Harvard University

What the funding covers

• Need-blind admission for all applicants, whatever their citizenship: asking for aid does not affect your chances.
• 100% of demonstrated financial need met with grants; no loans in the aid package.
• Families earning $100,000 or less (with typical assets) have an expected parent contribution of zero, covering tuition, housing, food and health insurance, plus a $2,000 start-up grant in the first year and a $2,000 launch grant in the junior year.
• Families earning up to $200,000 pay no tuition.
• The application fee is waived if it would be a hardship; request it in the Common Application.

Who can apply

• First-year applicants from any country applying to Harvard College (undergraduate).
• Aid is based on your family's income and assets, which Harvard assesses the same way for international families.

How to apply

1. Apply through the Common Application with Harvard's supplement, school report, teacher recommendations and transcripts.
2. Choose Restrictive Early Action (1 November) or Regular Decision (1 January).
3. Submit the financial aid application (the CSS Profile and any documents Harvard requests) by its stated deadline.
4. Use Harvard's net price calculator first to see what your family would be expected to pay.

Before you apply: things to know

• Restrictive Early Action limits where else you can apply early; read the rules before choosing it.
• Missing aid documents delay your aid offer, even though they never affect the admission decision.
• Admission is extremely competitive. Apply to a balanced list; see our guide to how US financial aid works for international students.

A working timeline

Counting back from the next deadline (Jan 1, 2027). Steps marked NOW are already due if you start today.