The standard student budget applies to all students without children. The student budget for students with children varies depending on each family’s circumstances. Factors include the number of adults in the household, if a married student’s spouse is also a full-time student, the number of children in the household, and the out-of-pocket cost for health insurance.
Married students without children are able to request a borrowing increase to their student budget to cover the cost of purchasing spousal health insurance through the Harvard University Student Health Insurance Plan (HUSHIP). This budget increase allows a student to obtain additional loans which are LIPP Eligible, but does not increase eligibility for HLS Grants. To request an increase to your budget for spouse HUSHIP coverage you must submit the Adjustment Form found within the SFS Self-Service Portal. Unfortunately, due to federal regulations, outside health insurance for a spouse may not be added to the student’s budget if there are no children in the household.
The sample student budgets provided below presume a child born before June 1 of the academic year. If your child will be born after June 1 of the academic year, please see the Special Circumstances webpage about adding a new family member mid-Academic Year.
Married with Children, Spouse is not a Full-Time Student
Budget for married student with 1 or more children Living On-Campus Living Off-Campus Tuition $73,600 $73,600 Mandatory HUHS Student Health Fee $1,408 $1,408 ________ ________ Total Direct Costs: $75,008 $75,008 Harvard University Student Health Insurance Plan (HUSHIP) Fee $4,120 $4,120 Housing $31,500 $36,000 Food $5,850 $5,850 Personal Expenses $5,547 $5,547 Books, Course Materials, Supplies and Equiptment $1,650 $1,650 Travel Allowance $1,725 $1,725 ________ ________ Total Indirect Costs: $50,392 $54,892 Total Estimated Cost of Attendance: $125,400 $129,900
| Budget for married student with 1 or more children | Living On-Campus | Living Off-Campus |
| Tuition | $73,600 | $73,600 |
| Mandatory HUHS Student Health Fee | $1,408 | $1,408 |
| ________ | ________ | |
| Total Direct Costs: | $75,008 | $75,008 |
| Harvard University Student Health Insurance Plan (HUSHIP) Fee | $4,120 | $4,120 |
| Housing | $31,500 | $36,000 |
| Food | $5,850 | $5,850 |
| Personal Expenses | $5,547 | $5,547 |
| Books, Course Materials, Supplies and Equiptment | $1,650 | $1,650 |
| Travel Allowance | $1,725 | $1,725 |
| ________ | ________ | |
| Total Indirect Costs: | $50,392 | $54,892 |
| Total Estimated Cost of Attendance: | $125,400 | $129,900 |
* Students who document coverage under a comparable health insurance plan, such as a parent’s insurance plan, may be eligible to waive the Harvard University Student Health Insurance Plan (HUSHIP). Under Federal student aid regulations, an allowance for the cost of HUSHIP may be included in the student’s budget only for students who enroll in HUSHIP. For students who waive this coverage, the allowance will not be given and the total student budget (and maximum level of financial aid eligibility) will be reduced by the amount of HUSHIP. Students may request to have the documented cost of an alternate health insurance plan for which the student pays added to the student’s budget; requests must be made via the Adjustment Form found within the SFS Self-Service Portal. Documentation is required.
Family Health Insurance
Out-of-pocket costs for Health Insurance for a spouse and dependent children may be included into the student budget once they are charged. This budget increases eligibility for HLS Grant. To request an increase to your budget for this, submit the Adjustment Form found within the SFS Self-Service Portal. HUSHIP for dependents (spouse and children) may only be added once charged to your student billing account. Outside insurance may only be added with documentation of monthly costs and payment by the student/spouse.
Married with Children, and Spouse is a Full-Time Student
When a student’s spouse is a full-time student (and does not have a full-time job), we expect the spouse to utilize their own financial aid at their school to pay for their living expenses. Additionally, the HLS student’s available resources for the children is lowered and a spouse should reach out to their school about how to get additional resources for the children.
