Harvard University President Alan M. Garber and Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Hopi Hoekstra announced on Monday that Harvard College will waive tuition for students from families earning $100,000 or less annually and offer tuition-free education to those from families with incomes up to $200,000 per year. This major financial aid expansion, set to take effect in the 2025-26 academic year, aims to make Harvard more accessible than ever, particularly for middle-income families.
What the New Financial Aid Covers
For students whose families earn $100,000 or less, Harvard will cover:
✅ Tuition
✅ Housing and food
✅ Health insurance
✅ Travel costs
✅ $2,000 start-up grant for first-year students
✅ $2,000 launch grant during their junior year to help support the transition beyond Harvard
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. And many students with family incomes above $200,000 will also receive aid, depending on their circumstances.
Record-Breaking Commitment to Financial Aid
Harvard has awarded over $3.6 billion in undergraduate financial aid since launching the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative. For the 2025-26 academic year, the university has allocated $275 million for financial aid, ensuring more students can afford an Ivy League education. Currently, 55% of Harvard undergraduates receive financial aid. In the 2023-24 academic year, families receiving aid paid an average of $15,700 in tuition.
Making Harvard More Accessible Than Ever
This move is expected to boost applications from middle-income families who may have previously considered Harvard financially out of reach. By eliminating tuition barriers, Harvard aims to attract top talent from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.
This expansion marks a historic step in making one of the world’s most prestigious universities accessible to a broader range of students, ensuring that financial limitations do not stand in the way of academic excellence.