Applicants to Harvard University may submit optional supplementary media materials, such as videos, audio recordings, or images, electronically via Slideroom. Specific submission details for areas like art, dance or choreography, musical performance, or composition are available on the Slideroom website. There is a small submission fee; however, applicants who face economic hardship may request a fee waiver during the submission process or by contacting the admissions office directly.
If applicants experience technical difficulties with Slideroom, they may instead submit a document with YouTube video links via their application portal. The admissions team may later request that the materials be resubmitted through Slideroom.
Applicants with exceptional talents or accomplishments in visual arts—such as art, film, or photography—are encouraged to submit 2 to 25 examples of recent work. Each submission should include the title, a brief description, the medium used, and the date it was created. These submissions should demonstrate a level of talent beyond standard high school achievements. While such submissions are not required or expected, the admissions staff may reach out if additional materials would be helpful for the evaluation.
Applicants must submit their application to Harvard University before submitting materials via Slideroom. Harvard cannot track, acknowledge receipt of, or return these materials, nor can it guarantee that all submissions will be evaluated. For Restrictive Early Action review, materials should be submitted by November 4, 2024. For Regular Decision review, the deadline is January 6, 2025. While materials can be submitted after these dates, doing so may jeopardize their timely review.
Applicants who used the Coalition Powered by Scoir application must submit materials through the "Coalition Application Supplemental Materials" program. Transfer applicants using the Common App must use the "Transfer Applicant (Common App Only) Supplemental Materials" program.
To help match Slideroom submissions with other application materials, applicants should provide the following identifying information:
- High school name and location (e.g., Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, IA)
- Common Application ID (If using the Coalition on Scoir Application, write "Coalition Application" instead)
- Deadline under which they have applied (If deferred during the early action process, select "Single-Choice Early Action." Transfer applicants not using the Common App should select "Regular Action.")
- Birth date
- Gender
Applicants may provide between 1 and 25 items, with the following file size limits: Images (up to 5MB each), Video (up to 250MB each), Audio (up to 30MB each), PDFs (up to 10MB each), and Models (Sketchfab). They may also link to media hosted on YouTube, Vimeo, or SoundCloud.
Common App Transfer applicants with exceptional talents or accomplishments in the arts, dance or choreography, music, or composition may submit supplemental materials through Slideroom. These submissions are neither required nor expected; the admissions staff will contact applicants if additional materials would be helpful for the evaluation process. While it is most beneficial to submit Slideroom materials by the March 1 application deadline, submissions will be accepted until April 1. Harvard cannot track, acknowledge receipt of, or return these materials, nor can it guarantee that all submissions will be evaluated.
Common Application Transfer applicants must submit materials through the "Transfer Applicant (Common App Only) Supplemental Materials" program, rather than the arts-specific programs, such as Dance and Choreography. Applicants who submitted a Coalition Powered by Scoir Transfer application should submit materials through the "Coalition Application Supplemental Materials" program.
For visual arts submissions (including art, film, or photography), applicants should provide 2 to 25 examples of recent work, each accompanied by a title, brief description, medium, and date created.
Dance, choreography, or theater submissions should also include a title, brief description, medium, and date created. If the submission includes more than one performer, the applicant should clearly indicate which performer they are. The total length of video footage should not exceed 10 minutes.
Music or composition submissions should consist of video recordings of 2 to 4 contrasting pieces, totaling 8 minutes or more, ideally recorded within the previous 6 months. These submissions should include titles and dates created and/or performed.
Applicants should submit solo recordings only or pieces with unobtrusive accompaniment. Audio submissions are acceptable if video is not available. Videos of recitals or ensemble performances should not be submitted. Composition submissions should include composition scores along with an audio performance, if possible. For all music and composition applicants, submitting a musical resume would also be helpful.
If applicants wish to submit samples of scholarly articles, research, or creative writing they have authored, these materials should be uploaded through the Applicant Status Portal, which becomes accessible after the application to Harvard University is submitted. These types of documents should not be uploaded to Slideroom.
Source: Harvard University