There's been loads of talk about the Ivy League at my school, so here's a question: Does anyone know the current tuition for Harvard University? How manageable is it for an average earning family, any insights on scholarships or financial aid there?
Harvard University is known for its robust financial aid program, which significantly minimizes the financial obstacle for many students.
As of the 2024-2025 academic year, the tuition at Harvard is approximately $56,550, but with other fees, room, board, and personal expenses, the total cost of attendance is approximately $82,866 per year. However, keep in mind that the sticker price often isn't what students pay.
Harvard has a need-blind admission process for all applicants, domestic and international, meaning that your ability to pay doesn't affect your admission chances. The Financial Aid office assists accepted students in paying for their education by meeting 100% of their demonstrated need.
Harvard's financial aid is based on a sliding scale. Families with an annual income of less than $65,000 are not expected to financially contribute to their child's education. Moreover, for families earning between $65,000 and $150,000, the amount they contribute would be between 0-10% of their income. This means that the vast majority of families would pay less than the full tuition.
Furthermore, almost all Harvard students graduate debt-free. There's also an online Net Price Calculator available on the Harvard website to estimate your family contribution. It typically takes less than five minutes to complete.
Regarding scholarships, Harvard offers merit-based scholarships to exceptional students. There is no special application; all admitted students are automatically considered for these awards.
If you're talented in a specific area and that talent could contribute to the Harvard community, Columbia might also offer you a scholarship. For example, they might offer a scholarship to a talented musician who will play in the university orchestra.
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.