Harvard University, founded in 1636 in Massachusetts, is one of the oldest universities in the US. There are many students who desire to walk on the grounds and breathe in the intellectual environment of Harvard University. Those who choose the US as their higher studies destination, they usually prepare for Harvard University. It ranks among the top universities in the US and 5th in the QS World University Rankings 2026.

It is a community that welcomes students from all over the world. It is one of the best in terms of courses provided as well as in terms of funding the studies of students with excellent academics.

Indian students can apply for a Harvard University scholarship to pursue a variety of programmes at Harvard. The university has established a special committee for General Scholarships, which is in charge of disbursing financial help to students who require it. A Harvard University scholarship is an excellent method to further your education at the graduate, post-graduate, or doctoral level. Financial help is available at the institution in the form of loans, scholarships, and student employment.

📌
Verified 2026 Updates:
  • Starting the 2025-26 academic year, Harvard is completely free for students from families earning under USD 100,000 annually, including Indian students
  • Families earning up to USD 200,000 receive free tuition with additional aid
  • Harvard's 2026-27 undergraduate cost of attendance is USD 86,926 (tuition USD 59,320 plus housing USD 13,532, food USD 8,598, and services and health fees)
  • Around 55 percent of students receive scholarship aid and 25 percent of families pay nothing.

What Is the Harvard University Fee Structure for Indian Students in 2026?

⚡ Quick Answer

Harvard College's published undergraduate fee for the 2026-27 academic year is USD 59,320 in tuition, with a total cost of attendance of USD 86,926. This breaks down as tuition USD 59,320, housing USD 13,532, food USD 8,598, student services fee USD 3,676 and health services fee USD 1,800. Need-based aid reduces this sharply for most Indian students.

The published sticker price is the starting point, but very few Indian students pay it in full. Harvard meets 100 percent of demonstrated financial need with grant aid that never has to be repaid, so the actual amount a family pays depends entirely on income and assets rather than the headline figure.

For 2026-27 the Harvard College term bill is tuition USD 59,320, housing USD 13,532, food USD 8,598, a student services fee of USD 3,676 and a health services fee of USD 1,800, adding up to a total cost of attendance of USD 86,926. The separate student health insurance plan is billed on top unless waived through a family plan.

Graduate and professional programmes such as the Harvard Business School MBA carry their own, higher fee schedules, so international applicants should always check the cost of attendance published by the specific Harvard school they are applying to.

What Harvard University Scholarships Are Available for Indian Students?

⚡ Quick Answer

Harvard offers 100 percent need-based aid to all admitted students including Indians in 2026. Starting 2025-26, families earning under USD 100,000 pay nothing, and families up to USD 200,000 receive free tuition. Around 55 percent of students receive scholarship aid and 25 percent attend Harvard completely free, regardless of nationality or citizenship.

Under the policy that began in 2025-26, families earning between USD 100,000 and USD 200,000 a year receive free tuition, with additional grant aid toward fees, food and housing depending on their circumstances. The exact parent contribution is assessed individually rather than fixed at a flat percentage.

Families earning above USD 200,000 a year may still qualify for financial aid, with the amount assessed individually based on total income, assets and circumstances. Across all income bands, the financial aid provided by Harvard University helps thousands of students, including many from India, fulfil their desire of studying in the US.

The scholarship amount is based on the family income of the students. Undergraduates from families earning under USD 100,000 a year receive a fully funded package covering tuition, fees, housing and food, meaning these students pay nothing toward the cost of attendance. This applies equally to international and domestic students.

