Meet the Class of 2025
Last month we welcomed the Class of 2025 to campus. It’s always such a delight to see 900+ students arriving from all over the world, representing many different backgrounds, life experiences, and professional interests. Our Class of 2025 is a remarkable group, filled with enthusiasm to connect with one another and dive into the HBS experience. Learn more about the first-year class here.
Introducing the New Managing Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid
Jana Kierstead here. I’m writing with an exciting announcement: Rupal Gadhia (MBA 2004) will be the next managing director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid, effective October 10th, 2023. We could not be more excited to welcome Rupal to the team!
Rupal comes to HBS after a successful career across brand and strategy roles. Here in MBA Admissions and Financial Aid, Rupal will oversee our admissions process that aims to deliver a high-quality MBA class with wide-ranging talents and experiences. She will also work to build on our efforts to increase access and affordability for applicants and students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.
Keep an eye out for Rupal’s first blog post soon. In the meantime, you can read more about her in our Press Release.
Welcome Rupal!
Application Fee Waived Automatically for Those Making $65,000 or Less
We believe that your financial circumstances should never prevent you from applying to, being admitted to, or attending our MBA program.
If you are applying to HBS in the 2023-2024 application cycle (Round 1 or Round 2) and your annual income at your current or most recent place of employment is $65,000 USD or less, the need-based application fee waiver will automatically apply.
If you do not automatically qualify, you may still submit a need-based waiver request form due to financial hardship once you have started your application. The fee waiver request must be submitted two weeks before the application round deadline in which you are applying, and you will receive a response to your fee waiver request before the application deadline. (If your fee waiver request is not approved, you are expected to pay the $250 application fee by the round deadline in order to be considered.)
Please note, admission to HBS is need-blind, which means we do not take your financial circumstances into account when making an admissions decision. Information collected in the fee waiver request process is not shared with the MBA Admissions Board. Read more about the application fee waiver process here.
The HBS MBA Application is Now Open!
We just opened the application for the MBA Class of 2026 (enrolling in fall 2024). Start an application here or download an application guide. The Round 1 deadline is September 6, 2023 and the Round 2 deadline is January 3, 2024.
We encourage prospective Class of 2026 applicants to check out upcoming virtual events including Demystifying the MBA Application, Q&A with Current HBS Students, and Applying to HBS as a Reapplicant. Once you start an application, you will also have access to sign up for small-group Application Help Sessions hosted by a member of the HBS Admissions team.
We look forward to connecting with you soon. Good luck!