Harvard University Scholarships And Aids 2025

Here is the truth, Harvard is more affordable than public universities for 90 percent of Americans—and international students receive exactly the same financial aid as American students.

Harvard And Money

As you know, Harvard University, a top name in global academia, is all about making sure money isn’t a roadblock for smart, driven students. For 2025, they’ve got a bunch of scholarships that cover everything from need-based aid to special funds for different groups and fields of study. Plus, Harvard teams up with outside organizations to offer even more funding. Here’s a quick look at what's available.

1. Need-Based Financial Aid

Need-blind admissions. Your financial need and your aid application will never affect your chance of being admitted to Harvard!

Harvard’s Financial Aid Program

Do you know that 55% of the Harvard students receive financial aid? This university’s key idea is to bring the most potential students to the campus irrespective of their financial condition. That’s why their primary target is to provide need-based financial aid to a huge number of students. Around 25% of Harvard families pay absolutely nothing for their children.

Aid packages are given to students in which a combination of grants, work-study opportunities, and minimal loans are included. 20% of the roughly 6,700 current undergraduate students are Pell Grant recipients.

• Eligibility: 

Open to all students, both domestic and international, based on demonstrated financial need. Many factors, such as your family’s income, assets, size, and unusual expenses are involved here.

So, here is the deal if your family has an income below $85,000, you will get fully free tuition! 

Families with incomes between $85,000 and $150,000 will contribute from 0-10% of their income, and those with incomes above $150,000 will be asked to pay proportionately

• Application Process: 

Requires submission of the CSS Profile, FAFSA (for U.S. students), or the Harvard Financial Aid Application (for international students), along with detailed financial documentation.

• Coverage: 

Up to 100% of tuition, room, board, and other fees, depending on the level of need. There is an absolutely great page of Havard from where you will be able to estimate your cost of attendance.

Pie chart showing a typical case where a Harvard student receives financial aid along with parents' contribution having a total budget ($84,400).

FAQ

1. Is there financial aid available for foreign students?

Obviously, there is no discrimination in this regard. But an exception is only for Federal funding which is only allowed for US permanent residents. Don’t worry! Harvard has its own job and scholarship money which will be for foreign students.

1. How do I apply for this aid?

Here is the website link from where you will get the instructions no matter what background or citizenships you have!

2. Merit-Based Scholarships

Harvard Merit Scholarships
 

Damn! Harvard doesn’t offer any merit-based scholarships. Rather it focuses on need-based scholarships. A fun note is that students getting admitted to Harvard are already talented and meritorious so no need to classify them on the basis of merit.

You can still use merit-based cards from external scholarships in the following section.

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3. Specialized Scholarships

i.  Harvard Academy Scholars Program

This  Program offers financial support to scholars who have recently completed their PhDs or comparable doctoral degrees and are pursuing an academic career in international relations and foreign policy.

• Eligibility: 

If you're earning up your PhD or a similar doctoral degree and are in the social sciences, this opportunity could be for you! As long as you’re within two years of finishing by August 1, 2025, or nearly done with your dissertation (with proof of completion by June 30, 2025), you’re good to go.

Just a heads up, if you’ve already held or completed a Harvard postdoc fellowship, you won’t be able to apply. 

• Application Process:

 Make sure you get everything in and submitted to this website by September 20, 2024—no late submissions will be accepted. Here's what you'll need:

1. Curriculum Vitae (CV): Make sure it includes all your publications.

2. Research Proposal: Keep it concise—2,000 words max, covering your intellectual goals and the methods you'll use.

3. Scholarly Writing Sample: This could be a chapter from your PhD dissertation or a single-authored, peer-reviewed journal article. It needs to be in English and no more than 50 pages.

4. PhD Program Transcript: A copy of your academic transcript.

5. Three Letters of Recommendation: Your recommenders should upload these directly to the online application confidentially, and they must be in by September 20, 2024.

• Coverage:  

                          Includes a substantial annual stipend, research funding, and health insurance.$80,000 annually for two years

ii. Boustany Foundation MBA Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded to exceptional candidates applying to the Harvard MBA program, offering financial aid and an internship opportunity with the Boustany Foundation.

• Eligibility: 

Candidates must show strong academic performance, leadership potential, and financial need. Preference is given to candidates of Lebanese descent. Candidates may apply for the Scholarship only after receiving an offer of admission from the Harvard MBA program.

• Application Process: 

If you're interested in applying, please send your curriculum vitae (with a photo), GMAT scores, and acceptance letter from the university to admissions@boustany-foundation.org. 

If you make the shortlist, you'll be invited to one or more interviews with the Foundation. One candidate will be awarded the scholarship. The deadline for submitting your application is May 31, 2025, and the scholarship will be awarded in June 2025.

• Coverage: 

Covers tuition fees and provides an additional stipend for your living expenses. Recipients are also required to complete an internship in Monaco with the Boustany Foundation.

iii. Harvard University Aspire Leaders Program
 

This Program is all about helping low-income, first-gen college students and recent grads from around the world. It’s a free, online leadership journey that you can fit into your schedule without a problem. If you’re juggling other stuff, this program’s flexible enough to work around your commitments while giving you the tools and connections to grow as a leader.

• Eligibility: 

To join the Aspire Leaders Program, you should be 18 to 29 years old, come from a low-income background, and be a first-generation college student or recent grad (just not in grad school yet). Plus, having a decent level of English helps.

