Harvard To Make Tuition Free For Families With Incomes Up To $200,000

Harvard University will offer free tuition to students from families earning $200,000 or less starting in the 2025-26 academic year.

Harvard University President Alan M. Garber and Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Hopi Hoekstra announced the news on Monday. 

This significant expansion of financial aid will make the elite institution more affordable to students than ever, especially those from middle-income families.

Putting Harvard Within Financial Reach

Commencing in the 2025/2026 academic year, the Ivy League school will be free for students from families with annual incomes under $100,000. The university will cover all billed expenses, including tuition, food, housing, health insurance, and travel costs. 

Furthermore, each of these students will receive a $2,000 start-up grant in their first year and a $2,000 launch grant during their junior year to help support their transition after university.

Related Post: The University of Pennsylvania Is the First Ivy to Offer an AI Master’s

“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,” President Garber said. “By bringing people of outstanding promise together to learn with and from one another, we truly realize the tremendous potential of the University.”

The expansion will enable approximately 86% of U.S. families to qualify for Harvard College’s financial aid. This move reinforces the University’s commitment to providing all undergraduates with the necessary resources to enroll and graduate.

“Harvard has long sought to open our doors to the most talented students, no matter their financial circumstances,” said Dean Hoekstra. “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.”

Related Post: Bloomberg Announces $600M Gift to Four Historically Black Medical Schools

Students with family incomes of $200,000 or less will receive free tuition and additional financial aid to cover billed expenses, depending on their financial circumstances. 

Depending on their circumstances, many students with family incomes above $200,000 will also receive aid. The university’s financial aid staff works personally and individually with students and families to match each family’s specific situation.

Harvard is Consolidating on Decades of Providing Undergraduate Financial Aid

The expansion consolidates two decades of investment in undergraduate financial aid at Harvard. It began in 2004 with the launch of the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative, which completely covered tuition, food, and housing costs for students from families with annual incomes of $40,000 or less. The threshold has increased four times since then—from $60,000 in 2006 to $85,000 in 2023.

“We know the most talented students come from different socioeconomic backgrounds and experiences, from every state and around the globe,” said William R. Fitzsimmons, Harvard College’s dean of admissions and financial aid. “Our financial aid is critical to ensuring that these students know Harvard College is a place where they can be part of a vibrant learning community strengthened by their presence and participation.”

In 2007, Harvard eliminated loans, providing all assistance through grants. It also eliminated home equity as a factor in determining a family’s ability to pay for College.

Harvard has awarded over $3.6 billion in undergraduate financial aid since launching the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative. The school’s annual financial aid award budget is $275 million for the academic year 2025-26. Fifty-five percent of undergraduates currently receive financial aid. Their families paid an average of $15,700 for the 2023-24 year.

Related Post: Why Claudine Gay Resigned As Harvard’s President

“Our team works closely with each student to ensure full inclusion in the Harvard experience,” said Griffin Director of Financial Aid Jake Kaufmann. “The financial aid program is designed so that Harvard students can study, train, research, create, and fully engage in the Harvard experience with minimal constraints.”

With the move, Harvard joined several other elite institutions, such as MIT, the University of Pennsylvania, and Dartmouth College, which expanded their financial aid to keep attendance affordable for more students.

Photo Credit: Pixabay