What are the steps to earn a scholarship at Harvard?
I’m currently a junior in high school and Harvard is my dream school. I’ve been researching costs and honestly it’s making me anxious thinking about tuition and expenses. I know Harvard has a lot of financial aid options, but I was wondering what kinds of scholarships they actually offer?
Is there an application I have to fill out for scholarships or is everything just based on the regular financial aid stuff? And do I need to have a certain GPA or test scores to qualify? Would love to hear from anyone who’s gone through this process. Any tips or things I should start doing now would be super helpful!
Is there an application I have to fill out for scholarships or is everything just based on the regular financial aid stuff? And do I need to have a certain GPA or test scores to qualify? Would love to hear from anyone who’s gone through this process. Any tips or things I should start doing now would be super helpful!
6 months ago
•
101 views
Luis Nario-Malberg
• 6 months ago
Advisor
Harvard is known for its generous financial aid and need-based scholarships, which work a bit differently from the typical merit-based or external scholarships you might find at other schools. Here's how their process works and what you can do now to prepare:
Harvard does not offer merit-based scholarships or athletic scholarships. Instead, all of their scholarship funding is awarded based on financial need. When you apply to Harvard, you don’t have to submit a separate application for Harvard’s internal scholarships; you just need to complete the financial aid application forms (the CSS Profile and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid—FAFSA—for U.S. citizens and permanent residents).
To be considered for Harvard’s need-based scholarships:
1. Apply for admission as usual by the application deadline.
2. Submit the necessary financial aid applications: CSS Profile, FAFSA, and any required tax or income documents.
3. Harvard then reviews your family’s financial situation and determines your scholarship based on calculated need. Most students whose families earn less than $85,000 per year pay nothing, and families with higher incomes can still qualify, depending on special circumstances or family size.
There are no minimum GPA or test score requirements specifically for financial aid, but obviously, you’ll need a competitive academic profile to be admitted in the first place.
If you’re looking for merit scholarships, you’ll need to look for opportunities outside Harvard. Many national organizations, companies, and local community groups offer scholarships based on academics, leadership, talent, or community service. You can start researching and applying to these as early as your junior year.
Tips as a junior: focus on building your academic record and getting involved with your community, since these will help both with Harvard admissions and with external scholarships. You can also start compiling a list of scholarship programs you’re eligible for in your local area or that align with your interests and background.
So in short, to get a scholarship at Harvard, you just need to apply for financial aid, no extra scholarship forms required. Begin gathering your family’s financial info, keep excelling academically, and explore outside scholarship options to maximize your award potential.
Harvard does not offer merit-based scholarships or athletic scholarships. Instead, all of their scholarship funding is awarded based on financial need. When you apply to Harvard, you don’t have to submit a separate application for Harvard’s internal scholarships; you just need to complete the financial aid application forms (the CSS Profile and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid—FAFSA—for U.S. citizens and permanent residents).
To be considered for Harvard’s need-based scholarships:
1. Apply for admission as usual by the application deadline.
2. Submit the necessary financial aid applications: CSS Profile, FAFSA, and any required tax or income documents.
3. Harvard then reviews your family’s financial situation and determines your scholarship based on calculated need. Most students whose families earn less than $85,000 per year pay nothing, and families with higher incomes can still qualify, depending on special circumstances or family size.
There are no minimum GPA or test score requirements specifically for financial aid, but obviously, you’ll need a competitive academic profile to be admitted in the first place.
If you’re looking for merit scholarships, you’ll need to look for opportunities outside Harvard. Many national organizations, companies, and local community groups offer scholarships based on academics, leadership, talent, or community service. You can start researching and applying to these as early as your junior year.
Tips as a junior: focus on building your academic record and getting involved with your community, since these will help both with Harvard admissions and with external scholarships. You can also start compiling a list of scholarship programs you’re eligible for in your local area or that align with your interests and background.
So in short, to get a scholarship at Harvard, you just need to apply for financial aid, no extra scholarship forms required. Begin gathering your family’s financial info, keep excelling academically, and explore outside scholarship options to maximize your award potential.
Luis Nario-Malberg
Mooresville, North Carolina
Harvard College, Class of 2018, A.B. in Philosophy
Experience
5 years