Studying in the USA: Harvard University announces free tuition for families earning less than $200,000 starting in 2025

Harvard University has announced new financial aid initiatives that will take effect in the 2025-26 academic year. Find out which students will be eligible for grants to study at Harvard, as well as where else in the United States these initiatives are being implemented.
Harvard University has announced that, starting in the 2025-26 academic year, it will offer free tuition to students from families with an annual income of $200,000 or less. The move is aimed at increasing financial accessibility and expanding the number of students who could get an education at the prestigious Ivy League institution.
The new financial aid policy is expected to allow about 86% of US families to qualify for financial aid from Harvard University, significantly expanding opportunities for admission and study at the institution.
We have collected everything that is currently known about the new financial support at Harvard in this article.
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Comprehensive support for low-income families of Harvard students in 2025
According to the updated policy, the following assistance options are planned:
- Students from families earning $100,000 or less
Fully cover the costs of tuition, housing, meals, medical services and other student expenses.
- Students from families earning up to $200,000 per year
Will receive free tuition.
This expansion of financial aid is expected to impact thousands of students each year, especially those from middle-class families who have traditionally struggled financially when it comes to paying for their education. By reducing reliance on loans and allowing families to pay nothing for tuition, Harvard aims to minimize financial stress and allow students to focus on their academic goals.
How much does it cost to study at Harvard?
The average cost of studying at Harvard for an undergraduate student is currently $56,550, and additional costs for housing, food, and utilities bring the total to approximately $82,866 per year.
Therefore, students from families with incomes of $100,000 to $200,000 per year find it difficult to get an education at this prestigious university.
What kind of aid does Harvard currently provide to its students?
About 55% of Harvard students currently receive financial aid. In the 2023-2024 academic year, families of students receiving financial aid spent an average of $15,700 on tuition, the school said.
Since its inception, Harvard’s Financial Aid Initiative has provided more than $3.6 billion in financial aid to students, demonstrating the university’s ongoing commitment to making higher education accessible.
The new policy further emphasizes the university’s commitment to attracting talent from a diverse range of socioeconomic backgrounds.
Financial aid at other U.S. institutions
Harvard’s decision to make tuition free for more families comes at a time when many other prestigious universities are also reviewing their financial aid policies. Institutions such as Princeton, Stanford and Yale have already made strides in offering more generous aid packages, many of which have completely canceled loans for low-income students.
Harvard University’s new policy builds on this trend and emphasizes that the cost of education is a critical point.
Harvard University’s free tuition for students from certain families is a strong example for other educational institutions to follow, and it is hoped that this step will pave the way for larger reforms in the higher education system, making quality education more accessible for future generations.
Obtaining a study visa is a complex process that involves preparing a large number of documents. Order the “Guide for Studying” from the Visit World team to find out what documents you need to prepare for a student visa to the USA, as well as get useful tips for entering universities abroad.
Reminder! The US has begun using artificial intelligence to revoke student visas of foreigners suspected of supporting Hamas. We’ve already covered how the Catch and Revoke program works, why it was made, and what the possible consequences of the US administration’s policy will be.
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