• Application Process: 

This is an interest form for 2025 (as the 2024 run is closed). It involves a multi-step application process, including an initial application, video submissions, and interviews.

• Coverage: 

Offers full coverage for leadership training, travel, and accommodation for program events, and may include scholarships for further studies.

iv. Charles Bullard Fellowship in Forest Research

This fellowship supports advanced research in forest biology or forestry, providing funding for mid-career professionals in the field.

• Eligibility: 

1. To qualify for a Bullard Fellowship, you should have established yourself in academia, public service, or the private sector. 
2. Recent PhD grads aren’t typically considered. 
3. For academics, you need a PhD obtained at least two years ago, with publications like a monograph or multiple refereed journal articles. 
4. If you're outside academia, you must show leadership and propose a project with significant contributions to forest studies. The review focuses on your accomplishments, academic record, and how Harvard Forest resources will benefit your career.

• Application Process: 

To apply for a Bullard Fellowship, submit:

1.A web-based application form.

2. Contact info for 3 references who will submit letters by October 15, 2024.

3. A 5-page research statement outlining your career proposed research, and its future impact.

4. A CV (max 5 pages) detailing education, professional positions, honors, publications, and outreach activities. Artists should include a link to their portfolio.

5. Applications are due by October 1, 2024, 5 pm EST, with references accepted until October 15, Midnight EST. Notifications will be sent by December 15. For more info, email hfapps@fas.harvard.edu.

• Coverage: 

It Includes a stipend, research support, and housing assistance for the duration of the fellowship. 

Bullard Fellowships offer stipends up to $6,250 per month, totaling a maximum of $75,000 for a year. The exact amount depends on the Fellowship’s duration and can be paid directly to you or your employer. These stipends are designed to supplement your existing income while you focus on research, such as during a sabbatical or educational leave, rather than to fund original research projects.

v. Houghton Library Visiting Fellowship

The Visiting Fellowship program at Houghton Library is open to scholars at any career stage who want to dive deep into their research using the library’s rich collections. Fellows get access to Harvard’s other libraries, benefit from staff expertise, and can engage in the intellectual community.

• Eligibility: 

1. Open to all nationalities; non-U.S. citizens need a J-1 visa (fees are your responsibility).
2. Open to doctoral students, post-docs, academics, independent scholars, and library/archive/museum professionals.
3. Not for those living within commuting distance.
4. Must wait 5 years between fellowships.
5. Encourages applications from underrepresented groups.

• Application Process: 

To apply, you'll need to submit:

1.A project proposal (up to 1,000 words)

2. A preliminary list of Houghton collection materials you'll be using (make sure Houghton actually holds these materials!)

3. A CV

4. One letter of reference

• Coverage: 

For the 2024–2025 cohort, fellows will get a stipend of $4,500 for their appointment period. It may also include travel expenses and accommodation support.

4. External Scholarships and Fellowships

Fulbright Program

The Fulbright Program hooks international students up with full scholarships to study at top U.S. schools like Harvard. It’s a big deal, backed by the U.S. government, and covers everything from tuition to living costs. If you get it, you’re set for an awesome educational experience in the States!

• Eligibility: 

To apply for the Fulbright Program, you must be a 

1. U.S. citizen (permanent residents can’t apply), have a bachelor’s degree, and meet language requirements. 
2. If you’re in the creative arts or medicine, special rules apply, like needing four years of professional experience in the arts or not using the grant for medical internships. 
3. Preference is given to those who haven’t had a Fulbright before, haven’t spent too much time in the host country, and have U.S.-based higher education.

• Application Process: 
  • Deadline: October 8, 2024, by 5 pm Eastern Time.
  • Initial Screening: Applications are reviewed for eligibility and completeness by IIE staff.
  • National Screening Committee: Applications are assessed by faculty members based on project quality, qualifications, and alignment with Fulbright’s mission.
  • Host Country Review: Semi-finalists are forwarded to host countries for final selection, which may involve interviews or additional materials.
  • Approval: Final selections are approved by the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
  • Grant Period: Must begin by March 31, 2026, and typically align with the host country’s academic calendar.
     
• Coverage: 

1. 24/7 Support Line: Available for both urgent and non-urgent situations.
2. 12 Months Non-Competitive Eligibility (NCE): Provides a special hiring status within the federal government.
3. Stipend: Covers room, board, and incidental costs based on the cost of living in the host country.

FAQ

1. What types of scholarships can I get at Harvard for 2025? 

Harvard offers a mix of need-based aid, merit-based awards, and specific programs like the Academy Scholars Program and the Aspire Leaders Program.

2. How do I apply for Harvard’s need-based financial aid? 

Just fill out the FAFSA and CSS Profile forms. Harvard will look at your family’s finances to figure out how much aid you might need.

3. What’s the Harvard Academy Scholars Program all about? 

It’s a program for early-career scholars focusing on global issues. You’ll get funding and research support, plus resources for your academic work.

4. Can international students apply for Harvard scholarships? 

Absolutely! International students can go for need-based aid and various scholarships, including the Boustany Foundation MBA Scholarship and the Aspire Leaders Program.

5. How do I apply for the Boustany Foundation MBA Scholarship? 

Apply directly through the Boustany Foundation’s website. It covers your tuition and living costs for Harvard Business School’s MBA program.

6. What external scholarships can I look for as a Harvard student? 

Besides Harvard’s own scholarships, check out external options like the Houghton Library Visiting Fellowship and other awards from private organizations and foundations.