Tuition Waiver for All Massachusetts Veterans to All State Colleges and Universities
M.G.L. ch. 15A, s.19
Veterans of Massachusetts, as defined by M.G.L. ch. 4, s.7, clause 43, may be eligible for any state-supported course in an undergraduate degree program or certificate program offered by a public college or university. To be eligible, a veteran must also be a legal resident of Massachusetts and must not be in default of any federal student loans.
Veterans will be eligible on a space-available basis for a waiver of full or partial tuition based on proper documentation of the eligibility of the veteran. Space availability shall be determined in accordance with normal practices and procedures as published by each institution (i.e., the individual college or university). Contact the veterans’ representative at the college or university for details.
National Guard Tuition and Fee Waiver
Acts of 2005 ch. 130
Members of the National Guard are eligible for a waiver of both fees and tuition at all state colleges and universities. Please contact the college or university veterans’ representative for details about this program.
Public Service Scholarship Programs
M.G.L. ch. 15A, s.16
Scholarships will be awarded to:
Children of prisoners of war or military or service persons missing in action in Southeast Asia whose service was between February 1, 1955 and the termination of the Vietnam campaign; and Children of veterans (as defined by M.G.L. ch. 4, s.7) whose service was credited to the Commonwealth and who were killed in action or otherwise died as a result of such service.
Scholarships will be for undergraduate studies at an institution of higher education in the Commonwealth.
Contact information:
Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
Office of Student Financial Assistance
454 Broadway, Suite 200
Revere, MA 02151
Tel: 617-391-6070
www.osfa.mass.edu
E-mail: osfa@mass.edu
Post 9/11 GI Bill
Veterans who served for a minimum of 90 days active duty on or after September 11, 2001, may qualify for the Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33). This new federal program provides increased benefits for veterans pursuing an approved education program at an approved degree-granting institution.
To be eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, veterans must have received an Honorable Discharge and have served at least 90 aggregate days on or after September 11, 2001; or have been discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 continuous days.
This federal benefit has state-specific implications since the cost of tuition and fees varies by state, and is based on the highest in-state undergraduate rate. A monthly housing allowance based on the zip code of the college/university and a book stipend of $41.67 per credit of up to 24 credits or $1,000 per academic year is also part of the program.
For information and to apply, call Toll-Free: 1-888-442-4551 or go to www.gibill.va.gov
In-State Student Classification
Chapter 15A of the General Laws, Section 19 3 ⁄ 4
A person who is a member of the armed forces of the United States and stationed in the commonwealth pursuant to military orders shall be entitled to classification as an in-state student. Such a person shall not lose classification as an in-state student due to being transferred on military orders, being honorably discharged or retiring while the person is residing in the commonwealth after their acceptance for matriculation at a constituent unit of the state system of higher education in a course of study leading to an associate, bachelor or post-graduate degree.
Further, this classification extends to the spouse or unemancipated person whose parent or guardian is a member of the armed forces of the United States and stationed in the commonwealth pursuant to military orders.
Military-Connected Student
Chapter 71 of the General Laws, Section 6B(a)(b) and Section 99(a)
A “military-connected student” shall mean a student who is an unemancipated person whose parent or guardian:
Is in the active military service of the United States; or
is full-time status during active service with the National Guard of any state.
A military-connected student whose parent or guardian is being relocated to the commonwealth under military orders and is transferred to, or is pending transfer to, a military installation within the commonwealth shall be deemed a resident pupil of the applicable school district for the purposes of enrollment. A school district shall permit a military-connected student to enroll preliminarily by remote registration without charge and shall not require a parent or guardian of the military-connected student or the military-connected student to physically appear at a location within the district to register the student; provided, however, that a parent or guardian of a military-connected student shall present evidence of military orders that the parent or guardian will be stationed in the commonwealth during the current or following school year.
To enroll a student, the parent or guardian shall use an address that:
is within the school district where the military-connected student is to be enrolled; and is either:
- A temporary on-base billeting facility;
- A purchased or leased home or apartment; or
- Federal government or public-private venture off-base military housing.
Proof of residency shall not be required at the time of the remote registration but shall be required not later than 10 days of the military-connected student’s attendance in the school district. For more information contact the Office of Student and Family Support (SFS) of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education or the military liaison to a Purple Star Campus.Veterans’ Laws and Benefits.
Purple Star Campus
Chapter 71 of the General Laws, Section 99 (a)(b)(c)
The department shall designate a school as a Purple Star Campus if the school applies and qualifies for the designation under this section.
To qualify as a Purple Star Campus, a school shall: designate a staff member as a military liaison, whose duties shall include:
- Identifying military-connected students enrolled at the school
- Serving as the point of contact between the school and military-connected students and their families
- Determining appropriate school services available to military-connected students
and
- Assisting in coordinating school programs relevant to military-connected students.
For information related to schools that have qualified for this designation please contact Office of Student and Family Support (SFS) of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Contact information:
Student and Family Support (SFS)
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street Malden, MA 02148
www.doe.mass.edu/sfs/edstability.html
Email: achievement@doe.mass.edu
Phone: 781-338-3010
The Massachusetts National Guard Family Education Program
Chapter 33 of the General Laws, Section 137A, (c)(1)(2)(3)
The Massachusetts National Guard Family Education Program may issue a certificate of exemption from the matriculation fee and tuition to specified dependents of members enrolled in a program at any public institution of higher education listed under section 5 of chapter 15A who are qualified as provided in this section, the cost of which shall be borne by the commonwealth.
The credit total of tuition benefits shall not exceed 130 semester hours per member, including hours transferred to a member’s dependents.
The military division shall maintain a record of tuition and fee credit totals of each member, including semester hours per member.
Dependents shall use their specified credit allotment within 10 years of member separation from service or by the age of 26, whichever date is later.
Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund
The Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund provides funds for current and future college/university students whose parents were killed on deployment during Operations Enduring or Iraqi Freedom.
Contact information:
Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund
Tel: (508) 630-2382
www.mslfund.org
E-mail: info@mslfund.org
Veterans Upward Bound Program
The Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) Program is a free federal pre-college program designed to motivate and assist veterans in the development of academic and other requisite skills necessary for acceptance, success and completion in a program of post-secondary study. This can include but is not limited to vocational schooling, licensures, certificates, certifications or to obtain an Associates or Bachelor’s Degree program (at any institution of your choice).
VUB provides veterans with wrap-around services that are tailored to individual veteran’s needs and can include:
Academic Support:
- College Entrance Exam Prep
- Remedial or refresher academic coursework in the areas of Mathematics through Pre-Calculus; English Composition, Reading Comprehension and Literature; Lab Science and Foreign Language
- Tutoring Services
- Mentoring programs
- Cultural Activities
Educational Planning & Application Assistance:
- Academic Advising, Degree and College Planning
- Additional Post-Secondary Opportunities
- College Culture & Environment Review
Financial Aid Counseling & Application Assistance:
- VA Education Benefits
- Additional Resources – FAFSA, Grants, Loans, Scholarships and others
Student Success Skill Instruction:
- Time Management and Organizational Skills
- Note Taking, Study Skills and Reducing Test Anxiety
Personal Development:
- Financial and Economic Literacy Workshops
- Referrals to local, state and federal resources
Contact information:
Veterans Upward Bound
Suffolk University – Center for Access & Opportunity
73 Tremont St, 7th Floor
Boston, MA 02108
Tel: (617) 725-4102
www.vubma.com
E-mail: vub@suffolk.edu