Budget for married student, spouse is full-time student with 1 or more children Tuition $73,600 Mandatory HUHS Student Health Fee $1,408 ________ Total Direct Costs: $75,008 Harvard University Student Health Insurance Plan (HUSHIP) Fee* $4,120 Housing $17,100 Food $5,850 Personal Expenses $5,547 Books and Supplies $1,650 Travel Allowance $1,725 ________ Total Indirect Costs: $35,992 Total Estimated Cost of Attendance: $111,000
| Budget for married student, spouse is full-time student with 1 or more children | |
| Tuition | $73,600 |
| Mandatory HUHS Student Health Fee | $1,408 |
| ________ | |
| Total Direct Costs: | $75,008 |
| Harvard University Student Health Insurance Plan (HUSHIP) Fee* | $4,120 |
| Housing | $17,100 |
| Food | $5,850 |
| Personal Expenses | $5,547 |
| Books and Supplies | $1,650 |
| Travel Allowance | $1,725 |
| ________ | |
| Total Indirect Costs: | $35,992 |
| Total Estimated Cost of Attendance: | $111,000 |
* Students who document coverage under a comparable health insurance plan, such as a parent’s insurance plan, may be eligible to waive the Harvard University Student Health Insurance Plan (HUSHIP). Under Federal student aid regulations, an allowance for the cost of HUSHIP may be included in the student’s budget only for students who enroll in HUSHIP. For students who waive this coverage, the allowance will not be given and the total student budget (and maximum level of financial aid eligibility) will be reduced by the amount of HUSHIP. Students may request to have the documented cost of an alternate health insurance plan for which the student pays added to the student’s budget; requests must be made via the Adjustment Form found within the SFS Self-Service Portal. Documentation is required.
Family Health Insurance
Out-of-pocket costs for Health Insurance for dependent children may be included into the student budget once they are charged. When the spouse is a student, we can include half of the costs of the health insurance for the children into the student budget. This budget increases eligibility for HLS Grant. To request an increase to your budget for this, you must submit the Adjustment Form found within the SFS Self-Service Portal. HUSHIP for dependents (children) may only be added once charged to your student billing account. Outside insurance may only be added with documentation of monthly costs and payment by the student/spouse.
Single Student with Children
The budget listed here is for a scenario in which the student lives alone with their children. If the student lives with another adult, or the children live in another location, please reach out to SFS to discuss the impact on the student budget.
Budget for Single Student with 1 or more children Living On-Campus Living Off-Campus Tuition $73,600 $73,600 Mandatory HUHS Student Health Fee $1,408 $1,408 ________ Total Indirect Costs: $75,008 $75,008 Harvard University Student Health Insurance Plan (HUSHIP) Fee* $4,120 $4,120 Housing $31,500 $36,000 Food $5,850 $5,850 Personal Expenses $5,547 $5,547 Books and Supplies $1,650 $1,650 Travel Allowance $1,725 $1,725 ________ Total Indirect Costs: $50,392 $54,892 Total Estimated Cost of Attendance: $125,400 $129,900
| Budget for Single Student with 1 or more children | Living On-Campus | Living Off-Campus |
| Tuition | $73,600 | $73,600 |
| Mandatory HUHS Student Health Fee | $1,408 | $1,408 |
| ________ | ||
| Total Indirect Costs: | $75,008 | $75,008 |
| Harvard University Student Health Insurance Plan (HUSHIP) Fee* | $4,120 | $4,120 |
| Housing | $31,500 | $36,000 |
| Food | $5,850 | $5,850 |
| Personal Expenses | $5,547 | $5,547 |
| Books and Supplies | $1,650 | $1,650 |
| Travel Allowance | $1,725 | $1,725 |
| ________ | ||
| Total Indirect Costs: | $50,392 | $54,892 |
| Total Estimated Cost of Attendance: | $125,400 | $129,900 |
* Students who document coverage under a comparable health insurance plan, such as a parent’s insurance plan, may be eligible to waive the Harvard University Student Health Insurance Plan (HUSHIP). Under Federal student aid regulations, an allowance for the cost of HUSHIP may be included in the student’s budget only for students who enroll in HUSHIP. For students who waive this coverage, the allowance will not be given and the total student budget (and maximum level of financial aid eligibility) will be reduced by the amount of HUSHIP. Students may request to have the documented cost of an alternate health insurance plan for which the student pays added to the student’s budget; requests must be made via the Adjustment Form found within the SFS Self-Service Portal. Documentation is required.
Family Health Insurance
Out-of-pocket costs for Health Insurance for dependent children may be included into the student budget once they are charged. This budget increases eligibility for HLS Grant. To request an increase to your budget for this, you must submit the Adjustment Form found within the SFS Self-Service Portal. HUSHIP for dependents (children) may only be added once charged to your student billing account. Outside insurance may only be added with documentation of monthly costs and payment by the student.