Harvard University has revealed that it will now offer free tuition to families earning less than $200,000 per year.
For families with incomes below $100,000, Harvard will also take care of additional costs such as housing and health insurance.
This decision is part of an effort to make Harvard more accessible to middle-income families. It comes at a time when the Trump administration is reducing funding for universities as part of a broader effort to limit diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
“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 President Alan Garber.
Harvard University has announced a new policy, starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, that will make tuition free for families earning less than $200,000 annually. According to Garber, this change aims to “make a Harvard College education possible for every admitted student.”
The Ivy League school estimates that this move will make about 86% of U.S. families eligible for Harvard’s financial aid programs. In 2023, the median household income in the U.S. was $80,000, according to the U.S. Census.
Several other top U.S. universities, such as the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), have introduced similar policies in recent years, offering free tuition to families earning under $200,000. Harvard had already been covering all costs, including housing and medical care, for families with incomes below $85,000.
The average annual cost of attending a private university in the U.S., including on-campus living expenses, is $58,000, according to the Education Data Initiative. College costs have more than doubled since 2001.
This expansion of financial aid comes as the Trump administration has threatened to cut funding to universities over diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which they claim promote racial discrimination. The Department of Education is currently investigating 52 universities across the country for alleged “racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities” as part of Trump’s efforts to eliminate DEI programs.
The Trump administration has already withdrawn $400 million in grants and contracts from Columbia University, accusing the Ivy League school of failing to address antisemitism on campus amid protests over Israel’s war in Gaza.
Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned affirmative action, a policy that aimed to reduce discrimination against marginalized groups and increase diversity in student admissions. Since the court’s decision, universities across the U.S. have reported a decline in racial diversity among their student populations.
