The year 2020 didn’t start as a particularly remarkable one. The first reports of a new virus weren’t exactly alarming; they were quickly glanced over in favor of more exciting news.
In March, however, the usual way of life got upended by stay-at-home orders as skyrocketing hospitalizations threatened to overwhelm the healthcare system.
Higher education wasn’t spared by the imposed new normal. On-campus learning was no longer an option, so Zoom lectures and Google classrooms replaced in-person sessions. Faculty had to scramble up a teaching strategy that would be viable online, while students had to get used to learning through a screen 100% of the time.
The spring semester was chaotic, but the academic year 2020 to 2021 was no better. Campuses remained partially closed. With learning remaining fully remote, many would-be students questioned the value they’d get for steep tuition fees. Naturally, some of the regular financial aid rules and administrative procedures also needed revision.
As unprecedented as the 2020-2021 academic year was, five years later, things seem to have returned to normal. Let’s take a closer look at how learning conditions changed between the 2020-2021 and 2025-2026 academic years using one particular institution as an example: Harvard University.
The Biggest Change: Return to Campus
All 2020-2021 graduate and undergraduate classes took place online. Even students who were allowed to return to campus had to bear distance learning.
For example, Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) decided to allow 40% of its undergraduate student body to return to campus for the fall semester, including all first-year students. Yet, despite living on campus, they all had to study remotely.
The pandemic was particularly hard on international students. At the time, consular offices weren’t processing F-1 visa applications, and the borders remained (mostly) closed. Their inability to travel to the U.S. was yet another reason why Harvard opted for putting classes online.
To handle the transition to remote learning, Harvard had to recruit graduate students as fellows and train them to deliver excellent classes online. The university also offered orientations to first-year students and remote learning resources to all to ensure students could make the most out of distance learning.
Harvard students in 2025-2026, on the other hand, don’t have to worry about social distancing or attending all their classes online. Learning has returned to the fully in-person format. The campus is once again bustling with life, and international students are back on the grounds.
Impact on Housing Conditions, Student Health, and Safety
The shift to remote learning prompted some schools to lower their tuition fees. For example, Williams College reduced its fees by 15% for the year 2020-2021. Most, however, simply didn’t charge students who stayed at home for accommodation and meals.
The Harvard FAS chose this exact route. Its tuition fees remained as announced, while room and board costs were removed from the term bills for students studying off campus. (Students coming to campus were charged for accommodation and meals, however.)
Those coming to the campus for the 2020-2021 academic year also had to abide by strict health and safety rules. For example, upon arrival, students were tested for COVID-19 every three days. Self-isolation procedures were also established to curb the spread of the virus, with the university setting up dedicated housing for quarantined students and staff.
Recognizing financial hardships that staying at home might entail, the Griffin Financial Aid Office offered a special $5,000 allowance. It could be used to finance meals, housing, and equipment for remote learning. The allowance was awarded only to students already approved for financial aid.
Today, all Harvard students are once again on the hook for housing and dining expenses. Those in need can still receive need-based financial aid.
Changes in Financial Aid Conditions
At Harvard, financial aid typically entails a term-time work expectation. That is, students are expected to work at the university, usually 10 to 12 hours a week. Keep in mind: this isn’t free work; students receive wages for their labor directly.
In 2025, for example, financial aid amounts to:
- <$100,000: Aid covering all billed expenses, including tuition, food, housing, + a $2,000 start-up grant, health insurance, and travel costs
- $100,00-$200,000: Aid covering the full cost of tuition + individual need-based subsidies for fees, food, and housing
In 2020-2021, financial aid recipients, however, were relieved of the term-time work expectation for the fall semester due to the pandemic. The FAS Harvard instead awarded need-based scholarships to students in need, without imposing any work requirements on them.
That said, students could still choose to work during their studies, including on campus. The university simply removed this condition since jobs that couldn’t be done remotely involved substantial health risks. Besides, finding work was difficult at the time.
Summer School No Longer a Freebie
Due to the pandemic, many Harvard students were essentially locked out of the usual campus experience. To appease them, Harvard offered enrolled students the opportunity to take two courses at the 2021 Harvard Summer School. However, only the students staying at home for the full academic year could take the university up on this offer.
The offer was essentially a tuition waiver for the selected two Harvard Summer School courses. That is, eligible students still needed to pay for housing and meals. That said, students receiving financial aid would have those costs subsidized by the university.
This offer was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In 2025-2026, Harvard students who wish to participate would have to pay tuition and fees, as well as cover housing and dining costs. Internal financial aid isn’t available for Harvard students; external grants and scholarships, however, can be used to cover costs.
The rates for Harvard Summer School of 2026 aren’t in yet, but the 2025 costs can give you an idea about how far they could go:
- Tuition: $3,850 for a four-credit course; $7,700 for an eight-credit course
- Accommodation and meals: From $3,450 to $7,050, depending on the duration
Harvard Summer School currently offers courses across three types of participation:
- Online synchronous sessions
- Online asynchronous sessions
- On-campus classes
Deferral and Academic Leave Procedures
Due to the unprecedented nature of changes in the learning processes, deadlines for deferral and academic leave requests were also extended. For example, in 2025, students wanting to defer their admission had to submit their requests before May 1. In 2020, on the other hand, the deadline was extended to July 24. The same extension applied to leave of absence requests.
As the adaptation to the new normal was both difficult and chaotic at times, Harvard also offered specialized advisory to students considering a leave of absence in 2020. To that end, the university trained a team of advisers so that they could support students and their families. Those advisers helped students weigh in on the pros and cons of taking a leave of absence, prepare and submit a request, and prepare for the leave - and what comes after it.
As of 2025, all the deferral and academic leave procedures have returned to normal. All requests have to be submitted on time, with no exceptional extensions or changes to the procedures.
In Closing
The 2020-2021 academic year was exceptional in every sense of the word. Universities like Harvard had to revamp their teaching practices to make online-only instruction truly effective. At the same time, the administration also had to reimagine life on campus to protect both students and staff from public health risks.
As unprecedented as that shift was, today, few traces of it remain. Students move into their on-campus housing without having to even think about regular testing and self-isolation protocols. Classrooms are open for business once again; extracurriculars and student clubs have also made a comeback. Everything is truly back to normal.
Samuel Gorbold, a seasoned professor with over 30 years of experience, guides students across disciplines such as English, psychology, political science, and many more. Together with EssayHub, he is dedicated to enhancing student understanding and success through comprehensive academic support.
