World's No. 1 University Offers Free Tuition, Even Gives Students Extra Money

MIT, the latest US university to join the list of universities that offer reduced or no tuition for students from low-income families

Free tuition, living expenses provided

MIT (Cambridge, USA), the world's No. 1 university according to the QS World University Rankings 2025 (UK), announced at the end of November that it would expand its financial aid program for domestic and international students from the 2025-2026 school year. The level of support, including tuition waivers, will be applied based on the financial circumstances of the applicant's family and will be more valuable if the family's annual income is lower.

However, MIT notes that the policy currently only applies to undergraduates.

Specifically, for students from families with incomes under 200,000 USD/year (5 billion VND), MIT said it will waive all tuition fees. As for families with incomes under 100,000 USD/year (2.5 billion VND), not only will tuition be waived, the school will also cover the costs of accommodation, living expenses, books, and other fees... This means that the student's family does not need to pay any money during their child's time at school.

According to MIT, the total cost of attending the school is $85,960/year, of which tuition is $61,990/year (2.1 and 1.5 billion VND). Families with incomes over $200,000/year are still eligible for financial aid, the world's No. 1 University noted.

Previously, students' families with incomes under $140,000/year (3.5 billion VND) were exempted from tuition fees, and this figure was $75,000/year (1.9 billion VND) to be fully covered. Thus, it can be seen that the new requirement has decreased significantly compared to this school year, creating conditions for more students to study at MIT for free. Also according to MIT, this year the school has set aside $167.3 million for financial support for undergraduates, an increase of 70% compared to 10 years ago.

"The burden of college tuition is a common concern for every family. That's why we're determined to create conditions for the most talented students to attend school, regardless of their economic circumstances. So, dear students who are cherishing the dream of coming to MIT: Don't let the fear of cost stop you," said MIT President Sally Kornbluth in an official statement.

To receive financial aid, students must complete an application form and submit tax returns to prove eligibility, an MIT spokesperson told The New York Times . MIT also has a team of financial aid advisors who are available to help students throughout the application process, the spokesperson said.

How do Vietnamese people apply to MIT?

According to the official website, MIT says the school recruits candidates holistically (holistic admissions), which requires quantitative factors such as test scores, academic records... and qualitative factors such as the level of suitability for the school.

The school requires applicants to submit standardized test scores (SAT/ACT), high school transcripts (with transcripts), letters of recommendation (one from a math/ science teacher, one from a humanities/social sciences/language teacher), English certificates, academic achievements, extracurricular activities, essays, and other personal information. In addition, applicants can submit a creative portfolio if applying to the arts or research programs.

Regarding standardized test scores, MIT reported that 99.2% of applicants had SAT scores ranging from 1,400-1,600 and 99.7% of applicants had ACT scores ranging from 30-36. Meanwhile, regarding English certificates, the school encourages applicants to have IELTS scores of 7.5 or higher, TOEFL scores of 100 or higher...

Many American schools share the same move

Before MIT, the University of Texas system in the US with a total of more than 256,000 students on November 20 approved a plan to waive tuition and related fees for undergraduate students from families with incomes under $100,000/year. This decision will take effect from the fall semester next year and apply to all students studying at 9 member schools of this university system.

Vietnamese students listen to American school representatives share about study abroad opportunities in this country.

In July, Johns Hopkins University announced it would waive tuition for medical students from families earning less than $300,000 a year. The school even fully funded medical students from families earning $175,000 a year. Meanwhile, Albert Einstein College of Medicine announced in March that it would waive tuition for all students permanently.

In 2004, Harvard University, the top US school, also began offering free tuition to students from families earning $40,000 a year or less. That limit has since been raised to $85,000 a year. Several other top US universities have adopted similar policies over the years, thanks in part to generous donations from alumni and other individuals with close ties to the school.

In addition to financial aid, MIT and eight other universities in the US also do not consider applicants' ability to pay (need blind) in the university admissions process, according to the announcement, and this rule applies to all domestic and international students. About 60% of students receive need-based financial aid from MIT, the school added.

According to statistics from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in 2023, there were 31,310 Vietnamese studying in the US, ranking 6th in terms of the number of international students. This is the first time the number of Vietnamese studying in the US has reached more than 30,000 people after 2 years below 30,000. However, if considering the number of international students in high schools alone, Vietnam ranked 5th with 3,187 people, behind China, South Korea, Mexico, and Spain.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dh-so-1-the-gioi-mien-hoc-phi-tham-chi-cap-them-tien-cho-sinh-vien-185241202154105572.htm