What is the Cost of Studying at Harvard University?

Founded in 1636, Harvard is one of the oldest Ivy League colleges and is the alma mater of many renowned figures and Nobel laureates. For many, the term Ivy League shouts a group of academic institutions, that are only accessible by the elitist, selectivity, and academic excellence. Attending one of these Ivy league is a dream for many, with Harvard being a top priority on many aspirants’ lists. But how much does it actually cost of studying at Harvard? You may be surprised to find that financial aid and proper planning can significantly reduce the hefty price tag associated with getting an education at an Ivy League University. Keep on reading to find out what is the actual cost of studying at Harvard University.

Cost of Studying or Fees at Harvard University for International Students

The standard tuition fee for the 2022-2023 academic year is $51,143 (₹41 Lakhs) without any financial aid. Along with that, room and board with other fees bring the total price tag up to a hefty sum of $74,528 (₹55.32 Lakhs). But the school reports that about 70% of Harvard students, including international ones, receive some form of financial aid, and claim that students whose parents make less than $65,000 (₹48.25 Lakhs) are not expected to contribute any funds. While 55% of Harvard students receive need-based scholarships aid with the average grants summing up to around $53,000 (₹39.34 Lakhs). Because of such monetary aid, Harvard does not seem like a distant dream for many students.

Harvard University Fees for Indian Students

The Scholarship Scheme of Harvard University offers a variety of opportunities for Indian students to study their favourite distinction. The university has created a separate committee of general scholarships that handles the distribution of financial aid to foreign students. With schemes like Harvard University Scholarships (Undergraduate) program, Indian students who belong to a poor family or whose family income is less than $65000 (₹48.25 Lakhs) are able to receive a fully-funded scholarship. This means they need not pay any fees for anything at Harvard University. In this way, many foreign students end up paying significantly less or receiving a full-paid scholarship for Harvard University. 

Cost of Studying at Harvard University: Tuition Fees

The following tuition and fee charges below have been in effect for the 2022-23 academic year and are subject to change slightly for future years. 

Full-time Students	Per Academic Year	₹38.54 Lakhs
Part-time Students	Per Academic Year	₹19.27 Lakhs
Advanced Doctoral Fee (for doctoral students who have fulfilled the tuition requirements)	Per term/semester	₹1.92 Lakhs
Health Insurance fees (student health insurance plan + student health fee)	Per Academic Year	₹3.92 Lakhs

Cost for Undergraduate Courses

The university offers a plethora of courses for Harvard undergraduate international students , including approximately 89 undergraduate courses, of undergraduate courses out of which few popular programs at the institute primarily include Business Administration and Management, Psychology, Biological Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Architecture. Here is a detailed list of a few undergraduate courses from various departments at Harvard University.

Course Name	Duration	Fees
Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science	4 years	₹36,60,000
Bachelors in Economics	4 years	₹36,60,000
Bachelor in Psychology	4 years	₹36,60,000
Bachelor of Arts in Biomedical Engineering	4 years	₹38,30,000
MD MPH Program (Harvard School of Public Health)	5 years	₹40,00,000
Bachelors in Anthropology	4 years	₹36,60,000
Bachelors in History and Literature	4 years	₹36,60,000
Bachelors in South Asian studies	4 years	₹36,60,000
Bachelors in Environmental Science and Public Policy	4 years	₹36,60,000

Cost for Postgraduate Courses

Postgraduate education at Harvard costs slightly less than undergraduate classes, with the price standing at $49k per year. This includes $48,008 for the graduate tuition as well as an amount of $2k for the graduation fees. Let’s check out some of the tuition fees of popular postgraduate courses at Harvard University.

Programs	Duration	Fees
MBA	2 years	₹54,20,000
MS in Computational Science and Engineering	2 years	₹41,70,000
Master of Science in Data Science	1.5 years	₹40,50,000
Master of Science in Biotechnology: Life Science	1 year	₹31,10,000
Master in Architecture	2.5 – 4 years	₹39,40,000
Master of Liberal Arts Program in Finance	1.5 – 2 years	₹14,70,000
Master in Public Administration	2 years	₹39,00,000
Master of Liberal Arts in Data Science	1.5 – 2 years	₹14,70,000
Master of Laws	1 year	₹48,60,000
Master of Biomedical Informatics	1.5 years	₹39,70,000

Student Visa Cost

As a student, you must first apply and be accepted by a US university/college that is certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). After granting admission, you will receive a Form I-20 from the institution’s international student office, which is a paper record of your information in the database called the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Visa applicants, including students, are required to pay a non-refundable, non-transferable visa application fee, sometimes referred to as the MRV fee, before applying for a non-immigrant visa. Applicants participating in a US government-sponsored program (programs whose code begins with G-1, G-2, G-3, G-7) are not required to pay the SEVIS fee. 

Visa Type	Description	Fee Amount
F	Student (academic)	₹11,520
J	Exchange Visitor	₹11,520
M	Student (vocational)	₹11,520

Also Read: Types of US Visa

Living Cost of Studying at Harvard University for Indian Students

This variation of the net cost of attending Harvard University for an Indian student is even less when you consider scholarships and/or merits, and whether or not the student earns through part-time employment during their academic year. All these factors make it quite difficult to put a concrete number on your budget for attending Harvard. However, we can take some examples and of how much average cost a student spends at Harvard.

