News Summary
Starting in fall 2025, the University of Massachusetts will implement a free tuition program for residents from households earning $75,000 or less. This initiative, part of a broader effort to enhance access to higher education, aims to help low-income students overcome financial barriers. While the program covers tuition and mandatory fees, it does not include room and board. With nearly 3,000 students expected to qualify in its first year, this initiative represents a significant step towards affordable education in Massachusetts.
Boston, Massachusetts — Starting in the fall of 2025, the University of Massachusetts (UMass) system will offer a free tuition program for Massachusetts residents from households with an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less. This initiative was announced following the approval of a state budget by Governor Maura Healey that includes provisions for free community college.
The program is designed to enhance access to higher education for low-income students. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll emphasized the state’s commitment to providing affordable education, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent residents from pursuing college degrees. The funding for this program will be sourced from a combination of university-funded financial aid, federal support, and state educational funding, which will be bolstered by the expansion of the MASSGrant Plus program.
However, it’s important to note that the coverage of the program is limited to tuition and mandatory fees. Room and board are not included, which means students will still need to plan for these additional costs while attending UMass. Additionally, UMass Chan Medical School and UMass Law will not be part of this free tuition initiative.
Since its inception, the UMass system has significantly increased financial aid resources, expanding by 73% since 2015, amounting to a total of $409 million. At UMass Amherst, approximately 92% of students from households earning below $75,000 already attend tuition-free, while UMass Lowell reports a similar figure of 93% of its students benefiting from financial assistance.
UMass Boston will implement the program under a new initiative called the Beacon Pledge, which will launch in the fall of 2025. This program allows qualifying students to attend the university without the burden of tuition and mandatory fees. UMass Boston projects that around 3,000 students will qualify for the new program in its inaugural year. Current eligible UMass students will also be able to benefit from this initiative, which will reassess their eligibility each year to ensure continued support.
In a complementary effort, UMass Dartmouth has developed a program known as the UMass Dartmouth Deal, aimed at providing additional resources such as financial literacy workshops and scholarships that can help offset expenditures like books and housing. The program targets approximately 1,500 qualifying students, assuring them access to on-campus housing, as well.
One of the standout features of these initiatives is their automatic enrollment process, which means that eligible students will not have to go through a separate application process — they will be enrolled in the program as soon as they qualify. This approach aims to streamline the enrollment experience and make the transition to college smoother for students.
UMass President Marty Meehan indicated that the university system has consistently prioritized low-cost education, and this new tuition-free initiative is particularly focused on supporting first-generation college students. Notably, over 60% of students at UMass Boston are the first in their families to attend college, making these financial initiatives crucial for fostering access to higher education.
The announcement of this program also reflects a growing trend toward affordability initiatives in higher education, as similar plans have been adopted by other institutions in Massachusetts, including Brandeis University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The overarching goal of these efforts is to clarify and expand the affordability options available to prospective students and their families.
Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco of UMass Boston remarked that the program aims to cultivate a sense of community and support among students, enabling them to focus on personal growth without the encumbrance of debt. As the state of Massachusetts promotes educational access and equity, these initiatives represent a significant step forward in addressing the financial challenges faced by many students.
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Additional Resources
- NBC Boston
- Wikipedia: University of Massachusetts
- CBS News
- Google Search: college tuition affordability initiatives
- Dorchester Reporter
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Higher Education
- Boston 25 News
- Google News: free tuition programs Massachusetts
- Boston Globe
- Google Scholar: tutorial programs in higher education
- New York Times
- Google Search: college financial aid programs
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