Harvard Business School’s deferred enrollment MBA program, officially known as the HBS 2+2, offers ambitious and outstanding students a chance to secure their spot in the MBA before graduating.
It works like this: students apply to Harvard during the last year of their undergraduate or graduate studies and, if successful, are offered a place in an upcoming cohort. They then enter the workplace for between two and four years before matriculating, secure in the knowledge that their MBA place is confirmed.
With the promise of Harvard’s prestigious MBA up for grabs, this program is unsurprisingly an extremely competitive one. In this article we’ll outline how it works, who can apply, and how to maximize your chances of success.
What Is the HBS 2+2 Program?
Harvard’s 2+2 program is its deferred MBA. It offers students who are currently enrolled in an undergraduate or Master’s degree, and who possess no full-time work experience, the opportunity to secure and defer their spot on the HBS MBA program.
Once admitted, students will work for two years (extendable to four on a case-by-case basis) and then enter the two-year program (hence, 2+2).
Who Is Eligible for HBS 2+2?
Harvard’s deferred MBA program is open to students who:
- Are in the final year of their Bachelor’s Degree Program;
- Are currently completing a joint Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree Program;
- Are currently completing a Master’s degree, as long as they entered the graduate degree directly after their undergraduate degree and have never held a full-time work position.
Students who are enrolled in law school, medical school, or PhD programs are not eligible to apply via Harvard’s 2+2 program.
Harvard notes on the program site that some preference will be given to applicants who are on paths less likely to lead them to business school. For example:
- Those who are the first in their family to attend college;
- Those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds;
- Those whose career ambitions lie in underrepresented industries, such as entrepreneurship, operating companies, and technically-demanding roles such as engineering or software development.
It is worth noting, too, that, while Harvard’s 2+2 program welcomes applications from all academic backgrounds, it was designed to draw in STEM students before they were funneled into other careers, and to attract humanities majors before they were pulled onto law-school paths. The program was not designed for students on academic paths likely to lead them directly to an MBA (such as business or economics)—but stellar students from these backgrounds can certainly still apply, and still have a chance at success.
What Does HBS Look for in Deferred MBA Applicants?
Successful candidates for Harvard’s deferred admission MBA are nothing short of exceptional. Competition is tough, and the school seeks applicants with outstanding academic records, clearly defined career visions, and leadership experience demonstrated through internships, extracurriculars, and projects. Applicants should want to make an impact, should demonstrate resilience, and should be intellectually curious.
HBS’s 2+2 program offers candidates something unique: the knowledge that the first two to four years of their career will have no bearing on their MBA eligibility. HBS is looking for candidates who will take advantage of this opportunity—who will use these years to take risks, explore rare opportunities, take the path less travelled, and “make bold moves.”
An Overview of the HBS 2+2 Application
Admissions at HBS will be working with less data than they would on a regular MBA program, due to the fact that applicants won’t have any professional work experience to show. For applicants, this means a greater emphasis on their GMAT scores, essays, recommendations, and academic record.
Here is a breakdown of the HBS deferred MBA program’s application components.
GMAT or GRE Scores
When you apply to Harvard’s deferred MBA program, your GMAT and GRE will be compared against the current pool of applicants—despite the fact that you will actually matriculate with a later class. Your GMAT or GRE scores, therefore, need to match or exceed your target school’s average.
To get a sense of what these averages are at HBS: for the Class of 2026, the median GMAT is 740 and the median GRE is 326 (163 for both Verbal and Quantitative sections).
To give yourself the best possible chance at success, build in time to retake the GMAT or GRE. Scores on these tests can get better the more that you take them, and many candidates opt for a retry before submitting their final application. This means taking your first admissions test six or nine months before the application deadline, and starting to prepare three to six months before that.
To prepare effectively for the GMAT, read our guide on how to use practice exams.
Academic Performance
Once again, in the absence of professional experience, admissions at HBS will carefully scrutinize the academic record of their applicants. This includes coursework—which must be ambitious and intellectually rigorous—as well as transcripts and GPAs.
Just as with the GMAT and GRE scores, your GPA will be compared to the current student pool. For Harvard’s MBA Class of 2026, the median GPA is 3.69.
Highlighting Work Experience on Your Resume
Seeing the phrase “work experience” may seem a little odd, when applicants to Harvard’s 2+2 MBA need never have been employed.
What we mean by “work experience” here is the experience gained through internships and extracurricular activities that demonstrates the same skills gained in professional employment. In particular: leadership, teamwork, initiative, and impact.
Ensure that for every experience that you spotlight in your application you include detail on:
- How you showed leadership;
- How you went beyond what was expected of you;
- What you learned;
- The impact that your work had;
- How this experience contributed to your career goals.
Creating Outstanding Essays
The HBS 2+2 application essays differ slightly from those asked of regular MBA applicants. That said, Harvard is still looking for many of the same qualities in these essays. These are:
- Evidence of how you will fit into and contribute to their values;
- A clear definition of your career goals and how an MBA will help you achieve them;
- Proof that you want to make a difference and an idea of how you will do so.
These application essays are a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate to admissions your ambition, your vision, and your suitability for the 2+2 program. You can show Harvard who you actually are in these essays, give them a sense of your voice, and remind them of your leadership potential, your intellectual curiosity, and your impact.
Be sure to craft a strong narrative and compelling story by linking all the components of your journey together: how has the experience gained through undergraduate extracurriculars shaped your career goals? What skills have you learned that you will carry into the workplace? How will you use an MBA to further your professional experience? What impact do you want to make in the business world and how will an MBA help you do that?
Essay One: What experiences have shaped how you invest in others and how you lead? (Approximately 300 words)
This essay echoes Essay 2 of Harvard’s regular MBA program application, which we have analyzed in detail here.
This question is a great chance to go into detail about the ways in which you have gained leadership experience. Be sure when answering it to tie your leadership style back to your career goals, and to link your current experience to your future success.
Essay Two: Curiosity can be seen in many ways. Please share an example of how you have demonstrated curiosity and how that has influenced your growth. (Approximately 300 words)
This second essay mirrors Essay 3 of HBS’s regular MBA application. It’s a chance to show your adaptability and open-mindedness, which will help convince admissions of your suitability for HBS’s trademark case study method. You should use this essay to demonstrate your ability to work as a team, to grow, and to solve problems.
Essay Three: How do the plans you shared in the Career section of the application fit into your current long-term career vision? What skills and/or professional experiences do you hope to obtain in the deferral period that will help build the foundation for your post-MBA career? (Approximately 300 words)
As might be expected, this is the essay that is unique to Harvard’s 2+2 program. This is your chance to get specific about your goals, your vision, and how you plan to use the MBA to reach them. Diving into the deferral period here gives you a chance to explain how it all fits together, and to demonstrate that boldness that HBS is looking for.
Letters of Recommendation
Generally, deferred admission applicants will choose a professor, an internship supervisor, or a mentor to write their letter of recommendation. You’ll need either one or two letters of recommendation, and should choose someone who knows you personally and can provide specific examples of your performance both academically and elsewhere.
Remember, your letters of recommendation must highlight your leadership potential and your ability to thrive in an MBA program. For more detail on selecting a recommender and what to include, take a look at Clear Admit’s MBA Admission Tips.
Tips to Strengthen Your HBS 2+2 Application
Competition for the HBS 2+2 is high—higher than its regular MBA program by some way. In 2022, for example, Harvard admitted only 8% of deferred applicants, compared to 14.4% of regular applicants.
With this in mind, here are some tips for strengthening your application and ensuring your best possible chance of success:
- Prepare thoroughly for your GMAT or GRE exam, and allow yourself time to retake it.
- Start gathering relevant experiences early on in your undergraduate degree, so as to build up your resume.
- Try to secure internships at prestigious firms and impactful organizations.
- Focus on your essays: ensure that they showcase your unique journey, clearly articulate your future goals, and explain why an MBA is the right step for you.
- Seek out professors and mentors who can provide you with personalized, detailed recommendations.
- Engage in interview preparation: participate in mock interviews and practice storytelling techniques.
- Reach out to current MBA and alumni from Harvard’s 2+2 program. Make sure to mention that you have done so in your application.
- Demonstrate leadership during your undergraduate degree via student organizations and entrepreneurship. Make note of your impact, and detail it in your application.
This last point is a particularly important one. To stand out from the crowd, applicants must manage to demonstrate relevant qualities for their future career—without ever having held a full-time job. As well as internships, extra-curriculars can be a great opportunity for this, since they offer multi-year, long-term chances to make an impact.
After the Admission: Getting into HBS 2+2
What happens after you have been admitted to Harvard’s deferred MBA program?
The next few years are for working. Successful applicants must work for at least two years before matriculating into HBS’s MBA program. On a case-by-case basis, Harvard allows candidates to extend this time to three or four years to pursue “HBS-approved” professional opportunities.
The careers pursued by 2+2 admits during their period of deferral vary from consulting to startups, finance to social impact. Harvard’s blog goes into more detail on how its candidates have used this time.
Candidates can also use this time to network with current HBS faculty, alumni, and students. Despite not having yet matriculated, they are part of the HBS community. This means that they have access to exclusive 2+2 HBS events—such as panels, networking, and mock cases.
If the HBS 2+2 sounds like the perfect opportunity for you, head to their program site to learn more. But don’t stop there—you can also reach out to current students or preparing the first stages of your application. Check back for events from Clear Admit around deferred admissions as well.
