Is Harvard a public or a private university?
I'm starting my college search and I keep seeing Harvard mentioned everywhere, but I'm a little confused about the type of school it actually is. Some people have said it's part of Ivy League, and I know that usually means private, but I've also read about public universities being highly ranked too.
Can anyone clarify if Harvard is a public or private institution? Does it receive state funding, or is it funded differently? I'm trying to understand how the classification might affect things like tuition, financial aid, and the general application process.
If anyone has gone through applying to Harvard or researched it for their college list, I would really appreciate any info you have on this!
Can anyone clarify if Harvard is a public or private institution? Does it receive state funding, or is it funded differently? I'm trying to understand how the classification might affect things like tuition, financial aid, and the general application process.
If anyone has gone through applying to Harvard or researched it for their college list, I would really appreciate any info you have on this!
1 week ago
•
35 views
Luis Nario-Malberg
• 1 week ago
Advisor
Harvard University is a private institution. It's one of the oldest and most well-known private colleges in the United States, and is a member of the Ivy League, which is a group of eight private, prestigious, and historic schools located mostly in the Northeastern US.
Because Harvard is private, it doesn’t receive direct state funding like public universities (for instance, a state flagship like the University of Michigan or UC Berkeley). Instead, Harvard’s funding mostly comes from its large endowment, tuition and fees, private donations, and federal research grants. This financial structure means that Harvard sets its own tuition rates and doesn’t have a different rate for in-state versus out-of-state students, which is common at public schools.
When it comes to tuition, Harvard’s sticker price is very high, but it's important to know that the university also has an extremely generous financial aid program. Many students pay much less than the listed price because financial aid at Harvard is need-based. For example, if your family's income is below a certain threshold, you might pay very little or even nothing at all. During the application process, expense shouldn’t necessarily discourage you from applying—the financial aid office is known for helping admitted students meet demonstrated need without loans.
The application process itself is similar to other private colleges: you generally fill out the Common App or the Coalition App, send standardized test scores if you choose, write essays, and submit letters of recommendation. Public schools, particularly state universities, may have their own application portals and sometimes give preference to in-state applicants, but this isn't relevant at Harvard.
If you look at other Ivy League schools (like Princeton or Yale), you’ll see similar private university models. If you still have questions about the differences, comparing the financial aid calculators on the websites of both private and public schools is a good way to estimate costs for your situation. Hope this helps clarify as you build your college list!
Because Harvard is private, it doesn’t receive direct state funding like public universities (for instance, a state flagship like the University of Michigan or UC Berkeley). Instead, Harvard’s funding mostly comes from its large endowment, tuition and fees, private donations, and federal research grants. This financial structure means that Harvard sets its own tuition rates and doesn’t have a different rate for in-state versus out-of-state students, which is common at public schools.
When it comes to tuition, Harvard’s sticker price is very high, but it's important to know that the university also has an extremely generous financial aid program. Many students pay much less than the listed price because financial aid at Harvard is need-based. For example, if your family's income is below a certain threshold, you might pay very little or even nothing at all. During the application process, expense shouldn’t necessarily discourage you from applying—the financial aid office is known for helping admitted students meet demonstrated need without loans.
The application process itself is similar to other private colleges: you generally fill out the Common App or the Coalition App, send standardized test scores if you choose, write essays, and submit letters of recommendation. Public schools, particularly state universities, may have their own application portals and sometimes give preference to in-state applicants, but this isn't relevant at Harvard.
If you look at other Ivy League schools (like Princeton or Yale), you’ll see similar private university models. If you still have questions about the differences, comparing the financial aid calculators on the websites of both private and public schools is a good way to estimate costs for your situation. Hope this helps clarify as you build your college list!
Luis Nario-Malberg
Mooresville, North Carolina
Harvard College, Class of 2018, A.B. in Philosophy
Experience
5 years