July 30
Free tuition and fees plus additional support for books and supplies
Expanding on the success of MassReconnect, which the Healey-Driscoll administration unveiled last year, MassEducate will now offer tuition- and fee-free community college to all Massachusetts residents, regardless of age, who have yet to earn a bachelor’s degree.
The newly signed budget includes $93.5 million for the creation of MassEducate, a new program making community college free for all students, beginning in fall 2024, who do not currently have a bachelor’s degree, regardless of age.
Together, MassEducate and MassReconnect will provide the opportunity for ALL pMassachusetts residents, regardless of age or income who have yet to earn a bachelor’s degree the opportunity to earn an associate degree or certificate at any one of Massachusetts’ 15 community colleges, if they meet all eligibility requirements and complete the proper steps to enroll and matriculate.
While both MassReconnect and MassEducate offer free community college to MA residents,
the two programs have different qualifiers:
-
MassReconnect is geared to students aged 25 and older without an associate or bachelor’s degree
-
MassEducate will cover students who are under 25, as well as students who are over 25 who have already received an associate degree.
Both programs include an allowance for books and supplies for certain students.
Last year, thanks to MassReconnect, MA community colleges saw a historic 8% rise in enrollment, including a 45% increase in enrollment of students over the age of 25, reversing a decade of decline.
“We’re thrilled to now offer free community college to our communities,” said North Shore Community College President William Heineman. “Education is the key to betterment. At North Shore we say if you have the will, we have the way - now the state is backing that up by removing the financial barrier to achieving that betterment.”
For more information on MassReconnect and MassEducation go to https://tinyurl.com/ysekxcze