Free Community College at STCC
No matter your age or income: community college is now free in Massachusetts!
FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Free Community College covers tuition and fees for all students without a bachelor’s degree at any of Massachusetts’ 15 community colleges.
Students are eligible for Free Community College if they:
- Have not earned a bachelor’s degree* or the equivalent, and
- Meet one of the following requirements:
o Are a Massachusetts High School Completer1 which means they:- Attended high school in Massachusetts for at least three years
- Earned a high school diploma or alternative (e.g., HiSET, GED) in Massachusetts
OR
- Meet the Board of Higher Education Residency Status Policy, meaning they have
- Resided in Massachusetts for at least one year (with parent or legal guardian, if
dependent) as of the start of the enrolled term - Are a U.S. citizen or lawful immigrant (BHE Motion FAAP 07-24); or authorized by
the federal government to live and work in the United States on a temporary or
permanent basis (BHE Motion FAAP 16-20)
- Resided in Massachusetts for at least one year (with parent or legal guardian, if
Eligible students must:
- Apply to STCC and enroll in an approved program of study leading to a certificate or degree. Applications are open all year long and there’s never a fee to apply.
- Enroll in at least six credits (usually two classes) per semester
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or, if ineligible to complete the FAFSA, the Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid (MASFA)
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress in accordance with STCC's requirements.
Certain students, based on income and enrollment, will also receive an allowance of up to $1200 per year for books, supplies, and other approved costs.
*Students enrolled in courses that meet the initial training requirements for emergency medical technical and paramedic certification are also eligible for Free Community College regardless of prior degree earned or number of credits enrolled.
Free Community College is a last-dollar financial aid grant award that is applied to a student’s account after all other state and federal financial aid and grants are applied.
All students are subject to program guidelines and must maintain eligibility throughout the course of their studies to continue to receive financial aid through the Free Community College program. All students must complete the current FAFSA or MASFA to be considered eligible.
For the Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 semesters, students must complete the 2026-2027 form; a new financial aid application must be submitted each academic year for continued funding.
Program guidelines for the 2026-2027 academic year are available online.
Students who receive Free Community College awards who are later found to be ineligible for any reason may be billed for disbursed funds.
1 M.G.L. c. 15A, § 9 par. 5
Want to learn more about free college?
Learn more about how free community college in Massachusetts works in our Student FAQ, attend one of our information sessions listed below, or submit your contact information below so that we can reach out with more information. To register in advance for an information session, please click a Zoom link below.
Webinars
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Contact
Have questions in the meantime? Please contact Student Financial Services at sfs@stcc.edu for more information.