I'm from overseas and dream of attending Harvard. I'm curious if they offer full scholarships for international students and how you can apply or qualify for such an amazing opportunity.
Harvard is one of the few universities in the U.S. that is need-blind for all applicants, including international students. This means the college does not consider the ability of a student to pay when making admissions decisions.
When talking about scholarships, Harvard primarily provides need-based financial aid, rather than merit-based scholarships. In other words, your financial aid package is determined by your family's financial need (income, assets, etc.) rather than your academic or extracurricular achievements.
If admitted, any accepted international student who demonstrates financial need is eligible for aid. For families earning less than $85,000 a year - which Harvard considers low income - the university commits to covering the full cost of attendance, including tuition, room, board, and other fees. Even for families with incomes above this threshold, generous aid is provided on a sliding scale. For instance, a family earning between $85,000 to $150,000 typically pays no more than 10% of their income.
To apply for financial aid, you would need to fill out the CSS Profile, which is an application distributed by the College Board. You'll also have to provide tax documents or other financial materials to support the information you provide on your CSS Profile.
The key is to apply for aid by the stated deadlines, which coincide closely with the admissions application deadlines. Then, if your financial circumstances don't dramatically change, your financial aid package will be renewed each year you attend.
Keep in mind, that admission to Harvard is highly competitive, so aside from demonstrating financial need, your academic and personal profiles need to be extremely strong. You'll want to focus on communicating your unique strengths and achievements throughout your application.
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