"Road to Harvard" is a competition for secondary and high school students between the ages of 15 and 18 who want to gain an insight into Harvard University life.
We particularly welcome applicants who have interests and talents in the following fields:
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Economy
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Politics
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Sport
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Science
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Culture
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Social commitment
The main prize for the three winners is an invitation to apply to Harvard University for a two-week Pre-College Program as part of the Harvard Summer School. The Harvard Scholarship Foundation Germany e.V. will cover the participation costs for the course.
What is our goal
Our aim is to give students the opportunity to get to know student life on the Harvard campus. We also want to familiarize students with the requirements for admission and the typical day-to-day life at the university.
It is important to us to support our winners in achieving their goals and to motivate them to pursue their dreams, such as studying at Harvard University after graduation.
Who is the competition for
We are looking for ambitious and committed young people who want to study at Harvard University.
Our competition is mainly aimed at upper secondary school students, as we hope that the knowledge imparted during the Harvard Summer Course will help and motivate students to complete their degree in the best possible way. In addition, the application process for American universities is often extensive and requires a lot of preparation even during upper secondary school.
We want to support the most talented students in their further development, inform them about the extent of their possibilities and support them in achieving their goals.
How does the competition work
The first stage is the submission of the essay.
The topic of the essay is published with the announcement of the competition in January 2026.
In addition, we ask for a letter of motivation in which the students describe their special skills and achievements in science, culture or sport and/or their social commitment. They should also tell us about their family or special inspirations.
The essays must be written in English. Further form requirements can be found on our website.
In the second stage, 20 finalists will be selected from the applications submitted. The authors will be invited to an interview that will take place on the day of a summer party with guests from various German Harvard Clubs. The Harvard Scholarship Foundation Germany e.V. will pay for the finalists' travel to the selection interviews and their overnight stay on the evening of the summer party.
The three winners will be awarded prizes on the evening of the summer festival.
The profit
The three winners are invited to apply for the Two-Week Pre-College Course 2027.
For the further application process for the Harvard Summer School, a TOEFL test and the submission of further short essays are required.
The Harvard Scholarship Foundation Germany e.V. will cover the costs of the course, which is worth around $5,800. Furthermore, a travel allowance of 500 € will be granted.