We asked a few international students to reflect on their experiences applying to HGSE, as well as their ongoing process of finding community here. These are their reflections.
Alejandra Coz (she/her)
Alejandra is an Ed.M Candidate at HGSE’s Learning Design, Innovation and Technology Program. She is a Fulbright Scholar from Peru, passionate about adult education, workforce training, organizational learning and EdTech ecosystems in Latin America. She brings over five years of experience as a Learning Designer, managing and implementing educational projects for youth and adults across diverse settings, effectively leveraging technology to enhance learning outcomes. She currently co-chairs the HGSE student organization Leading and Designing Adult Learning (LADAL) and is also serving as an intern at the Learning Innovations Laboratory (LILA). In her free time, she loves to exercise (she is also an indoor cycling coach), read novels and learn new languages.
Right now you might probably be asking yourself: “What could possibly be so different for me as an international student at HGSE? What experiences can HGSE offer me as an international student that other schools don’t? Are HGSE and Boston really friendly spaces for international students?”. I bet that you have all these questions now – because I was in your exact shoes at this time last year. So, don’t panic! Whether you already made up your mind to apply to HGSE as an international student or you are still thinking about it… then this post is for you!
First of all, let me congratulate you on deciding to take this BIG step towards your professional growth. Pursuing a graduate degree is not an easy task in itself, and as an international applicant things can get particularly more complicated (i.e. more paperwork and standardized tests). I can imagine this was not a light-weight decision for you to make. But now comes another tricky decision: Where should you apply? I know you may be weighing very different elements for this, such as curriculum, professors, extracurricular opportunities, location, etc. So, if you are still undecided, let me give you 3 pointers on why I believe HGSE was the best option for me (and it can be for you!) as an international student:
- Diversity is not only welcome – it is expected!
As you may have already read, Harvard is considered one of the most diverse universities in the country. But, it is not until you actually come here that you realize just how diverse it is. HGSE’s incoming class last year had 44% of international students – with people from 63 different countries! This statistic alone is pretty amazing, but I can assure you that what actually makes HGSE stand out from other schools is not only its diversity in student experiences, but in the ideas, perspectives and opinions that they actively share in class, which significantly contributes to everyone’s learning. This, I can affirm, is something you will rarely find anywhere else. - Professors embrace your background
At HGSE, your essence and uniqueness are what make you stand out. So, being an international student is actually a point in your favor. Trust me – professors love to hear about what you have seen and lived differently in your home country! In my case, I am currently working on two projects that focus specifically on adult education in Peru and my professors have been incredibly interested and supportive. Something that sets HGSE professors apart from other schools is that they actively incorporate international examples, case studies and research articles in their classes to ensure education is analyzed from a broader perspective, not just a US-context approach. You will learn about education initiatives from all over the world – maybe even one from your home country! - You may find your place at HGSE – or you can create your own!
Whatever your passions and interests in education may be as an international student, I can assure you that HGSE can provide you with the right space for you to delve deeper into them. Be that a course, a workshop, a seminar, a networking event, a student organization or a research group – HGSE has it all! In my case, I have been taking advantage of initiatives that are helping me guide my experience as an international student and prepare me for my career after graduation. These include HGSE’s mentoring program, the events organized for international students by the Office of Student Affairs, the workshops offered by the Career Services Office, and an internship as a Documentation Specialist at the Learning Innovations Laboratory (LILA).
However, even if you don’t find what you are specifically looking for at HGSE – don’t despair! What makes this place so special is that they will assist you to create your own spaces too. For instance, me and some students were interested in adult learning, but we couldn’t find any active student organization on the subject. So, we started our own! That’s how LADAL (Leading and Designing Adult Learning) was born – and we are expecting our first event to happen at the end of the month!
So, if you ask me, HGSE is definitely the best place to be at as an international student. Not only do I feel valued and supported by my peers, my professors and the overall HGSE community, but now more than ever I feel proud of my cultural background and heritage. Never would I have imagined that my international identity would somehow end up being my superpower: what makes me unique and special. Yet, I am glad I was lucky enough to embark on this journey of self-discovery here at HGSE – a journey I hope you can live with us too.
Isaiah C. Dela Cruz (he/him)
Isaiah is a Human Development and Education (Ed.M.’25) student at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He spent most of his early years in Manama, Bahrain then eventually moved to Manila, Philippines before coming to Cambridge, MA. Prior to HGSE, his work revolved around two main research areas: the ecology of hope and goal pursuit and understanding bullying at the national level through a research partnership with EDCOM2 in the Philippines. In grad school, he focuses his attention to social-emotional development in early childhood and adolescence through coursework and independent reading. You can catch him at a nearby cinema house in Cambridge/Boston or at Gutman library chatting about anything under the sun.
Applying to HGSE and other reputable education schools abroad was a complete leap of faith on my part. I always wrestled with the thought of whether I was ready to pursue graduate school away from home. I was entering this process with a lot of doubt; could I fare with the brightest students from around the world, or perhaps be in a room alongside experienced education leaders who are bringing decades of knowledge from the classroom or their ventures? As an international applicant, I assure you that it’s natural to have these thoughts while coming into this daunting application process. But more than feeling the kick of imposter syndrome, I thought that my drive to get involved in solving a problem I cared about in the field of education was enough reason for me to click ‘Start Application’.
