- Executive Office of Education
- Department of Higher Education
Media Contact
Nicole Giambusso, Communications Director
BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll Administration is urging all students and families, particularly low-income families, to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2025-2026 post-secondary academic year. The federal form is required for students to be eligible for certain federal and state financial aid, including free community college and opportunities to attend the state’s public four-year universities without paying tuition and fees.
Students and families can learn more about the FAFSA by visiting Mass.Gov/FinancialAid, which has links to free FAFSA help from partners like the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) and Massachusetts Education & Career Opportunities (MassEdCO). High school students can also receive help from school counselors.
“Earlier this year, we visited high schools across Massachusetts for our Higher Education Financial Aid Road Show. The students we spoke with expressed overwhelming interest in going to college, but many said they were unaware of the historic levels of available state financial aid,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. “Massachusetts has nearly $400 million in financial aid and we want students and families to know the first step to accessing this money is to complete the FAFSA.”
“Too many students leave money on the table by not completing the FAFSA, and the implications of that are significant,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega. “Accessing financial aid has an impact on whether a student attends the institution of their choice or attends college at all. College access, and the upward mobility that comes from a college degree, all start with applying for financial aid.”
According to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), nearly 50 percent of public high school seniors in Massachusetts have filled out the 2025-26 FAFSA so far, but low-income public high school students – those who might benefit most from the state’s historic levels of financial aid – are less likely to fill out the FAFSA than their peers. The National College Attainment Network (NCAN), which tracks FAFSA completion data by state and uses an algorithm that includes private schools, puts Massachusetts above the national average and places it at seventh in the nation for FAFSA completion.
Massachusetts has worked to increase FAFSA completion through collaboration with partners like MEFA, MassEdCO, and the Massachusetts School Counselors Association (MASCA); through a Financial Aid Road show and ad campaign; and through regular collaboration with schools, including a DESE tool that allows school counselors and other school and district staff to view which students have completed their FAFSA and who might need support to do so. Further, in seven school districts, DHE operates the federal GEAR UP program, which prepares students for college and offers one-on-one support throughout the application process.
The Financial Aid Road Show coincided with the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s “College is Possible” ad campaign, which ran from late February to mid-May. The campaign targeted high school seniors and adult learners across Massachusetts with billboards and TV, radio, and digital ads in English and Spanish that highlighted financial aid opportunities. The ads directed students to a home page for state financial aid programs to learn more: Mass.Gov/StudentAid.
"Completing the FAFSA is a crucial step in unlocking the financial aid that makes college possible for so many students,” said MEFA Executive Director Thomas Graf. “At MEFA, we’re proud to work in partnership with the Healey-Driscoll Administration, MASCA, and MassEdCo to ensure that every student in Massachusetts has access to the tools, guidance, and expert support they need to complete the FAFSA with confidence.”
"If students are still looking for help with their FAFSA during the summer months, our MassEdCO staff are prepared to help. They should visit our website, MassEdCO.org, and schedule an appointment with one of our Educational Opportunity Centers," said MassEdCO CEO Mark Bilotta.
While the priority deadline for MASSGrant, the state’s banner financial aid program, closed on May 1, students can still access federal Pell Grants and other state financial aid programs by filling out the FAFSA.
The administration recommends that students fill out the FAFSA as soon as possible to benefit from financial aid programs and receive their financial aid packages in time to make college enrollment decisions ahead of the fall. Alternatively, certain eligible students who cannot submit a FAFSA may submit a Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid (MASFA) to apply for state financial aid.
Key Resources
Mass.Gov/FinancialAid: Find resources
MEFA.org: Key steps, contact information for FAFSA help, set up a one-on-one FAFSA help session
MassEdCO.org: FAFSA checklist and search for locations near you that offer FAFSA resources
Mass.Gov/StudentAid: Information about the state’s financial aid programs, including free community college and free and affordable four-year degree opportunities
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