Harvard University To Offer Free Tuition To Students Coming From Households That Earn Under $200K

Some Harvard University students will soon be able to attend the institution free of charge, thanks to a new initiative aimed at making education “affordable to more students than ever,” particularly for those from middle-class families.

On Monday, March 17, 2025, the Boston, MA-based Ivy League institution announced that starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, students from families with annual incomes of $100,000 or less will receive free tuition, food, housing, health insurance, and travel costs. They will also get 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 beyond Harvard.”

Additionally, Harvard will be tuition-free for students from families with annual incomes up to $200,000.

“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,” said Harvard President Alan M. Garber. “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 — which will allow approximately 86 percent of U.S. families to qualify for financial aid — is part of the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative.

Harvard launched the initiative in 2004, covering tuition, food, and housing costs for students from families with annual incomes of $40,000 or less. Since its inception, the income threshold has been revised four times — initially set at $60,000 in 2006 and rising to $85,000 in 2023, per the University.

“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.”