Support Current and Future Students
Future students
Interview Candidates
HCUK has seen growing interest in application to the US university system in general, and to Harvard in particular. This past year, almost 900 UK applicants applied to Harvard, from over 120 schools across the country.
The Schools & Scholarship (S&S) Committee works with the Harvard Admissions Office to manage the interview process for students applying to Harvard College from UK institutions and fields a substantial group of trained volunteer members to interview each year’s applicants.
The annual admissions cycle kicks off in September, when alumni interviewers attend an information session hosted by the Admissions Office. The interview seasons start in earnest right after the application deadlines for the Early Action cycle (early November) and the Regular Action cycle (early January).
After admission decisions are announced for both cycles and typically in May or June, HCUK hosts a welcome reception for the incoming admits and their families, which is also attended by interviewers, HCUK Board members, current and recent British Harvard graduates.
If you are a Harvard graduate and might be interested in getting involved in our work, please get in touch. We are especially interested in members from outside of London who could become involved in interviewing applicants.
Donate or volunteer to support our Outreach Programme
The Club’s Outreach Programme promotes Harvard, its liberal arts undergraduate education and financial aid to schools and students across the secondary school spectrum: independent schools, state-maintained sector, grammars, sixth-form colleges, comprehensives, and academies. Its mission is to deepen relationships with regional schools as well as London ones, through the efforts of a team of dedicated volunteers.
Outreach volunteers visit schools around the country to make presentations about Harvard to students, staff and parents. The Club also represents Harvard at the annual Fulbright Commission College Fair in London, and various other university fairs.
Our Outreach team also works with the Admissions Office to ensure that our monthly “Study in the USA” newsletter is accurate and up-to-date and we keep the Admissions Office informed on developments on the schools front in the UK.
If you are a student in the UK interested in applying to Harvard, please visit the Harvard UK Admissions website.
Sponsor a Prize Book
The Harvard Prize Book programme was started by Harvard alumni in 1910. Today, more than 1,700 Harvard Prize Books are awarded annually around the world.
The objective of the HCUK programme is to raise Harvard’s visibility amongst UK secondary schools and to encourage talented students to apply to Harvard College. Many UK students may have heard of Harvard University but still be unfamiliar with the opportunities afforded by our undergraduate education or unaware of the availability of financial aid.
The Harvard Prize Book is awarded to “an outstanding student in the penultimate year who is academically excellent, exhibits exceptional personal qualities and makes a significant contribution to the school or community.” The recipients are nominated and selected by their respective schools. The Club mails out the book awards each year in May. Every year, HCUK awards a selected book to an outstanding student at each of almost 200 secondary schools.
Please email us at harvardprizebook@hcuk.org to offer support or request additional information.
We encourage all members to consider making a minimum contribution (to fund one prize) of £30 annually.
Current students
Post an Internship Opportunity
Many current Harvard students look to the UK for internship opportunities in different industry sectors, typically during the summer holidays or perhaps during a year off. If your organisation is looking for motivated and bright students to help on a short-term basis, please email membership@hcuk.org and we will post your internship opportunity in our quarterly newsletter. If you are a current student who is interested, please contact membership@hcuk.org and we can help you post your specific interests, skills and availability on our social media.
Hosting Visiting Students
We have members who are willing to provide hospitality to visiting Harvard groups. Thanks to the generosity of HCUK members willing to provide hospitality to visiting Harvard groups, we have been able to help the Din & Tonics, the Krokodiloes, the Radcliffe Pitches and the Veritones in the past. Hosting these talented young people is a fun way to stay in touch with the campus and they are very appreciative guests.
Likewise, interns from Harvard often need help with accommodation. They would appreciate any leads on short-term tenancies or offers for home-stays.
Support Current British Students
HCUK wants to support British student life at Harvard. The university cycle begins in May or June, with the newly admitted students being invited to London for a welcome reception to meet recent graduates, interviewers and other UK alumni, as well as other admitted students who will join them in their class. A number of students have commented on the fact that they first met and made long-standing friendships with fellow Admits at the May / June reception.
HCUK is open to current Harvard students. The Club itself is happy to be a touchstone and a resource for Harvard students from the UK at all stages of their journey through college and beyond. Current students are eligible for free club membership. Those students who come home for the holidays are welcome to join our events. Many students keep in touch with their interviewers who become their mentors. Students may post on our social media if they are looking for UK-based internships or accommodation or professional advice. We work with the Admissions Office to ask current British students to host admits who visit the Harvard campus before making the decision of whether to accept their offers. The HCUK-current student relationship is not a formal one but we like staying in touch when possible. The successful applicants whom our volunteers interview and enrol could one day become our members, volunteers and interviewers.
