Copy
For Immediate Release
From the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
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Baker-Polito Administration Boosts College Access, Affordability with MassGrant Plus Program to Aid Community College Students
Expanded Funding Will Cover 100% of Community College Tuition & Fees for Eligible Full and Part-Time Students
 
 

Contact: Katy Abel
MA Department of Higher Education
Office: (617) 994-6932 | Cell: (617) 429-2026
Email: kabel@dhe.mass.edu

Boston, MA – August 23, 2018 – Students heading to one of the state’s 15 community colleges this fall will be eligible for additional financial aid to fully cover the cost of their tuition and fees, thanks to a boost in financial aid funding proposed by the Baker-Polito Administration and included in the state’s FY19 budget recently enacted by the Legislature and signed by the Governor.

The new MassGrant Plus represents the first significant expansion of the state’s signature financial aid program in more than two decades.

Made possible by an additional $7.5 million in funding, MassGrant Plus will provide “last dollar” funding to bridge the gap between a low-income community college student’s federal, state and institutional financial aid awards, and the total cost of tuition and fees.

Additionally, the MassGrant Plus program will be open to part-time, degree-seeking students, provided they take at least two courses totaling six credits per semester. Currently, 63% of all community college students attend on a part-time basis. Until now, only full-time students have been eligible to receive aid through MassGrant, which is the largest of more than two dozen state grant, scholarship and waiver programs. The additional funding through the MassGrant Plus program effectively triples the amount of state financial aid available to more than 52,000 part-time community college students in the Commonwealth.

“MassGrant Plus is an opportunity to provide critical support for an expanded population of people interested in pursuing the opportunities a community college degree can create,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “We were pleased to work with the Legislature to pass this bill to aid students and increase their likelihood of earning an associates’ degree or transferring to a four-year institution to earn a bachelor’s.” 

“Removing financial barriers to obtaining an education will encourage more low-income students in the Commonwealth to view higher education as an obtainable next step in their career,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito.

“Low-income, first-generation college students are disproportionately represented at community colleges, and due to financial pressures, the least likely to earn degrees and certificates on time or at all,” Education Secretary James Peyser said. “These additional scholarships will make it possible for many students to complete their degree, and not carry tremendous amounts of debt as they transfer to a four-year institution.”

“We’re very pleased that Governor Baker and the legislature are moving so decisively to invest in our community college students,” said Carlos E. Santiago, Massachusetts Commissioner of Higher Education. “We’re hopeful that with increased financial assistance we’ll see more students able to complete their degree programs and move into good jobs or continue on to earn bachelor’s degrees at four-year colleges and universities.”

Students eligible for MassGrant Plus could see a substantial increase in the amount of financial aid they receive. On an annual basis, tuition and fees for full-time students at a Massachusetts community college averaged $6,304 during the last fiscal year. That total is expected to increase by an average of 3-4% in the upcoming academic year.

Along with meeting certain income requirements, MassGrant Plus recipients must also complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by an extended deadline of November 1.

For more information on Massachusetts financial aid programs and a complete listing of the state’s public colleges and universities, please visit www.mass.edu.  

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