Are you thinking about attending Harvard without paying tuition? It's now possible!
Harvard University is broadening its commitment to accessible education, declaring that its esteemed Ivy League experience will be 'within financial reach' for an even greater number of students. This signifies a move to make its high-calibre learning opportunities more affordable for various economic backgrounds.
It's a dream for many, but the path to free education at this prestigious university has specific requirements.
Who Qualifies For Free Tuition At Harvard?
In a significant move to broaden access to its renowned education, Harvard University declared on 17 March that undergraduate tuition would be free for students whose families have an annual income of £153,857 ($200,000) or less, according to a news release.
This updated policy will take effect in the 2025-26 academic year, allowing a wider range of students to experience Ivy League learning without the burden of tuition fees. Harvard will extend its offer of completely free education to students from families earning £76928.50 ($100,000) or less annually, encompassing all billed expenses.
BREAKING: Harvard University has announced FREE TUITION for families earning $200K/yr or less starting in the 2025-2026 academic year.
— Dream for America (@DreamAmerica_) March 18, 2025
Families earning $100K/yr or less will also be provided free healthcare and housing.
What are your thoughts on this move? pic.twitter.com/Ujlo8PTTFM
This comprehensive aid will include tuition and cover the costs of food, housing, health insurance, and even travel. The university specifies that 'billed expenses' are those directly charged by Harvard, such as tuition, fees, and room and board.
Harvard's Comprehensive Aid For Lower-Income Families
'Putting Harvard within financial reach for more individuals widens the array of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives that all of our students encounter, fostering their intellectual and personal growth,' Harvard President Alan Garber said in a statement.
'By bringing people of outstanding promise together to learn with and from one another, we truly realise the tremendous potential of the University,' he added. The university states that these adjustments will 'enable approximately 86 percent of U.S. families to qualify for Harvard College's financial aid.'
For students whose families earn £769,28.50 ($100,000) or less, in addition to covering their 'billed expenses' and tuition, Harvard will also provide a £1538.57 ($2,000) 'start-up grant' during their initial year and a £1538.57 ($2,000) 'launch grant' in their third year of college.
Beyond the benefit of free tuition, individuals whose families earn £153,857 ($200,000) or less will also have the chance to obtain financial support for additional costs. Furthermore, the institution noted that those whose families earn more than £153,857 ($200,000) may also be eligible for tuition assistance based on their situation.
Harvard's Commitment To Financial Aid
'This investment in financial aid aims to make a Harvard College education possible for every admitted student, so they can pursue their academic passions and positively impact our future,' Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Hopi Hoekstra said in a statement.
The university started dedicating funds to undergraduate financial aid with the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative in 2004. This program covered tuition and expenses for students whose families had yearly earnings of £30771.40 ($40,000) or less.
That figure rose to £46157.10 ($60,000) in 2006 and subsequently to £65389.22 ($85,000) in 2023. Since the initiative began, Harvard has provided £2.77 billion ($3.6 billion) in undergraduate financial assistance; at present, 55% of undergraduates receive financial aid.
What These Changes Mean For You
Families obtaining financial aid paid an average of £12077.77 ($15,700) for the 2023-24 school year. Harvard's typical yearly tuition is £43503.07 ($56,550), and the overall average annual cost to attend totals £63747.57 ($82,866), as stated on its official site.
As NBC News highlighted, Harvard's most recent decision regarding financial aid follows the University of Texas System's announcement in November 2024 that tuition would be free for undergraduate students from families earning £76928.50 ($100,000) or less annually.
That month, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology also declared a comparable action for undergraduate students whose families earn under £153857 ($200,000).
