In a landmark move toward educational access, Harvard University has announced it will offer free tuition to families earning under $200,000 per year, beginning in the 2025–2026 academic year. Even more remarkably, those earning under $100,000 will have all costs covered—including housing and health insurance.

This bold shift is set to make one of the world’s most elite institutions financially accessible to roughly 86% of U.S. families. With the average U.S. household income sitting at around $80,000, this means a Harvard education just became a real possibility for millions of middle-class Americans.

Harvard’s President, Alan Garber, called it an effort to diversify backgrounds and perspectives, and to ensure a Harvard education is “possible for every admitted student.”

The change comes at a time when university funding and diversity initiatives are under political pressure, especially from the Trump administration. But Harvard, along with other top schools like MIT and the University of Pennsylvania, is leaning in—with policies that affirm education as a right, not a privilege.

At a time when the cost of college keeps climbing, Harvard is making a statement: higher education can still be a door opener—not a gatekeeper.