Dream come true? Harvard University tuition-free for students with family income up to 2 lakh dollars

NEW DELHI: Your dream of studying in Harvard University might finally come true! The university has announced that Harvard College will make tuition free for students with annual family income of 2 lakh dollars or less. Considered one of the top universities in the world, Harvard is expanding its financial aid, starting from the 2025-26 academic session, in an attempt to become affordable for more students coming from middle-class families.

While students from such families will no longer be required to pay the tuition fee for undergraduate programmes, they will also receive additional financial aid to cover billed expenses, depending on their financial circumstances. Students with family incomes above 2 lakh dollars will also receive aid, based on their situation.

Apart from the no-tuition education, the Ivy league university is also going to support students with families earning up to 1 lakh dollars by providing them completely free-of-cost education.

Also read Oxford to Harvard: How the world’s richest universities built billion-dollar academic empires

Free-of-cost education for students

The Harvard College financial aid will cover all billed expenses including tuition, food, housing, health insurance, and travel costs. In addition to this, each student will receive a 2,000 US Dollars start-up grant in the first year and another 2,000 US Dollars launch grant during their junior year to help them with transition beyond the university.

The US university said that the financial aid staff work individually with students and their families to match their specific situation.

“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 University president Alan M Garber in an official statement. “By bringing people of outstanding promise together to learn with and from one another, we truly realize the tremendous potential of the University,” he added.

William R Fitzsimmons, dean of admissions and financial aid said, “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.”