Campus & Community

College sets undergraduate tuition, fees

2 min read

Harvard College has announced its fees for undergraduate tuition, room, and board for the 2004-2005 academic year. Tuition is set at $27,448. Overall charges will total $39,880, an increase of 5.15 percent, including room rate, $4,974; board, $4,286; health services fee, $1,264; and student services fee, $1,908.

The total cost to students will, as ever, be substantially reduced by Harvard’s ongoing and increasing commitment to financial aid. Two-thirds of Harvard’s undergraduates receive some form of financial aid, including scholarships, loans, and jobs. For 2004-2005, the average total aid package will be close to $28,500, or roughly 70 percent of a student’s total costs, including an allowance toward personal expenses.

Harvard College’s $80 million in scholarships for undergraduates in the coming year represents a 49 percent increase over the past six years, when inflation rose by only 13.5 percent.

“Harvard College continues to believe strongly in the twin principles of need-blind admissions and need-based financial aid,” said William C. Kirby, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Edith and Benjamin Geisinger Professor of History. “At a time when universities and families nationwide are facing the effects of a weak economy, we are determined to protect every student’s ability to come to Harvard regardless of financial background.”

Harvard undergraduates and their families will benefit also from an initiative, announced Feb. 28 by President Lawrence H. Summers, that completely eliminates the need for families earning $40,000 or less annually to contribute toward their children’s Harvard College education. The initiative also lowers the parental contribution expected from families earning between $40,000 and $60,000. The program expands Harvard’s commitment to undergraduate financial aid by $2 million annually.

“We want to send the strongest possible message that Harvard is open to talented students from all economic backgrounds,” Summers said. “Too often, outstanding students from families of modest means do not believe that college is an option for them – much less an Ivy League university. We are determined to change both the perception and the reality.”

Kirby noted: “This initiative will enhance our effectiveness in reaching out to students who have done remarkable things despite limited financial resources.”

By FAS Communications