admin Harvard University announced on Monday that it will provide free tuition to undergraduate students from families earning $200,000 (£156,000) or less per year.
In a statement, Harvard President Alan M. Garber said the initiative aims to make the university more financially accessible.
“By widening the range of backgrounds and experiences among our students, we foster intellectual and personal growth,” Garber said. “Bringing together individuals of outstanding promise to learn from one another allows us to fully realise the university’s potential.”
The tuition-free programme for eligible families will begin in the 2025-26 academic year, ensuring that admitted students can afford a Harvard education.
“Our goal is simple: to bring the most promising students to Harvard,” the university’s statement read.
In addition to free tuition, families earning $100,000 (£78,000) or less annually will also receive full coverage for housing, food, healthcare, and travel expenses.
Every student will receive a $2,000 (£1,560) start-up grant in their first year to assist with everyday costs. They will also receive another $2,000 in their junior year to support their transition beyond Harvard, covering expenses such as graduate school preparation or travel for job interviews.
Hopi Hoekstra, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, said Harvard has always aimed to welcome the most talented students, regardless of their financial circumstances.
“This investment in financial aid ensures that every admitted student can pursue their academic passions and make a positive impact on the future,” Hoekstra added.
Harvard’s financial aid expansion is expected to benefit approximately 86 per cent of U.S. families, according to the university.
The university first introduced its Harvard Financial Aid Initiative in 2004, initially covering tuition, food, and housing for students from families earning $40,000 (£31,200) or less. The threshold was raised to $60,000 (£46,800) in 2006 and $85,000 (£66,500) in 2023.
Other universities have also expanded their financial aid programmes. The University of Texas System recently announced it would extend free tuition to families earning $100,000 or less annually, while the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) introduced a similar scheme for students from families earning below $200,000 per year in 2024.
Senator Bernie Sanders commented on Harvard’s decision, noting that a decade ago, his proposal to make public colleges tuition-free was considered “radical.”
“Not today,” he wrote. “Over 100 colleges and universities now offer free tuition to working-class students. Now, we must expand that idea to all public colleges and universities.”
Magazine 
