PhD South Asian Studies at Harvard University

Programme overview

We emphasize a rigorous approach to South Asian texts and traditions: the cultural, intellectual, and social practices that they inform, and the diverse disciplinary perspectives that are needed to study and write about them. For admission to the Sanskrit and Indian Studies program, prerequisites include two years of Sanskrit, and for the Tibetan and Himalayan Studies program, two years of classical Tibetan (these language requirements correspond to the first and second years of Sanskrit or Tibetan taught at Harvard).

Faculty: Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences | Department: South Asian Studies | Study mode: full-time | Intake: Fall | Location: Cambridge, MA, United States

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Harvard Griffin GSAS admission (programme-specific) - Academic Background: A strong background in one or more areas of South Asian studies is required.

USD 59,048 a year (2026-2027). Full tuition rate for the first two years of study (reduced in years 3-4); PhD students typically receive grants covering tuition. Source

Intake: Fall

Apply through the official page: https://gsas.harvard.edu/apply

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