Can a refugee living in a camp get into Harvard?

Hello everyone. I am a refugee and I am currently living in probably the worst refugee camp in the world (Moria refugee camp in Greece). My living conditions are pretty bad and we barely have an internet connection (it’s a struggle to find good signal anywhere in the camp).

However, I got a scholarship from an online school in the USA called the University of the People (UoPeople) and I am about to finish my first year with a 3.38 GPA. I had to literally study on my phone while queueing to get food or go to the toilet. I learned English on my own (basically through watching youtube videos, movies and through Arab/English dictionary apps, google translate, etc) since I had to somehow communicate with a myriad of nationalities here in the camp.

I am really grateful that UoPeople gave me the scholarship despite no formal certificate in English (I had to pass their English course) and just by emailing them a picture of my high school diploma that I had on my phone.

I know I am motivated and I can persevere ( I walked half of Turkey and tried 5 times to enter Greece by boat having survived two dozens or more bombings in my home country). Unfortunately, all these left huge mental health problems and I am currently seeing a psychologist from an NGO here in the camp who has helped and motivated me tremendously.

Now my question is, do I stand any chance of getting into Harvard? Mind you I am 27 years old so I don’t know how Harvard views mature candidates. Also, I would need a full scholarship that would cover my living expenses as well.

Any guidance?

Thank you in advance

For a 27-year-old, Harvard Extension might be more appropriate than Harvard University (same campus, same professors, but with a non-traditional/older student focus). I would check that out as well.

Can you get admitted? Well, it is easier to get admitted to Harvard Extension than to Harvard University. A 3.38 GPA is low, although I am not sure what accomodations would be made for your circumstances. Top schools have admitted refugees from overseas camps before (usually with very high grades, though). You would have to take an SAT and TOEFL at some point. I don’t know how you’d go about arranging that, but it sounds like your online school might be of help.

Good luck!

Thank you for the advice! I would look into Harvard Extension no doubt. How do you mean my online school might be of help? Could you clarify, please?

Actually, you are already in an online university and technically you would be a transfer student, so you may not need to take the SAT (at least for Extension). You will need proof of English proficiency, usually by taking the TOEFL test, but Extension may accept your English Prep class that you took online.

The Extension web site isn’t clear on everything, so you may have to send an email and explain your situation (leave out the mental health parts, though). Ask for advice on how to proceed and what you need to do in order to apply. The Extension has three application deadlines a year.

While Harvard Extension is an excellent program for the older/non-traditional student (and they do offer financial aid), I don’t know how much support you’re going to get in terms of paying for the application fee, applying and paying for a visa, getting to the visa interview, paying for flight to Boston, down payments on housing, etc. etc. That is all beyond my knowledge base. Harvard is likely to be a good guide, but first you need to get accepted. There lies the real challenge.

I’m not sure you can get a visa for Harvard Extension and I don’t think they offer full scholarships.
My guess also is that you say “Harvard” as a default for “world-class university”, of which there are many in the US (there are 3,700 universities in the US and even the top 10% are excellent but aren’t likely known in Europe.) If you’re willing to look at more than Harvard, we can help.

Is University of the People a “real” university that grants ECTS (European-validated) credits and bachelor’s degrees to people who graduated high school with good marks, or is it a “university” in that it teaches many classes and seminars, for people who wish to learn?
The distinction is VERY important for US colleges, since if the former you’d be a freshman applicant, with one hundred more slots open than if a transfer and full scholarships offered if admitted; if the latter, odds are really low you could transfer into an Ivy+university because so few freshmen leave and so there are so few spaces open, and even fewer for internationals who need financial aid (as for most universities, they wouldn’t have financial aid for international transfers).

Also, are you a woman or a man? (Women’s colleges have a mission for non traditional age women whose life interrupted or prevented college).

As you know the Turkish border has opened; Germany, France, Sweden, have free-tuition universities.

Thank you for your reply and the advice. I am a single man here in the camp. My online school as far as I know is considered a real University, however it offers only online classes. It has national accreditation in the US (I forget the accrediting agency though).

I will look into the options you suggest. Harvard has been my dream from a very early age so I am not sure if I want to apply to any other school. Finally the fact that the Turkish borders recently opened does not influence me in any way. Meaning I am already in Greece (thus in the EU) and in fact all public Universities here in Greece offer tuition free education. Greece has a very interesting story on how they achieved tuition free education (people actually died over this issue back in the 70’s) but I dont see myself in Greece. The US and especially Harvard has always been my dream…

NO ONE applies just to Harvard. A normal list for an international student needing aid would include 15-20 universities.
Also, odds are that Harvard is your dream because you heard of it … but are you able to differentiate it from Princeton? Northeastern? Williams? MIT?
Just because you dreamed of something as a child doesn’t mean it’s the path for an adult.

A big issue: if you enrolled in credit-granting courses toward a university degree then you’re no longer eligible for financial aid at most places. What degree is that online university preparing you for? Is it regionally accredited? Are you taking MOOCs or classes with proctored exams?

Is this the school you are taking courses at? https://www.uopeople.edu/