HDS Admissions Graduate Assistant, Samirah Jaigirdar, reflects on the ways her experience as an HDS student differs from that of her undergraduate years.

In this post, HDS Admissions Graduate Assistant, Samirah Jaigirdar shares her experiences navigating cultural differences between the places she's lived in the United States, eSwatini, and Bangladesh. Samirah also gives advice to international students who might be navigating a similar position.

Determining which degree program to apply to is the most important decision HDS applicants must make in their application process. While the Master of Theological Studies (MTS) and Master of Divinity (MDiv) programs have much in common, they also diverge from each other in a number of important ways. In this article, we hope to illuminate the similarities and differences between these two programs to help prospective students determine which program is right for them.

Harvard Divinity School is dedicated to increasing the participation by members of historically underrepresented groups in the study of religion. Each Fall we host our annual Diversity and Explorations (DivEx) DivEx Program to provide undergraduate students who are members of underrepresented groups with the opportunity to discern whether or not graduate study in religion makes sense for them and their career goals. In this article, we will share all the ins and outs of DivEx, from the application process to what to expect as a participant. At the bottom of the article, you’ll also find links to reflections from some of our amazing DivEx alum about their DivEx experience!

Whether you have recently been admitted, just submitted your application, or are at the beginning of your graduate school search process, you may have questions about student employment at HDS. In this article, we hope to provide some insight into the student employment opportunities, including tips from our graduate assistants who share their personal experiences on the job-searching process.  

At HDS Admissions, we are excited to launch the application for this year's Diversity Explorations program! In this blogpost, I will share some of the takeaways from my DivEx experience in the hopes that it will encourage curious students to learn more about and apply to be a part of this wonderful community. 

Whether you have recently been admitted to HDS or you are considering applying, we know you may have questions about where you will live while completing your degree program. For students who are not already in the Boston or Cambridge area, looking at housing options can be particularly confusing and stressful. We hope this post provides more clarity on the various housing options that HDS students can choose from. While the ongoing pandemic has left us with some unanswered questions about what exactly fall term will look like, we advise students to plan to be on campus in the fall. 

We know hearing from current students is one of the best ways to learn about what HDS has to offer. For this post, we asked one of our graduating students to reflect on her time at HDS and what lessons she’ll take with her as she moves on to the next step in life.  

Narrowing down your options can be nerve-wracking especially when you are choosing between multiple programs that will help you meet your personal and career goals. Here is some advice on how you can go about narrowing down and comparing your options.