MIT Offers Free Tuition for Families Earning Below $200k, Covering 80% of US Households
Families earning under $100k get full-cost coverage, while those earning under $200k qualify for tuition-free MIT education.
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More students would be admitted to Massachusetts Institute of Technology starting next year with zero tuition fees.
Most recently, the university announced that incoming undergraduate students whose family earnings are under $200,000 a year will have free tuition fees at MIT in 2025.
This new investment will reach 80% of all households in the US, making MIT education available to talented students regardless of their individual financial circumstances. According to MIT News, for those households whose income falls below $100,000, the grant will cover tuition, housing, and dining, as well as fees, plus allowances for books and personal expenses.
This new policy will raise income levels eligible to attend tuition-free from $140,000 to $200,000 and benefit more families. Contributions will be on a sliding scale among those earning between $100,000 and $200,000, keeping costs below the national average for public universities.
MIT's Efforts to Make Education Accessible
Unlike many other schools, MIT does not rely on loans from its students receiving financial aid; instead, it respects a merit-based admission process in which children of alumni and donor access is not guaranteed. President Sally Kornbluth emphasizes that the life-changing opportunities of an MIT education should be available to all those students who earn them, regardless of their financial circumstances.
This initiative also shows MIT's endowment reliance, accumulated over decades of contributions from alumni and donors. These funds make its financial aid programs sustainable. MIT Admissions shared that the current median cost for students receiving aid is $12,938 a year, which enabled 87% of the Class of 2024 to graduate debt-free.
MIT remains a leader at the national level in affording opportunities for financial assistance aligned with its core mission to incubate innovation and leadership, with $167.3 million allocated to need-based financial aid this year, a 70% increase from a decade ago.
