MMSc-BMI FAQs

Due to the high volume of requests and limited staff availability, we are not currently scheduling one-on-one meetings or calls with prospective applicants. All prospective applicants are encouraged to attend an information session to ask questions and engage with program personnel. Dates for information sessions are posted on our website. 

MMSc stands for ‘Master of Medical Sciences’ and is the designated degree for all thesis-based master’s-level graduate programs awarded at Harvard Medical School. It is comparable to the ‘Master of Science’ degree awarded by most other institutions. 

Yes! To apply for an application fee waiver, please go to: https://apply.masters.hms.harvard.edu/register/mbi_fee_waiver 

Fee waiver applications must be submitted by January 6, 2025, to be considered. 

The MMSc-BMI program is only available for full-time enrollment over two years. 

The MMSc-BMI program is a residential program at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. There are no online enrollment options for this program. 

No. Harvard Medical School does not accept transfer credits for master’s degree programs. 

The MMSc in Biomedical Informatics program is a stand-alone program in the Department of Biomedical Informatics and does not offer a direct pathway to the department’s PhD programs. Graduates from the master’s program interested in pursuing a Harvard PhD program will need to apply directly to that program. 

There is no limit to the number of Harvard University master's programs that an applicant can apply to in the same admissions cycle. 

Yes, applicants may apply to the department's PhD program during the same application cycle that they apply to the master's program. 

Applicants to the PhD program who do not move forward in the admissions process are not reconsidered for the master's program. Any applicant who is interested in the PhD program and the master's program must submit separate applications to each program. 

If your degree-granting institution is listed in the International Handbook of Universities with English listed as a language of instruction, you will not be asked to submit English language exam scores. You will be asked to indicate if your degree was taught in English in the application. 

Yes, the TOEFL MyBest score can be used to satisfy the minimum English proficiency requirements. 

If English is not your native language and your degree-granting institution does not teach in English, you must complete and submit scores for an English language proficiency test. We cannot waive this requirement based on work experience. 

At this time, the program is not able to offer scholarships for international students. International students are eligible to apply for the HMS Dean’s scholarship, which offers a 15% tuition scholarship to awarded individuals. Information about other possible scholarship sources for international students can be found in the HMS External Funding Resources Guide for International Students.

Harvard Medical School does not offer assistantships to master's degree students for offsetting tuition. 

Tuition and fees for the second year of the program are similar to those for the first year. The school sets the final rates for the next academic year, typically in February or March. 

Yes, we understand that not all in-progress courses will have grades reported by the application deadline. Please upload as complete a transcript as possible by the application deadline. 

Applicants submitting transcripts from institutions outside the United States or Canada are strongly advised to submit a course-by-course credential evaluation from an organization included on the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services Members List.  Although a credential evaluation is not strictly required, having a credential evaluation better enables the admissions committee to evaluate and understand your academic preparation and accomplishments. 

The admissions committee strongly prefers WES or another course-by-course evaluation for review. International transcripts without a credential evaluation, even if issued in English, are difficult to assess. 

Unofficial transcripts and credential evaluations must be uploaded by the applicant to the application portal. DO NOT ask your institution or credential evaluator to send transcripts or evaluations directly to Harvard at the time of application. We will not receive them. You must first obtain an unofficial copy of the transcript or evaluation and then upload it to the application portal.