Regular Decision candidates apply by January 1 and receive notification by the end of March.
Most importantly, the Applicant Portal is where you'll view your admissions decision. Most applicants receive an email reminding them to check their portal and view their decision about 15 minutes after decisions are released.
If you are not selected for the position, you will receive an email from Harvard (address "academicpositions@harvard") letting you know. This email may come while the search is in progress, or it may come at the conclusion of the search. Can I make changes to my application after I have submitted it?
All applicants will receive a notification email within 48 hours of submitting the admission application. Admission and financial aid decisions are released in March.
Restrictive Early Action candidates apply by November 1 and receive notification by mid-December. Regular Decision candidates apply by January 1 and receive notification by the end of March.
Applicants are notified by email when a decision is available to view in the Applicant Portal, normally by March 15. You can log in to the Applicant Portal to check the status of your application and track the receipt of required materials.
There's also a little bit of variation in how decisions are conveyed: you can expect many colleges to send acceptance letters by email or online portal, though some will still send a formal letter in your mailbox, too.