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On Campus

The Harvard University Native American Program is uniquely situated to bring together students, faculty, and staff from all parts of the University as well as friends and community members from peer schools and the surrounding Cambridge/Boston area.

Native & Indigenous Community at Harvard

There are thousands of courses taught by esteemed faculty members and augmented by Harvard’s unparalleled libraries and resources.

HUNAP brings together students, faculty, staff and programs for the purposes of academic scholarship, collaboration, and well-being at Harvard.

In our efforts to be globally-minded, we offer and engage in activities and programs that cover Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and other Indigenous matters.

As an interfaculty initiative at Harvard, HUNAP collaborates and is deeply committed with our campus partners with regard to recruitment, admissions, and student affairs across the entire Harvard umbrella.

Applying to Harvard

The University seeks promising students who will contribute to the Harvard community during their college years, and to society throughout their lives.

While academic accomplishment is important, the Admissions Committee considers many other factors—strong personal qualities, special talents or excellences of all kinds, perspectives formed by unusual personal circumstances, and the ability to take advantage of available resources and opportunities.

To Apply

To apply to Harvard College or to any of the graduate schools, you must visit the Harvard University Admissions & Aid website. HUNAP cannot accept applications for admission.

Admissions and Aid

Questions?

If you have questions about Native student life or academics, please feel free to call or email us to be contacted by a HUNAP staff member or student. Of course, you can also stop by our office if you are local!

Email us

Student/Alumni Organizations

Student Organizations

  • Diné at Harvard (Diné) 
  • Future Indigenous Educators Resisting Colonial Education (FIERCE) 
  • Indigenous Design Collective (IDC) 
  • Indigenous Women’s Group (IWG) 
  • Native Americans at Harvard College (NAHC) 
  • Native American Health Organization (NAHO) 
  • Native American Law Student Association (NALSA) 
  • Native American Student Organization at TH Chan (NASO) 

 

Alumni Organizations

  • Native American Alumni of Harvard University (NAAHU)
  • Harvard Alumni for Oceania (HAO)

Notable Alumni

Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, (Gay Head Aquinnah)

Harvard College Class of 1665

Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck was a member of Harvard’s graduating class of 1665. Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck is from a Wampanoag tribe that lived in Martha’s Vineyard. Caleb gained acceptance to Harvard’s Indian College after passing the schools entrance exam at the age of fifteen.  Caleb would go on to become the first Native American to graduate from Harvard’s campus in accordance with Harvard’s charter of 1650. This charter stated that Harvard would be dedicated to the education of both English and American Indian scholars. Cheeshahteaumuck was one of few Native students who actually attended Harvard and live a long way from home on Harvard’s campus. Caleb is said to be the inspiration for the novel Caleb’s Crossing, by Geraldine Brooks. A few years after receiving his diploma Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck died in his home, reportedly with a case of smallpox.