Financial Aid
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Harvard offer financial aid?
Does applying for financial aid affect a student's chances for admission?
Is it easy to qualify for financial aid?
How can I request a fee waiver?
What if a family's financial situation changes while their student is attending Harvard?
Does Harvard award merit scholarships?
Can students find jobs on or near campus?
Does Harvard offer financial aid?
Yes. In the past decade we have increased financial aid for low and middle income families by over 180%, and in 2011-12 we will award $166M in need-based grant assistance. No contribution is expected from parents with incomes under $65,000. Beginning with the class of 2016, those parents with annual incomes between $65,000 and $150,000 are asked to contribute from zero to ten percent of their income. Some families with incomes above $150,000 still qualify for aid. Families at all incomes who have significant assets will continue to pay more than those in less fortunate circumstances. Students are also asked to contribute to the cost of their education through term-time and summer work.
Does applying for financial aid affect a student's chances for admission?
No. Each admission decision is made without consideration of a candidate's financial need - a policy we call "need-blind" admissions.
Is it easy to qualify for financial aid?
Financial aid is more widely available than most families expect. We do not consider home equity or retirement assets in our calculation of family resources. No contribution is expected from parents with incomes under $65,000. Beginning with the class of 2016, those parents with annual incomes between $65,000 and $150,000 are asked to contribute from zero to ten percent of their income. Some families with incomes above $150,000 still qualify for aid. Those with incomes over $150,000 may still qualify for need-based financial aid, as we consider carefully each family's individual circumstances, and not income alone, in determining need.
Be sure to complete our Net Price Calculator for an individualized estimate of your eligibility for aid.
How can I request a fee waiver?
If paying the $75 fee would cause undue financial hardship for your family, we encourage you to request a fee waiver. You should contact your guidance counselor for assistance in obtaining the waiver.
Information on the College Board fee waiver program is available at http://www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/the-application/922.html. Your counselor may use the College Board form, or your school's own form. If no form is available, your counselor may choose to write a personal letter testifying that he or she is familiar with your family's financial circumstances and believes payment would cause hardship.
If you submit a form signed by authorized school personnel, you can assume it will be accepted. If we have any questions, we will contact you.
We also accept ECO (Expanding College Opportunities) fee waivers. Students completing either application on paper must include the ECO fee
waiver in the application package. Students completing the Common or Universal application online should choose "Other Fee Waiver" as a payment option and then mail in the waiver to the admissions office.
What if a family's financial situation changes while their student is attending Harvard?
We adjust individual financial aid packages to accommodate significant changes in a family's financial situation. Students apply for financial assistance each year, and we will meet students' demonstrated need for all four years.
Does Harvard award merit scholarships?
No. Harvard is firmly committed to allocating resources to sustain our policies of need-blind admissions and need-based financial aid. Our unusually talented student populations — chosen in a very competitive admissions process — would, in any case, complicate the equitable distribution of merit-based awards. However, students last year brought with them to Harvard more than $14 million in scholarships from outside resources, thus enhancing their own financial flexibility during their college years.
Can students find jobs on or near campus?
There are always many jobs available at Harvard, and we guarantee on-campus employment for students whose financial aid packages include term-time work provisions. Employment opportunities range from dining hall duties to work in the University's libraries, laboratories and offices. Students have also earned money on campus as bartenders, teaching assistants, sportswriters, computer programmers, lifeguards and research assistants, to cite a few examples. Working on average eight to twelve hours per week, most students find that they can work, excel academically, and participate in a range of extracurricular activities. Read more at our Student Employment Office website.
