It's that time again!
For the fifth time, the Harvard Scholarship Foundation Germany e.V. organizes the "Road to Harvard - Competition".
- You think a university like Harvard is out of your reach?
- You don’t know yet if you are going to go to university, but you are committed to social causes, have a favorite subject and are passionate about a certain area, such as economics, politics, sports, science or culture?
- You really would like to attend a Harvard Summer Course and find out what’s involved in the application process?
Win a Two-Week Harvard Summer Course in 2027 at one of the best universities in the world!
The 2-Week Harvard Pre-College Program is exclusively on campus and offers over 100 non-credit courses. You will thrive in a dynamic, immersive and supportive academic environment alongside peers from around the world.
Application Requirements for the Road to Harvard Competition
- You are at least 15 years old and will not turn 19 before July 31, 2027
- You attend a high school
- You hold a German Passport and live in Germany
Participation in the competition
Phase 1:
a) Write a motivation letter in English and include answers to the following questions:
- Tell us about your life situation and your family.
- Tell us about your skills and achievements, e.g. in the fields of science, culture, sports, social engagement. What are your greatest strengths? How do those show up, how do you use them in your life?
- Tell us about a crisis, difficult situation or ethical dilemma you had to handle. How did you overcome the difficulties or solve the ethical dilemma?
- Tell us about a time when you made a mistake. What lessons did you learn
Before preparing and uploading your documents please note the following formal requirements:
Motivational Letter:
- Max. 4 pages (Verdana 10)
- Top right: first name, last name, school, place
- Filename: #surname, first name_motivation letter (PDF)
Last school report:
- Filename: #surname, first name_school report (PDF)
Please upload the two documents via the link below and complete the form: https://scholarship.harvard-club.de/de/road-to-harvard-form
This phase of the competition ends as soon as 150 applications have been submitted, but at the latest on March 15, 2026.
Phase 2:
By beginning of May the selection committee will name the 20 competition finalists. The finalists will receive an invitation to the Summerfest on June 13, 2026, where they are awarded the title "German Laureate Road to Harvard".
Travel and hotel costs are covered by the foundation.
The interviews will take place on the day of the Summerfest, during which you can affirm your interest and motivation for attending Harvard University. The winners will be announced and awarded at the evening event.
The main prize:
A two-week Pre-College Program of Harvard Summer School for high school students.
Application requirements for Harvard Summer School are
- fulfillment of the age requirement (at least 16 years old and will not turn 19 years old before July 31, 2027)
- a passed TOEFL test, if English is not the native language.
- successful application process to Harvard summer School (in previous years 5 short essays on specific questions were required)
The Harvard Scholarship Foundation Germany will cover all costs for the course and on request a travel allowance of 500 €. A hardship application for reimbursement of all travel expenses is possible.
The winners require a passport and a visa for entering the USA at the latest by the time of travel.
Please direct any questions you have about the competition to: info@berlin.harvard-club.de
We look forward to hearing from you!