Empower Students to Improve Communities
Financial Aid
The rising cost of a college education has become an increasing concern for many families. Applying for financial aid may feel like an overwhelming process but there are resources that may help. The information outlined below serves as an introduction to the basic components of the financial aid process.
If finances are a concern, it may be a good idea to include an in-state public university in your list of schools as financial aid can be unpredictable. Please note that each college has their own individual process and set of deadlines when it comes to applying for aid. Each college has a financial aid resource office that can assist you with specific questions and most schools have a section of their website dedicated to this process.
Federal Application For Student Aid:
Any student applying for financial aid is required to have a FAFSA form submitted on their behalf. Colleges and career schools use the FAFSA form to determine how much financial aid a student is eligible to receive, which could include grants, scholarships, work-study funds, and loans.
CSS/Financial Aid Profile:
The CSS Profile is an online application required by many colleges/universities and scholarship programs to award non-federal institutional aid. lease note that each school has their own deadline for CSS Profile submission.
Massachusetts Scholarships for Public Universities:
The John and Abigail Adams Scholarship is a merit-based program that provides a credit toward tuition for up to eight semesters of undergraduate education at a Massachusetts state college or university. For this scholarship, merit is based on student scores on the 10th grade Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) test.
Stanley Z. Koplik Certificate of Mastery Award - Students receive notification of eligibility for the award during the spring of junior year. Notification indicates an initial qualification as other requirements must be met (AP scores, SAT scores, other significant achievements).
Other Resources:
MEFA: Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority. We recommend attending a local MEFA workshop for detailed information regarding the financial aid process. Access the link below for additional help and a searchable database of workshops in the area.
New England Board of Higher Education - Tuition Break:
NEBHE's Tuition Break enables thousands of New England residents to enroll at out-of-state New England public colleges and universities at a discounted tuition rate.