How does Harvard's need-blind admissions policy work for applicants?

At Harvard College, need-blind for undergraduate applicants means the admissions committee does not consider your family’s ability to pay when deciding whether to admit you. Applying for financial aid is not supposed to hurt your chances of admission.

In practice, Harvard evaluates your application for admission first, and financial need is handled separately. If you are admitted, Harvard then determines your aid package based on your family’s financial circumstances.

That means if your family cannot afford the full cost, Harvard calculates what it believes your family can contribute and covers the rest with financial aid.

A major plus is that Harvard’s aid packages are designed to be strong on grants rather than loans. Many families with lower incomes pay very little, and some pay nothing for tuition, housing, and food depending on their financial situation.

For you, the main takeaway is that you should apply for aid if you need it. At Harvard, requesting aid for undergrad should not affect the admission decision.

Just make sure you submit the required financial aid forms on time, since admission and aid are separate processes but both have deadlines.