Accommodation

Accommodation may cost depending on where you live, and whether you’re on sharing basis or not. Here are some quick figures:

• $820-1100 (₹60k – ₹83k) per month per room for Harvard dormitories (based on the GSAS residence halls)
• $1700 to $2,600 (₹1.26 Lakh – ₹1.93 Lakh) per month for studio or IBHK in Harvard Housing
• $1150- 2000 (₹85k – ₹1.48 Lakh) per month for a studio apartment or a 1BHK somewhere within the campus, which is not owned by Harvard (sharing basis).
• $500-850 (₹37k – ₹63k) per person in a 3BHK or 4 BHK outside the campus on sharing basis.
• When choosing off-campus housing, also consider setting up costs for furniture, utilities & more.

Travel

Traveling in a huge country like the USA undoubtedly needs a lot of research. Especially for international students since they have all kinds of constraints from time to money. While most of us know about the tourist attractions, knowing about how to reach that spot is much more necessary. There are various efficient methods of transport in the USA. A few of them are the following:

Renting a Bike

• One can find bike rentals very easily in the USA and opt for a relatively cheap mode to travel.
• On Average, Renting a bike in the USA costs $75 (₹6k) per day.
• Most college campuses in the US provide a bike rack for parking the bikes safely.

Buses

• Public transportation in the US is pretty extensive in urban areas.
• But buses do not run as often in rural areas and an alternative method needs to be used there.
• Greyhound offers an inexpensive way to travel through its extensive Bus system
• The average per-person cost of travelling within cities in the USA is $7.36 (₹600).

Trains and Subways

• Trains and Subways can be considered as lifeline of public transportation in the USA.
• They are comparatively cheap of travelling in the USA.
• The average fare of trains and Subways in the USA is $2.75 (₹204).
• A bit expensive than buses, yet faster but is usually considered for travelling long distances.

Renting a Car in the USA

• Renting a car in the USA is the best option for long weekend plans.
• Many car rentals are more than happy to rent their cars to international students.
• The average cost of renting a car is $80 (₹6k) considering cheap car rentals.
• The cost might vary with the types of car rented.
• Make sure to have a valid driver’s license before renting a car to avoid any legal trouble.

Taxis

• Taxis cannot be considered as an ideal choice since it is very expensive.
• It should be used only to travel long distances where there are no other modes of transport available.

Utilities

Just like the rest of the living expenses, the average cost of utilities may go up to $13,940 (₹10.34 Lakhs) for a single academic year, depending on your lifestyle and choice of student accommodation.  Following are the lists of utilities and daily/monthly essentials that are required:

• Bills (electricity/ gas/ water)
• Mobile phones
• clothes
• toiletries
• Food and housekeeping
• Books and stationery
• Transportation, etc.

Financial Aid

Here are a few key highlights of why accepting financial aid is worth it for Harvard University:

• Attending Harvard costs upwards of $51,000 (₹37.86 Lakhs) in tuition fees for the 2022-2023 academic year.
• The school provides lucrative financial aid packages to many of its students through its large endowment funds.
• Most students whose families make less than $65,000 (₹48.25 Lakhs) attended Harvard for free in the most recent academic year.
• The cost to attend Harvard is less than a state school for 90% of students.
• Harvard graduates with only an undergraduate degree can earn as much as $1,46,000 (₹108,38,000) by mid-career.

Harvard University scholarships for international students

Here is the list of Harvard scholarships for international students:

HGSE Financial Aid	Candidates need to apply to the official HGSE financial aid application page
Need-based Scholarship	Students will be auto-considered for this scholarship when they apply for the course, they need not spend a separate application.
Boustany MBA Harvard Scholarship	After checking the eligibility criteria applicants need to send all the documents to admission @boustany_foundation.org
Horace W. Goldsmith Award	Students will be auto-considered for this scholarship when they apply for the course, they need not send a separate application
The Robert S. Kaplan Life Science Scholarship	Students will be auto-considered for this scholarship when they apply for the course, they need not send a separate application.

US Scholarships for Indian Students

• For the students with family income between $65,000 – $150,000 (₹48.25 Lakhs – ₹1Crore) a year, they have to pay up to 10% of their total income according to the family circumstances. That will be approx. $15k (₹11.13 Lakhs) per year based on total family income and financial circumstances.
• Students with a family income of more than $1.50 Lakhs (₹48.25 Lakhs) a year are expected to pay more than 10% but the exact amount differs from student to student based on their family income.  The financial aid provided by Harvard University helps hundreds of students to fulfill their desire of studying in the US.
• The scholarship amount is based on the family income of the students evidently the students with a family income of $65,000 (₹48.25 Lakhs) or less per year receive a fully-funded scholarship for undergraduate international students. It covers tuition, fees, room, and board. The students have to pay only for attendance.

The Three Lies of Harvard

FAQs

Also Read: Scholarships to Study in the USA for Indian Students

Living abroad and studying in an unaccustomed environment can be challenging because of your financial responsibilities and academic obligations. The cost of studying at Harvard University is one of the most significant questions international students are apprehensive about when they decide to apply for this prestigious University If you are struggling to see how you can manage expenses in the UK, experts at Leverage Edu can assist you in finding economical accommodation and planning a budget as well as help you look at scholarship opportunities