Massachusetts College Grants

If you are a student in Massachusetts who aspires to a higher education but can't seem to reconcile your budget with the expenses you'll incur with college, you should look into grant programs offered for residents and students in the state of Massachusetts. You'll find a number of options open to you, with several sets of qualifications, many of which will make you an eligible candidate.

The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education is the administrator of state-funded grants, which apply to the University of Massachusetts campus and over a dozen affiliated community colleges. The Performance Bonus Grant is designed for students so financially inept that they would have no recourse for college without financial aid. The MASSGrant is the flagship grant program of the state, and as a need-based gift, it is awarded to those who can show economic distress and who are enrolling in an undergraduate program at a four-year, two-year, technical, or vocational institution. Gifts of up to $2300 per academic year may be obtained.

The Part-time Grant program is implemented to target mature and working adults who wish to return to school, providing economic assistance to students who cannot attend school full time but are still in need. Award amounts depend on the college and/or program in which the student chooses to enroll.

When grants are not enough, Massachusetts also offers the severely disadvantaged student a chance at Need-Based Tuition Waivers. Students who have lost a parent in public service (law enforcement, firefighters, etc) may qualify for the Public Service Grant Program and also receive tuition waivers.

List of Massachusetts College Grants

• Massachusetts Cash Grant Program — $150 to $1900 awarded to varied number of undergraduate students attending Massachusetts college.


• Massachusetts Part-Time Program — $200 to $1150 awarded to 200 undergraduate students attending Massachusetts college.


• Performance Bonus Grant Program — $350 to $500 awarded to varied number of sophomore, junior and senior undergraduate students attending Massachusetts college.


• Student Essay Competition — $500 to $1500 awarded each year to undergraduate students attending Massachusetts college and majoring in accounting.

Paying for school is not easy, but we are here to help. OEDb's student finance section will help you find the money you need to pay your tuition and other college expenses. We cover scholarships, college grants, and student loans. Scholarships and grants are both forms of "free money", meaning they don't need to be paid back. Scholarships are typically awarded by businesses or individuals, with the money being earmarked specifically for tuition. They can be awarded based on a student's location or by religious affiliation, such as Catholicism or Islam. Grants are typically awarded by governments or non-profit organizations and the money often can be applied to several different expenses a student may incur, not solely tuition. They can be awarded based on location or ethnicity, for instance African American or Hispanic. Loans are not considered "free money", because unlike scholarships and grants, they do need to be paid back after graduation. Common federal loans include Perkins and Stafford. Loans are also available by location.