Harvard Expands Free Tuition Program In Landmark Financial Aid Move

India-West News Desk

BOSTON, MA – Harvard University has announced a major expansion of its financial aid program, offering free tuition to students whose families earn $200,000 or less per year. The move significantly broadens access to one of the world’s most prestigious institutions, aiming to ensure financial constraints do not hinder top students from attending.

“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,” Harvard President Alan M. Garber said in a statement on March 17. “By bringing people of outstanding promise together to learn with and from one another, we truly realize the tremendous potential of the University.”

The Ivy League university also announced that students from families earning $100,000 or less annually will receive full coverage for tuition, housing, food, and health services. Harvard emphasized that its goal is to make education accessible to the most promising students, regardless of financial background.

“We know that paying for college is a big concern for many families, and we’re committed to making a Harvard education—and the opportunities that come with it—possible for more students than ever,” the university stated. The expansion is expected to make approximately 86% of U.S. families eligible for Harvard College’s financial aid program.

For students whose families earn more than $200,000 per year, Harvard confirmed that financial aid would still be available based on individual circumstances. The cost of attending Harvard—including tuition, room, board, and health services—currently stands at approximately $83,000 per year.

Since launching the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative in 2004, the university has awarded more than $3.6 billion in undergraduate financial aid.

Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., praised the decision, urging other institutions to follow suit. “Ten years ago, when I introduced a bill to make public colleges & universities tuition-free, it was called ‘radical.’ Not today,” Sanders posted.