Here is the list of Harvard scholarship name and their scholarship application is given below:

Scholarship Name (2026)How to Apply
Harvard Need-Based Scholarship (Undergraduate)Auto-considered when you apply via Common Application, Coalition App or Universal College App. Submit CSS Profile and HFAA by February 14.
HGSE Financial Aid (Graduate School of Education)Apply via the official HGSE Financial Aid application page on the Harvard Graduate School of Education website during your degree application.
HBS Need-Based Scholarship (MBA)Submitted via the HBS Financial Aid portal. Around 50 percent of students receive need-based fellowships averaging about USD 100,000 over the two-year programme.
Boustany Foundation MBA Harvard ScholarshipExternal scholarship covering 75 percent of tuition. Send documents to admissions@boustany-foundation.org after meeting eligibility.
Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation ScholarshipExternal scholarship for Indian students. Apply directly via the Inlaks Foundation website with academic transcripts and SOP.
Tata Scholarship at HarvardApplies to Indian undergraduates. Auto-considered when applying for Harvard need-based aid; demonstrates strong financial need with Tata trust funding.

Harvard University Scholarship For Indian Students

Harvard University scholarship offers variety of opportunities for Indian students to review numerous programmes at Harvard. The university has shaped a particular committee of General scholarships that handles the disbursement of financial aid to students Who want it.

Harvard scholarship may be a good thing to pursue your graduate, post-graduate, or a Ph.D. programme. The university offers the scholarship in numerous forms like loans, scholarships, and student employment.

The Harvard university scholarships is classified into four sections specifically prospective students, prospective international students, current (enrolled) students, and current (enrolled) international students. Prospective international students have to be compelled to apply for prospective international students' scholarships. except this, there are alternative eligibility criteria for applying for a scholarship.

Scholarships for Indian students studying in the USARead →

What Are the Harvard University Admission Requirements for Indian Students?

⚡ Quick Answer

Harvard's 2026 admission requirements for Indian students include strong Class 12 results, the Common Application or Coalition Application, a USD 90 application fee (or waiver), recommendation letters and essays. Harvard now requires the SAT or ACT again after ending its test-optional policy, plus TOEFL or IELTS. Indian applicants face a 3 to 4 percent admission rate at Harvard College.

There are not any additional process for Harvard admission needs Indian students, apart from the standardized English language test, that is needed for all international candidates.

Submit the form with required fee. Also Submit their GRE/SAT/GMAT score, TOEFL score, college marksheets, recommendation letters. Some Harvard faculties even have further needs like resume, portfolio or interview.

So let’s check the list of Harvard admission requirements one by one;

  1. First Digital application
  2. Application fee
  3. English test score
  4. TOEFL score
  5. Transcripts
  6. SOP ( statement of purpose )
  7. Recommendation letter
  8. Resume
  9. Portfolio
  10. Interview

How Do You Apply for a Harvard University Scholarship?

⚡ Quick Answer

Harvard auto-considers all admitted students for need-based scholarships in 2026 — there is no separate scholarship application. Indian applicants must submit the CSS Profile and Harvard Financial Aid Application (HFAA) by February 14, alongside the regular admission application via Common App, Coalition or Universal App. The need-blind policy means financial aid does not affect admission decisions.

Applying to the Harvard University Scholarship requires the same process as any other application form. You can apply for a scholarship program at the time of admission, you just need to write a short mail or fee waiver form can do the work.

Here is the step by step instructions on how to apply for Harvard University:

First of all, prepare the Common Application, the Universal College Application, or the Coalition Application. Any of the three will do the same work. Students should be ready with the relevant documents and submit those with the application form. Be early in submitting the application to get early consideration against the application. The students get a longer time for applying for Fall 2026 so they should arrange all the documents related within the given time. It is better to arrange the documents before applying for admission. Documents required to be submitted are:

  • Application form (Common Application, Universal College Application or Coalition Application)
  • Personal Statement
  • USD 90 application fee or fee waiver form
  • SAT or ACT scores (required again after the test-optional policy ended)
  • TOEFL or IELTS scores for international applicants
  • School Reports
  • Mid-Year school report
  • Evaluations from two teachers.
Cost of MBA in the USA for Indian studentsRead →

How Much Does a Harvard MBA Cost for Indian Students in 2026?

⚡ Quick Answer

Harvard Business School's 2026-27 MBA tuition is USD 84,760 per year, with a single-student annual cost of attendance of USD 130,318 and roughly USD 260,000 over two years. Around 50 percent of HBS students receive need-based fellowships averaging about USD 100,000 over two years. Indian applicants typically need GMAT 700+ and three to seven years of experience.

