard says the concentration combines scientific understanding with economic, political, legal, historical and ethical dimensions.
Is there a thesis?
The department says students wishing to graduate with honours are expected to write a thesis on a specific environmental issue.
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 Environmental Science and Public Policy
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their sciences and social sciences, how they weigh environmental science against policy 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.