A concentration, not a separate admission
Harvard says students choose a concentration, its word for a major. The pages read describe no separate application to Government.
Undergraduate · Harvard College
Harvard Government: political science chosen within the College
Harvard College admits students to the College, not to the Department of Government, and Government is the concentration where Harvard teaches political science. Harvard describes it as an umbrella for many political subjects and approaches, standing at the crossroads of history, law, economics, sociology, philosophy and ethics. For an A-level or IB applicant interested in politics, the useful questions are how Government differs from a UK Politics degree, what the department's pages say about structure, and what Harvard requires for testing. This guide claims no separate application to Government.
Official information · read 31 October 2026, no entry-year label
What Harvard says about Harvard Government
Taken from Harvard College's Concentrations page, the Department of Government undergraduate page and the Application Requirements page, read on 31 October 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.
Five gateway courses
The listed gateways are Foundations of Political Theory, Comparative Politics, American Government, International Conflict and Cooperation and Data.
A methods requirement and a sophomore tutorial
The department's pages list a methods requirement, a Sophomore Tutorial, subfield and elective requirements, a joint concentration, honours theses and a senior capstone project.
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 Government: Undergraduategov.harvard.edu
- Harvard College: Application Requirementscollege.harvard.edu
Read on 31 October 2026 on Harvard College's Concentrations page, the Department of Government undergraduate page and the Application Requirements page, which describes 2027 entry. The pages carry no entry-year label. Harvard's course catalogue, the Government concentration requirement pages, the honours thesis and capstone pages, fees, deadlines and financial aid were not read and are not stated.
The concentration
What Harvard says Government is
Harvard's concentrations page says Government, like political science, covers a wide range of political subjects and approaches and borrows from history, law, economics, sociology, philosophy and ethics while building theories and methods of its own. The stated aims are to make students critical of their unexamined assumptions, to give breadth in political science, to let each student chart a distinctive path through electives and at least one required seminar, and to encourage students to produce research. The department's undergraduate pages list a methods requirement, a Sophomore Tutorial, subfield and elective requirements, a joint concentration and a secondary field. This guide did not read those requirement pages.
Is it the right concentration?
Government, or something with more quantitative method
Harvard describes each concentration separately, so the choice is made after admission. Avandy's comparison is general.
Government fits if
your interest is politics, institutions and political ideas, and you want to read, argue and write about them.
Economics fits if
you want to analyse markets and institutions with economic theory. Avandy's Harvard Economics guide covers that concentration.
Compare with UK Politics degrees if
you are weighing a single-subject degree against a liberal-arts one. UK courses admit you to the subject; Harvard admits you to the College.
Admission and testing
A College application, an SAT or ACT, and predicted grades
Harvard requires the SAT or ACT, and accepts IB or A-level results as a substitute 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. 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 breadth in political science?
The gateway list spans theory, comparative politics, American government and international relations.
Are you comfortable with a methods requirement?
The department lists one, and one gateway course is called Data.
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 31 October 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 department's undergraduate pages and plan the SAT or ACT.
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 Government?
The pages read describe admission to Harvard College. Students choose a concentration, Harvard's word for a major, once enrolled.
What are the gateway courses?
Foundations of Political Theory, Foundations of Comparative Politics, American Government, International Conflict and Cooperation and Data.
Is there a thesis or capstone?
The department's pages list honours theses and a senior capstone project. This guide did not read the requirements.
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?
Yes. Harvard requires one of them; other tests count 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 Government
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their interest in politics, their writing and quantitative work 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.