How Does the Harvard University Financial Aid Program Work?

⚡ Quick Answer

Harvard's financial aid program is fully need-based with no merit scholarships in 2026. Aid covers tuition, housing, food and health insurance for families demonstrating need. Term-time work expectations are 10 to 12 hours per week. Outside awards can replace term-time or summer earnings. Financial aid officers re-evaluate awards if family circumstances change during enrollment.

Harvard University ensures that all the students who wish to study there get proper financial aid so that finance could no longer be a barrier between the desire and their studies. They provide a scholarship for all four years or as per the duration of the course selected.

There is no difference with regards to financial aid between international students and domestic students. Each of them gets a fair chance of getting scholarships according to their family income and financial circumstances. About 55 percent of Harvard College students receive need-based scholarship aid, roughly 25 percent of families pay nothing at all, and the average parent contribution is around USD 13,000 a year. Harvard also states that 100 percent of students can graduate debt-free, so many no longer have to take loans or seek outside financial support.

The best part of the Harvard University scholarship program is that the financial aid is entirely based on the need of the student and not on the merits. They believe that financial needs should not be a hindrance to the opportunity of admissions. Their belief has helped a lot of students to shape their career in the way they wanted. The financial aid officers work closely with the families of students to determine the aid required and how much a family can contribute. Many families can provide financial aid ranging between 0 to 10% of their family income. The students are also asked to contribute to the cost of attendance through term-time and summer employment.

Term-time work requires working up to 10 to 12 hours per week. Nearly 20% of the students work to pay their cost of admission.

Outside awards act as a substitute for the Term-time work portion of the student. It may also replace summer earnings contribution however this cannot replace parent contribution.

The financial aid officers can re-evaluate your financial aid decision if the parents request so. If there’s any change in the circumstances of the students then also the parents can ask for a re-evaluation of the award amount.

The students can also share about $6 million funds along with other 1300 undergraduates. This funding is sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships and 40 other departments. The students can be part of research under the supervision of faculties.

Best universities accepting IELTS for MBARead →

Who Is Eligible for Financial Aid at Harvard University?

⚡ Quick Answer

Eligibility for Harvard financial aid in 2026 is purely need-based and applies to all students regardless of citizenship. Families with annual income below USD 100,000 contribute nothing toward Harvard costs. Families earning USD 100,000 to 200,000 receive free tuition. Home equity and retirement assets are excluded from need calculations, ensuring access for moderate-income Indian families.

The Harvard financial aid initiative that is the financial aid program by Harvard University aims to make the university accessible to any student who is admitted or willing to admit. This financial initiative is usually for low and middle-income students and is provided with the motive of raising awareness of the affordability of Harvard University.

Under the current policy, families with an annual income below USD 100,000 are asked for no parent contribution at all and around 25 percent of Harvard families now pay nothing. Families earning between USD 100,000 and USD 200,000 receive free tuition plus additional aid, and those earning above USD 200,000 are assessed individually based on their income and circumstances.

No family is asked to pay home equity and retirement assets as the cost of admission at Harvard. The only eligibility required to receive this financial aid is that the student should get acceptance at the university. Other than that no other criteria are required to be fulfilled.

Mention below the eligibility criteria for Scholarship in

Scholarship Name (2026)Eligibility Criteria
Harvard Need-Based Aid (Undergraduate)No income cutoff. Aid is need-based and need-blind. Families under USD 100,000 pay zero. Up to USD 200,000 get free tuition. CSS Profile and HFAA required.
HBS Need-Based FellowshipTOEFL 109+ / IELTS 7.5+ / PTE 75+. Strong GMAT or GRE. Demonstrated financial need with no minimum work experience requirement.
HGSE Financial AidOpen to students pursuing Ed.L.D., Ed.M. or Ph.D. programs at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Need-based with priority to high-impact career goals.
Boustany MBA ScholarshipIndian students admitted to HBS MBA program. Strong academic record and demonstrated leadership. 75 percent tuition coverage plus internship support.
Inlaks Foundation ScholarshipIndian citizens under 30 with strong academic record. Covers tuition, living costs and one-way airfare for graduate programs.
Tata ScholarshipIndian undergraduates with demonstrated financial need. Awarded after admission based on Harvard need analysis. No separate application required.

