Harvard will be free for students whose families make $100K or less
Harvard University has expanded its financial aid program to make the university free or lower-cost for students whose families earn less than $200,000, a move that comes in the wake of last year’s Supreme Court ruling that banned race from being a consideration in the admissions process.
Three things to know
- Harvard outlined the income requirements for prospective students for the next academic year If a student’s family makes less than $100,000 annually, the cost of attendance is free, including tuition, food, housing, health insurance and travel costs. If a family makes $200,000 or less, tuition is free. Families that make more than that will still qualify to receive financial aid.
- The university described the move as a significant expansion of financial aid that will “make Harvard affordable to more students than ever, especially from middle-income families.” The plan also includes a two-part startup grant for graduates to help with the transition to life after Harvard.
- Harvard’s sticker price for the 2024-2025 school year is an estimated $82,866 for undergraduate students, according to the university’s registrar.
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What difference does it make?
Across the U.S., more than 100 universities have already adopted similar practices in order to diversify their student bodies. Some smaller schools had been doing it long before the Supreme Court ruling. Others, such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pennsylvania more recently have moved to make tuition free or more affordable to families that meet certain income qualifications.