And so I did! I worked on my application materials in early September, took a long break the entirety of October to peel away from the essay and reflect deeply, and next thing you know, I had 6 iterations of my earliest draft before submission. As an international student, I felt that there was a unique perspective of my experiences that I wanted to make sure I represented well through my application, which took so many trials and errors. I asked trusted people around me if this represents who I was (my narrative) and what I was working towards (my focus). Use your story as your strength; being international means that you will equally enrich conversations, classrooms, and the whole community. I assure you that your experiences, wherever you are reading this, will all be valuable funds of knowledge to your peers and professors.
Applying to Harvard is one major challenge to get through, but that is only half the journey before arriving to Cambridge. I would say that getting to Harvard was personally the most challenging part of it all as an international student. I’m talking about the visa scheduling, sorting finances, housing, getting your healthcare in check, and not to mention the added emotional preparation of leaving home. If this is your first time navigating through the process, it’ll certainly feel physically and emotionally taxing to navigate through.
As scary as it might sound, I have two pieces of advice to make this process as smooth as possible. First, know that you are well-supported by the different Harvard offices involved in your onboarding journey (Admissions and Financial Aid Office, OSA, and HIO). I would say that all of my questions and worries were well-accommodated, especially when I experienced some significant delays when it came down to things out of my control. Second is tapping to your relational resources, whether that be your family, your friends, or your own communities back home supporting your journey to Harvard. Both my family and friends knew how stressful it was juggling between taking HPL (How People Learn), visas, and everything else in between my time in Manila to Boston. But because I had them by my side encouraging me to keep persevering, I knew I couldn’t let bureaucracies stop me now when I’m already right here.
If you are an international student in the process of deciding if HGSE is the right fit for you, take the leap of faith! If you have any doubts about your own experiences or your background, don’t doubt yourself. Like you’ve already seen, HGSE is a place where you learn to change the world. Aside from working towards your goal of improving education in some way, you’ll make the best friendships with both domestic and international students, meet lifelong mentors across Harvard, and take cherished memories wherever you call home with you.
Melinda Njibiche (she/her)
Melinda Seyram Njibiche, a passionate educator from Ghana, is currently pursuing her Master’s in Education Leadership at HGSE, driven by her mission to expand and make education more accessible to marginalized populations.
When I applied to the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), it felt like a leap of faith. Coming from Ghana, where education is both a personal passion and a broader mission, I knew that I wanted to make a difference, particularly for marginalized communities. My career aspirations have always been focused on creating access to education for underserved populations, both in my home country and globally. The Education Leadership, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship (ELOE) program at HGSE seemed like the perfect fit for me, an opportunity to gain the tools to lead change on a larger scale.
When I received my admission offer, the excitement was overwhelming. This was Harvard! A dream I had nurtured for years. But as an international student, I had so many questions. How would I transition to life in the U.S.? How would I navigate the visa process? Would I be able to find a community that made me feel at home in such a vast and prestigious institution? Unfortunately, the visa process was more difficult than I expected. Due to a late interview, I couldn’t make it to Cambridge in time for the welcome ceremony. Missing that initial gathering felt like a setback, but the constant communication from the HGSE team, particularly Andrea Lee and Rilda Kissel, reassured me. They made sure I felt included, even from afar.
Once I arrived, my experience was nothing short of heartwarming. HGSE feels like a family, and that sense of community helped me settle in quickly. One of the greatest supports I’ve had is my academic coach, Samuel Odamah. His guidance from the summer foundations courses even before I stepped foot in the U.S. till now has been invaluable, not just academically but personally. Navigating a new country, a new system, and the rigors of graduate school can be challenging, but having someone who understands and provides direction has made all the difference.
HGSE also offers a wide range of resources to help international students adjust. I’ve had the flexibility to choose my own courses, which feels like building my own curriculum, and I’ve even been able to cross-register with MIT and other Harvard graduate schools. I can book appointments with my faculty advisor, who helps guide these decisions. I also found work as a Digital Reserves Assistant at Widener Library, creating accessible PDFs that comply with Harvard’s Digital Accessibility Policy. I got this role through a friend at HGSE, but international students can find jobs through the Student Employment Office and the Hub.
Beyond academics, I’ve connected with the broader community by joining student groups. I’m a member of the Black Students Union, the Co-leader of the HGSE Christian Fellowship Student Affinity Group, and Co-Chair of the HGSE African Students Union, which we’re working to revive, and the Harvard African Society. These groups have been critical in helping me build friendships and feel a sense of belonging.
If there’s one piece of advice I’d give to international applicants considering HGSE, it’s to embrace the unknown. There will be challenges like visa delays, culture shock, and the demands of a rigorous academic environment, but the support systems here are strong, and you will never feel alone. HGSE is more than just a school; it’s a community that genuinely cares about your success, both academically and personally.
Being an international student at HGSE has been an incredibly rewarding experience. The journey to get here wasn’t without its hurdles, but every step has been worth it. For anyone considering applying, know that you are stepping into a space where your dreams and aspirations are not only welcomed but actively nurtured.
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