Harvard To Offer Free Education Based on Family Income
Harvard University decided to make education tuition-free for undergraduate students from families earning less than $200,000 a year and would also cover health insurance, housing, and other expenses for those earning less than $100,000.
Financial aid will also be available to students from families with income above $200,000 depending on specific circumstances such as assets and number of children in college.
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Earlier, the Ivy League school offered free tuition to undergraduate students from families earning less than $85,000 a year, to target students who come from middle-income families.
According to the school’s estimates, the tuition fees, housing, and food, at Harvard College undergraduate program cost more than $82,000 in the academic session 2024-25.
The tuition offers may help Harvard arrest or reverse a decline in the racial diversity of students. In June 2023, the US Supreme Court ruled against Harvard University to effectively end race-based affirmative action in college admissions. The ruling restricted the university from considering race in the admission process.
The Harvard University President Alan Garber said that the decision will put Harvard within the financial reach for more individuals and widens the array of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to foster intellectual and personal growth.
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The University’s decision to expand the financial coverage tries to balance President Donald Trump’s executive orders to target Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in US universities.
As per the university, the move along with other provisions will enable 86% of US families to qualify for financial aid. According to the US Census, the real median household income was $80,610 in 2023.
