Harvard University was established in 1636 and is the oldest university in the United States. It is highly regarded for its quality of education and vast number of programs, and it receives students from around the globe. Yet, education at Harvard is very costly. This article offers a detailed analysis of the price of education at Harvard University in 2025.
Tuition and fees
- Undergraduate programs: For the 2023-2024 school year, undergraduate program tuition and fees at Harvard were $59,076. This will be higher somewhat for the 2024-2025 school year, though no numbers are yet available. Visiting undergraduate students pay a per-credit rate of $3,534.
- Graduate programs: Harvard graduate school tuition for the 2023-2024 academic year was $55,4402. Like undergraduate courses, this will probably be higher for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Program specific charges
- MBA/PGDM: These programs can vary from around USD 22,000 to 80,000.
- B.Sc. and B.A.: These charges are around USD 62,000 to 65,000.
- MS: The fees vary between about USD 22,000 and 80,000.
Cost of living
Harvard living expenses comprise room and board, which are the highest items of the total expense. In the academic year 2023-2024, room and board cost about $20,374. Another source informs us that room and board would be around $26,000 in the 2024-2025 academic year. These amounts encompass accommodation and dining facilities.
Breakdown of living costs
Room: Around $12,056 for the 2023-2024 school year.
Board: Around $7,446 for the 2023-2024 school year.
Other costs
Aside from tuition and living costs, students also have to factor in other costs such as books, supplies, and personal expenditures. For the 2023-2024 school year, these were estimated at $1,000 for books and $6,255 for other costs.
Total cost of attendance
The cost of attending Harvard for the 2023-2024 academic year was around $86,7942. For the 2024-2025 academic year, it will be around $84,000, covering tuition, room, board, and fees.
- Financial aid and scholarships: Harvard provides generous packages of financial aid to increase access to education. The university has a need-blind admissions policy, where financial need is not considered in the admission of students. Harvard fully meets 100% of demonstrated need for students, and approximately 55% of students are awarded need-based financial aid. The average grant of financial aid is approximately $68,000.
- Scholarships for international students: Harvard offers a number of different scholarships to international students, such as Indian, European or African students. These can soften the cost impact, enabling almost 24% of families to pay zero tuition.
Harvard University in 2025 costs a lot of money to pay for, but the robust financial aid system at the institution makes it accessible. Potential students can attempt to use Harvard’s Net Price Calculator to calculate what they will pay and how much financial aid they may be able to receive. Even with the high costs, most students are of the opinion that the value of a Harvard degree is worth it, particularly when paired with scholarship and financial aid.
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