Harvard University extends free tuition offer to students with family incomes under $200,000

From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!

Harvard University announced Monday tuition will be free for students from families with annual incomes of $200,000 or less, joining other prominent schools, including the University of Pennsylvania, which made a similar announcement in 2024.

In addition, Harvard said it would pay for tuition, room and board, and other necessities for students whose annual family income is $100,000 or less.

Education advocates praised the decisions, saying they would create more opportunities for students who otherwise might not be able to afford to attend Harvard.

The announcement comes less than two years after a 2023 Supreme Court decision that banned the use of racial preferences in college admission. It also comes at a time when the Trump Administration seeks to ban higher education institutions’ efforts to promote diversity and is threatening to cut federal funding to colleges.

Since the high court’s ruling, some colleges like Harvard have reported drops in the admission of students from underserved communities, according to a 2024 report by the Rennie Center for Education, Research and Policy.

“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 in a statement. “By bringing people of outstanding promise together to learn with and from one another, we truly realize the tremendous potential of the university.”

According to Harvard, tuition for the 2024-25 school year was about $56,000 — with housing, food and fees, the total cost increases to $84,000.

Philadelphia City Councilmember Anthony Phillips represents the 9th District in the city’s northwest section and previously headed a nonprofit that helped underserved students acquire financial aid for college.

“I think it is incredible, and it’s a great step forward, especially with the possibility of cutbacks in grants,” Phillips said. “It helps to bridge the gap for the haves and have-nots.”

An annual family income of $100,000 or $200,000 a year, he said, is not enough to fully fund a student at a school like Harvard.

Harvard’s offer will be open to existing students and those whose applications are accepted starting in the 2025-26 academic year. The school said that about 86% of families in the U.S. would qualify for financial aid, and its financial aid budget for 2025 is $275 million.

According to Harvard, it will expand financial aid in three areas:

• Annual family income of $100,000 or less:

All billed expenses will be covered by financial aid, including tuition, along with room and board, fees and more, such as travel expenses between campus and home, winter wear and health insurance, if needed.

• Annual family income of $200,000 or less:

Financial aid will cover the full cost of tuition and could include other costs, including room and board and fees, depending on family financial circumstances.

• Annual family income of $200,000 or more:

Tailored financial aid package depending on family financial circumstances.

In November 2024, the University of Pennsylvania announced a new financial aid package, the Quaker Commitment, effective 2025-26. This package will increase the income level for families of students eligible for free tuition to between $140,000 and $200,000.

At the time, Penn president Larry Jameson said the effort would build on the university’s commitment to opportunity and leadership in financial aid.

According to Penn, the offer will be open to existing students and entering freshmen. About 10,000 students at the school receive financial aid, with the average package of $70,579 covering 76% of the total cost of attendance, compared to 57% in 2008.

Other higher education institutions offering similar financial aid packages include California Institute of Technology, Dartmouth College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of North Carolina, and the University of Virginia.

Sean Vereen, president of Heights Philadelphia, a nonprofit that advocates for educational opportunity,  praised the decisions, but said he would like to see elite colleges like Harvard invest in community colleges.

“Anytime the leading universities make an investment in making it easier for student admissions, particularly low-income students is a good thing,” he said. “But making institutions more affordable does not make them more accessible. I would like to see more robust ways to make pathways for low-income students.”