Harvard College
Harvard College Financial Aid (international students)
Harvard's undergraduate aid is the same for every applicant regardless of nationality. Admission is need-blind and the college meets 100% of demonstrated financial need with scholarship money, not loans. There is no separate scholarship: you apply for admission and for aid at the same time.
Application round
There is no separate aid round. For entry in autumn 2027, Restrictive Early Action closed on 1 November 2026 and Regular Decision closes on 1 January 2027. Counsellors get an extra week to send school documents. Use the Net Price Calculator on the aid site to estimate your family contribution.
The IELTS requirement
Harvard does not require an English proficiency test from first-year applicants, so no IELTS score is needed for admission or for aid. If you want to send one as extra evidence of English, it goes in with the admission application before the deadline, so sit the test by December 2026 for Regular Decision. Competitive applicants to peer universities typically show 7.0 or higher.
Where is your IELTS score now?
Your university sets the IELTS score for this scholarship. Take the free level test to get an estimated band for each skill before you apply.
What it covers
- Families with annual income below US$100,000: expected parent contribution is zero, covering tuition, fees, housing, food and a travel and personal allowance
- Families with income up to US$200,000: aid covers at least the full cost of tuition (US$62,226 for 2026-27)
- Above US$200,000, aid depends on individual circumstances; about 25% of Harvard families pay nothing
- Students contribute from term-time work and summer earnings; loans are never required
Who can apply
- Open to applicants of any nationality; international students get exactly the same aid as American students
- Admission is need-blind: applying for aid never affects your chance of admission
- Aid is based on need only; Harvard gives no merit scholarships
- Apply for admission with the SAT or ACT (required) and submit the financial aid forms in the same round
Key facts
- Provider
- Harvard College
- Where you study
- USA
- Study level
- Bachelor's
- Funding
- Fully funded
- Application round
- Closes January 1, 2027
Already know your score?
Build an IELTS plan for this scholarship
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What band do you need?
Your overall IELTS target.
We checked these details against the provider's official page on November 1, 2026. Rules and dates change every round, so confirm them there before you apply.
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