MBA 

at Harvard University, Cambridge

MIT Sloan School of Management and Harvard Business School are two schools in the U.S. that are part of MIT and Harvard University. Both of these offers great MBA education. Studying at any of these depends on your goals, preferences, and backgrounds. A comparison between both of them are given below:

Approximately 50% of Harvard MBA students receive a need-based scholarship from HBS, with 10 per cent of the student body – those with the greatest financial need receiving full-tuition scholarships. The awards range from USD 2,500 – USD 76,000 per year (Around INR 2.17 Lacs – INR 66 lakh). Also, note that the annual need-based scholarship last year was USD 46,000 – USD 92,000 over two years (Around INR 40 Lacs – 80 lakh).

Harvard MBA is a 2-year long course. Also, the university offers need-based scholarships to international students, with an average award of USD 47,000 per year. More than 50% of the university's MBA graduates go for entrepreneurship. Harvard's MBA tuition fee is USD 78,700 for 9 months. The placement rate for the Class of 2024 is 84%. 

International students who wish to study at Harvard, must meet the Harvard University admission requirements for MBA course are given below: 

• An undergraduate degree or its equivalent
• GMAT or GRE score
• TOEFL / IELTS / PTE / Duolingo test score
• Academic Transcripts
• Essay
• Letter of Recommendation
• Resume

Harvard Business School (HBS) is one of the most prestigious MBA courses globally. The duration of Harvard MBA course is 2 years. In the QS Global MBA Rankings 2025, Harvard Business School ranks at #3 position. The annual Harvard University tuition fees for MBA course is USD 78,700 (Around INR 68 lakh). On the other hand, the average salary for the MBA graduates is USD 175,000 (Around INR 1.5 Cr.) for the Class of 2024 graduates. This means that studying the MBA course would lead to a greater ROI. Also, the need-based scholarships are available for international students with an average award of USD 47,000 per year (Around INR 40.4 lakh).

Both are very good but in different areas. Harvard has the better global reputation and stonger connections globally. NUS has better connections in Asia, similar quality of placements, and is far more affordable than Harvard University. In terms of culture, there is greater diversity at Harvard, compared to NUS. Students have better chances of admission at the National University of Singapore, as Harvard's acceptance rate is just 3.6%. 

There is no comparison of Harvard with any other university. Harvard has gained its global recognition. On the other hand, Yonsei is one of the 'SKY' universities in Korea, which means it ranked top among other top-ranked universities. Also, the university is known for programs like Medicine, Business, and more.

International students can apply using the 'Common Application' or the 'Coalition Application' by Scoir for Harvard University admissions 2026 to study the BA course. Applicants must pay a non-refundable Harvard University application fee of USD 85 or INR 7,309.96 (USD 1 = INR 86.00). The below infographic includes Harvard application process for BA admission:

According to unofficial sources, Harvard University acceptance rate is 3% and early acceptance rate of 7.6%. This means that students who apply early have higher selection chances. Low acceptance percentage show that university is too tough for Indians. Along with meeting basic eligibility criteria, students must provide work experience or internships and submit mandatory documents. 

The difference between Harvard and Yale is marginal and both the universities are consistently ranked among the top universities worldwide. A comparison between these universities is given below: