Harvard Business School MBA Essays and Deadlines 2025-2026


Essay 1

Business-Minded: Please reflect on how your experiences have influenced your career choices and aspirations. (300 words)

Essay 2

Leadership-Focused: What experiences have shaped how you invest in others and how you lead? (up to 250 words)

Essay 3

Growth-Oriented: Curiosity can be seen in many ways. Please share an example of how you have demonstrated curiosity and how that has influenced your growth. (up to 250 words)

Career Goals Short Answer

Briefly tell us more about your career aspirations. (500 characters)

Additional Information

Please share additional information here if you need to clarify any information provided in the other sections of your application. This is not meant to be used as an additional essay. Please limit your additional information to the space in this section.

We know you’ll be tempted, but please don’t send us any additional materials (e.g., additional recommendations, work portfolios). To be fair to all applicants, extra materials won’t be considered. (75 words)

Re-applicant Essay

Please use this space to share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements). (250 word limit)

Harvard MBA Essay – Post-Interview Reflection 2024-2025

Typically, this Harvard MBA essay must be completed and uploaded within 24 hours after your interview. Applicants who receive interview invitations will receive specific instructions.

Be sure to make some notes after your interview so you can refer to some specifics about topics you talked about as well as matters you would have liked to have discussed. Reinforce your themes.

2025-2026 Harvard MBA Deadlines

RoundApplication DeadlineDecision Release Date
Round 1September 3, 2025December 10, 2025
Round 2January 5, 2026March 25, 2026

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