Pay it forward to future generations of Harvard students.

Senior Gift is an annual tradition for the members of the Harvard College Senior Class to come together to make their gift to the Harvard College Fund in support of one another and future generations.

It is an opportunity to pay forward the same generosity of those who came before us, as the Harvard experience is not possible through tuition alone.

What is the impact of Senior Gift?

The dollars raised through Senior Gift are combined with alumni and parent contributions to the Harvard College Fund, providing critical funding to complete the cost of core programs and activities, or, are used to seed new projects. Every contribution a member of the senior class makes to the Harvard College Fund has an immediate and tangible impact on current students and directly benefits key areas of the student life such as financial aid, advising, education programs, the arts, our libraries, athletics, and House life.

Did You Know?

Over 75% of the Advising budget, over 60% of the Athletics budget, and nearly 50% of the Financial Aid budget each year is dependent on flexible, current-use funds like those raised through the Harvard College Fund and Senior Gift? 

Through Senior Gift, our class contributes flexible, current-use funds to the Harvard College Fund, which, in many ways, is more impactful than the endowment. If our class can raise $25,000 through our Senior Gift, that is equal to a year’s income from a $500,000 endowment gift, because Harvard is only permitted to take 5% interest from the principal of an endowed fund each year.

Senior Gift Myth Busters

  • Harvard’s endowment has been built over 385 years and supports all 12 Harvard Schools. It is a highly restricted source of funding and endowed funds must be used exactly as the donor specified. This means that the vast majority (more than 70%) of endowment dollars cannot be used to fund current needs or new ideas.

    Money contributed through Senior Gift to the Harvard College Fund does not go to the endowment. That is why it’s so important!

    Contributions to the Harvard College Fund are flexible and for current-use, which means those dollars are put to work immediately to support areas with the most impact on our friends and classmates, such as financial aid, areas of greatest need, and the student experience.

  • The financial aid budget is only partially covered by the endowment. Every year, nearly half of the financial aid received by students comes from flexible, current-use gifts to the Harvard College Fund.

    55% of undergraduates receive some form of financial aid, and 25% of Harvard families pay nothing, thus the Senior Gift is making a huge impact for many of the students on campus.

    The full-price tuition only covers about ⅔ of the actual cost of a Harvard education. Many programs that make the Harvard undergraduate experience so unique are supplemented or completely funded by philanthropy.

  • Every dollar counts. Even if you donate a dollar, that dollar along with other’s contributions can go toward funding immediate and tangible needs. The Senior Gift is about coming together as a class to make a difference and leave a legacy, and any amount of contribution is part of the group effort.

    Class participation is a meaningful statistic that is measured and reported widely both among alumni and the broader community.

    And, even if you can’t contribute monetarily, there’s still ways to get involved. This includes finding ways to give back through volunteering with the Harvard College Fund or Harvard Alumni Association, helping with the Class Committee efforts, educating your peers about what the Senior Gift is, and mentoring peers from other classes. We have all been lucky to have the support of those before us, and now we get the opportunity to do the same for those who follow!

  • The Harvard College Fund (HCF) fosters a philanthropic community in support of the vital and enduring teaching, learning, and research mission of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, which includes Harvard College. For nearly 100 years, the HCF has supported so many things you love about Harvard: House life, Classroom to Table, financial aid, career services, and more. More than 30,000 students, alumni, parents, and friends contribute to the HCF each year.

Make your gift today.

Why We Give

I made my senior gift because I am so incredibly grateful for all the wonderful opportunities that Harvard has given me and the amazing students I’ve met in this community.
Brittany Sun

I donated to Senior Gift because I’ve benefited greatly from activities such as Classroom to Table and House Life, and I want to support the experiences of future generations of Harvard students.
Derek Zheng