Harvard Announces Free Tuition for Families Earning Under $200,000 (KES 25 Million)

Harvard University has unveiled a major expansion of its financial aid program, making tuition free for students from families earning up to $200,000 per year (approx. KES 25,000,000). The policy, set to take effect in the 2025-26 academic year, is a game-changer for affordability at one of the world’s most prestigious institutions.

Harvard’s New Financial Aid Model: Who Qualifies?

Under the new plan:

• Students from families earning $200,000 or less per year will have their tuition fully covered.
• Students from families earning $100,000 or less per year (approx. KES 13,000,000) will have their entire cost of attendance covered, including tuition, housing, food, health insurance, and travel expenses.

This move will benefit around 86% of U.S. families, significantly expanding access to a Harvard education for middle-class and lower-income students.

Additional Financial Support for Students

Harvard is also providing:

• $2,000 start-up grants for first-year students to help with transition costs.
• $2,000 launch grants for juniors to support career preparation and life after graduation.

Families earning more than $200,000 annually may still qualify for financial aid based on specific circumstances such as high living costs or multiple children in college.

How Harvard is Funding This Initiative

This financial aid expansion is supported by Harvard’s $53 billion endowment, the largest of any university globally. Harvard has been at the forefront of affordability efforts, removing loans from financial aid packages in 2007 and replacing them with grants that do not require repayment.

Since 2004, the university has awarded more than $3.6 billion in undergraduate financial aid, making it one of the most generous financial aid programs in the world.

Harvard’s Financial Aid for International Students

Harvard has reaffirmed that its need-based financial aid applies equally to international students. Foreign applicants follow the same financial aid process as U.S. students and can qualify for full tuition coverage if they meet the need-based criteria.

However, international students are not eligible for U.S. federal aid programs, such as Pell Grants and federal work-study, but they can receive Harvard scholarships and other university-funded assistance.

Harvard’s Move vs. Kenya’s Struggling University Funding Model

While Harvard is expanding access to tuition-free education, Kenya’s university funding system is facing a crisis. In December 2024, Kenya’s High Court declared the new university funding model unconstitutional, citing discrimination and lack of public participation. The model, introduced in 2023, categorized students into funding bands based on their family income, a system that was deemed unfair and legally unsound.

1. Kenya Needs Better Education Funding Strategies

Harvard’s approach shows that higher education funding should prioritize access and fairness. Kenya, on the other hand, introduced a flawed model that relied on income categorization, which lacked transparency and public support. A sustainable university funding plan in Kenya needs to be legally sound, inclusive, and realistic.

2. Ivy League Schools Are Expanding Free Education, Yet Kenya’s Universities Struggle

The contrast between Harvard and Kenya’s education funding crisis is stark. Harvard is a top-tier institution consistently ranked among the best in the world, yet it is pushing for near-free education for a majority of its students. Meanwhile, Kenya’s public universities are underfunded, lacking quality infrastructure, and struggling to pay staff salaries. If elite universities with global reputations are expanding financial aid, why is Kenya making university access harder for its students?

3. The Kenyan Government Promised Free University Education—Where Is It?

President William Ruto’s administration promised to make university education free, yet the reality remains far from that goal. Instead, the government introduced a flawed banding system that shifted financial burdens onto parents and students. Harvard’s approach proves that proper endowments, public-private partnerships, and well-managed financial aid programs can make higher education accessible.

4. Kenya’s Funding Model Sounded Good on Paper, But Was Impossible to Implement

The rejected funding model relied on verifying family incomes, a process that is extremely difficult in Kenya due to informal employment, unstable incomes, and lack of accurate financial data. Without proper digital infrastructure and accurate financial tracking, such a model remains theoretical at best. The priority for Kenya should be improving education quality and university infrastructure. Once universities deliver world-class education, they can attract donors, research funding, and endowments, making free education a reality.

Conclusion: Harvard Shows the Way, Kenya Must Rethink Its Approach

Harvard’s decision to expand tuition-free education for most students highlights what is possible with proper planning, a strong endowment, and a commitment to equity. Meanwhile, Kenya’s universities remain underfunded, struggling with poor infrastructure, and burdened by a funding model that has now been struck down in court.

If Kenya truly aims for free university education, it must learn from global institutions like Harvard. The focus should be on ensuring quality education, securing sustainable funding, and building a system that is fair, transparent, and effective. Only then can Kenya achieve a world-class higher education system that competes internationally.