What Does Harvard University Cost After Financial Aid in 2026?

⚡ Quick Answer

After financial aid, the actual Harvard cost for 2026 varies dramatically by family income. Indian students from families earning under USD 100,000 yearly attend free, including tuition, housing and meals. Average financial aid packages range USD 55,000 to 65,000 (about INR 46 to 54 lakh). Most aided students pay only their work-study contribution of USD 3,500 yearly.

The published tuition at Harvard University is high for domestic and international students alike. For 2026-27 undergraduate tuition is USD 59,320, with housing USD 13,532, food USD 8,598 and services and health fees, taking the total cost of attendance to USD 86,926 a year. Graduate and professional schools set their own, generally higher, fees that vary by area of study.

This cost is not affordable for many students and for those, the university provides scholarships to cover most of the expenses. There are scholarship programs that are fully funded for the domestic as well as international students.

What Courses Are Available at Harvard University?

⚡ Quick Answer

Harvard offers over 1,300 courses across 12 schools in 2026, including Harvard College, Harvard Business School, Harvard Law School, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Kennedy School. Indian students can pursue undergraduate degrees in 50+ majors like Economics, Computer Science and Government, plus graduate programs in MBA, MS, MA, MPH, JD and PhD across multiple disciplines.

There are more than 1300 courses at Harvard University for MS. The university provides MA, MBA, M. Tech, MSc, MS, etc., for various disciplines. You can learn technical, managerial, biological, psychological aspects there. The students select the discipline to study and to complete their research in.

The students have a lot of subjects to choose from their concentration subject. They opt for literature, arts, science, social science, sociology, anthropology, paleontology, astronomy, linguistics, applied mathematics, applied science, biochemistry, and so on.

Here is a list of top majors available at Harvard University:

  1. Anthropology
  2. Applied Mathematics
  3. Astrophysics
  4. Biomedical Engineering
  5. Chemical and Physical Biology
  6. Chemistry
  7. Chemistry and Physics
  8. Comparative Literature
  9. Computer Science
  10. Earth and Planetary Sciences
  11. East Asian Studies
  12. Economics
  13. Electrical Engineering
  14. Engineering Sciences
  15. English
  16. Environmental Science and Engineering
  17. Environmental Science and Public Policy
  18. Germanic Languages and Literature
  19. History
  20. History and Literature
  21. History and Science
  22. History of Art and Architecture
  23. Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology
  24. Human Evolutionary Biology
  25. Integrative Biology
  26. Linguistics
  27. Mathematics
  28. Mechanical Engineering
  29. Molecular and Cellular Biology
  30. Music
  31. Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations
  32. Neurobiology
  33. Philosophy
  34. Physics
  35. Psychology
  36. Social Studies
  37. Sociology

Harvard Business School, a part of Harvard University is among the finest business schools around the world. The students can study MBA or MMA in any discipline desired. The subjects provided are –

  • Financial Management
  • Human Resource Management
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Retail Management
  • Marketing
  • Banking
  • Financial Institutions

The eligibility to get admissions for a course in MS is that the candidate should have completed a 4-year degree program or graduation in any discipline. Other than that Harvard accepts those students only who are 26 years of age or above with working experience of 3-4 years.

There tons of opportunities after you complete your MS at Harvard University. The students get designated posts anywhere they want. They are considered as the best brains in the world. Because they not only work on academics but also on the Co-curricular activities of the students to build an overall personality of the students.

The main aim of rewarding scholarships to international students is to aware of aspirants how affordable studying at Harvard University is. The cost of studying is so affordable that anyone can enroll there. You just need the spirit to learn and to outgrow yourselves to be a part of the world’s best university. As the Fall semester, 2026 is arriving the students who have applied for the university to know how accessible the university is. Buckle up yourselves for the best journey of your academic career and be ready to learn everything you can.