Harvard University has made a game-changing announcement—starting in the 2025-26 academic year, undergraduate students from families earning $200,000 or less per year will receive free tuition. This move is set to benefit a massive portion of the population, making one of the world’s most prestigious universities more accessible than ever before.
A Major Expansion in Financial Aid
Harvard’s new policy isn’t just about tuition. Families earning under $100,000 annually will see even more support, as the university will cover housing, food, health insurance, and travel expenses in addition to tuition. On top of that, these students will receive $2,000 grants in their first and junior years to help with personal expenses and career preparation.
This dramatic increase in financial aid aligns Harvard with other elite institutions like MIT and the University of Pennsylvania, which have also introduced free tuition policies for middle-income families. With the cost of college skyrocketing, this shift signals a growing effort among top universities to level the playing field for students from all economic backgrounds.
Why Is Harvard Doing This Now?
With an endowment exceeding $50 billion, Harvard has long had the resources to provide generous financial aid. However, recent economic and political pressures—including potential cuts in federal funding and a decline in major donations—have made affordability a key issue. The move is also seen as a response to growing concerns about the accessibility of higher education, particularly as student debt reaches record levels in the U.S.
Harvard officials say they hope this initiative will not only relieve financial burdens for families but also attract a more diverse group of students, enriching the academic environment for everyone. The university has faced criticism in recent years for its lack of socioeconomic diversity, and this expansion in financial aid aims to address that.
What This Means for Future Students
For students and families wondering whether a Harvard education is financially within reach, this announcement changes everything. The new policy means that a much larger group of talented students can now consider applying without worrying about the financial strain.
While tuition-free policies at elite universities are still rare, Harvard’s decision may push other institutions to follow suit. As the landscape of higher education shifts, the hope is that more universities will take steps toward making top-tier education accessible to students from all walks of life.
With applications already competitive, this announcement is likely to drive even more interest in Harvard’s admissions process. The biggest takeaway? Harvard just became a whole lot more affordable for middle-class and low-income families—an opportunity that could change thousands of lives.