Is it possible to get a scholarship to attend Harvard?

You're right that the terminology around scholarships and financial aid at Harvard can be confusing. Harvard doesn't offer traditional merit-based scholarships for things like high academic achievement, sports, or talents. All of their institutional financial aid is need-based, which means your eligibility is determined by your family's financial circumstances, not your grades or test scores.

That being said, Harvard's need-based aid is extremely generous, especially for low-income students. For instance, families earning under $85,000 per year (with typical assets) generally pay nothing for tuition, room, or board. Many families with incomes up to $150,000 still receive substantial aid, and the financial aid office takes into account factors like family size and other personal circumstances.

Here's how the process works: when you apply for admission, you submit financial aid forms like the FAFSA and CSS Profile. Harvard reviews these and builds a custom aid package for you, often a combination of grant aid you don’t have to repay and a small work-study expectation. Some students do end up attending Harvard on what is effectively a 'full ride,' so when you hear people say they've got a scholarship to Harvard, they usually mean a need-based grant that covers all of their costs, not a merit award.

A personal example: one student from a low-income background shared that Harvard covered her tuition, housing, dining, and even included a travel allowance so she could get home for breaks. She didn't have to take out loans. That is not uncommon for Harvard aid recipients.

If you're hoping for outside merit scholarships, you can still apply for those from organizations, foundations, or your local community. Sometimes external scholarships can reduce your work-study contribution or replace part of your loan expectation, but Harvard's own funding will always be need-based.

In summary: you don't need to apply separately for Harvard's aid—the process is embedded with your application and financial documents. There aren’t any secret merit scholarships or special programs you need to hunt for at Harvard itself, but their need-based funding can be more generous than traditional merit scholarships elsewhere, especially for low-income students. Definitely fill out the required financial aid forms as early as possible to maximize your chance of getting the most support.