Massachusetts Financial Aid: State Grants, Scholarships and Free College Programs

Start With the FAFSA or MASFA

Every major Massachusetts state aid program requires a completed federal FAFSA. If you cannot file the FAFSA because of your immigration status, file the Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid (MASFA) instead. The Massachusetts Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) uses this application to screen you for most of the grants and scholarships below. File it every year you want to stay eligible, since none of these awards renew automatically without a new application.

MassEducate: Free Community College

MassEducate makes tuition and fees free at all 15 Massachusetts public community colleges for eligible residents, building on the earlier MassReconnect program for adult learners. Eligible students get the full cost of tuition and fees covered, plus up to $1,200 toward books and supplies based on income, according to mass.edu .

To qualify, you need to have lived in Massachusetts for at least one year, enroll as a matriculated student for at least 6 credits per term, hold U.S. citizenship or eligible noncitizen status, file the FAFSA or MASFA, keep satisfactory academic progress, and not already hold a bachelor's degree. MassEducate works as a last-dollar program, filling the gap after other grants apply, so you still need to file the FAFSA or MASFA to trigger it.

MASSGrant and MASSGrant Plus for Four-Year Colleges

MASSGrant Plus extends need-based aid to students at Massachusetts public four-year colleges and universities. If your household earns under about $85,000 a year, MASSGrant Plus covers full tuition and fees plus up to $1,200 for books and supplies. Households earning between about $85,000 and $100,000 get a reduction covering up to half of remaining tuition and fee costs for full-time students, per OSFA program details .

Enrollment minimums scale with income: students from households under about $85,000 need at least 6 credits per term, while students in the $85,000 to $100,000 range need 12 credits as full-time students to qualify. File the FAFSA or MASFA annually, keep satisfactory academic progress, and stay out of default on a federal or state student loan.

Merit Scholarships: Adams and Herter

The John and Abigail Adams Scholarship awards a tuition waiver at Massachusetts public colleges and universities based on your MCAS performance relative to your graduating class. You do not file a separate application. The state considers every Massachusetts public high school student automatically using MCAS results, so check with your high school guidance office to confirm whether you qualified and which campuses accept the award.

The Christian A. Herter Memorial Scholarship is a smaller merit award listed alongside Adams on the OSFA scholarship page . The Adams award applies only to tuition, not mandatory fees, at participating Massachusetts public campuses, while Herter covers up to 50% of a student's calculated need.

Field-Specific and Targeted State Grants

Massachusetts funds several scholarships aimed at high-need career fields and specific student groups, including the Community College Nursing Scholarship, Early Childhood Educators Scholarship, Tomorrow's Teachers Scholarship, Paraprofessional Teacher Preparation Grant, and separate High Demand and In-Demand scholarships for fields the state needs filled. A Foster Child Grant supports students with foster care history, and the Gilbert Matching Student Grant matches aid for qualified applicants. Full eligibility rules for each sit on the OSFA program list .

No-Interest Loans and Other Support

The Massachusetts No Interest Loan program lets eligible students borrow for college costs without paying interest, a lower-risk option than private student loans. The state also runs a Massachusetts Cash Grant and a Massachusetts Part-Time Grant for students who do not carry a full course load, plus a Massachusetts Public Service Grant tied to public-service career paths. Combine these with your MassEducate or MASSGrant Plus award rather than treating them as standalone options, since most Massachusetts students qualify for more than one program at once.

Deadlines and How to Apply

File the FAFSA as soon as it opens each October for the following academic year. Massachusetts state aid is limited and several programs award funds on a first-come basis, so filing early gives you a better shot at the full amount. List every Massachusetts public college you are considering on your FAFSA so each campus financial aid office can factor state aid into your award letter. If your immigration status blocks you from filing the FAFSA, file the MASFA through your target campus instead, on the same early timeline.