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Tuition-Free College Scholarship Program for Low-Income Boston Students

Tuition-Free College Scholarship Program for Low-Income Boston Students
5/30/2017
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Susan Dutca-Lovell

Boston high school graduates will now be able to earn a four-year college degree at no cost with a new tuition-free college scholarship program. The free college pilot program, announced by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Mart Walsh will enable low-income students to go to college without paying tuition or mandatory fees.

The Boston Bridge program is open to all 2017 high school graduates who reside in the city, meet federal Pell grant income standards and enroll full time at Bunker Hill Community College, Roxbury Community College or Mass Bay Community College. Students who receive the free college scholarship must complete their associate's degrees within two and a half years before transferring to a state public college or state university. The new Boston Bridge college scholarship program is a continuation of Boston's Tuition-Free Community College initiative. Last year, the tuition-free college program "helped fifty Boston Public Schools graduates attend community college."

The college scholarship program means "a free bachelor's degree is within reach" for low-income Boston high school graduates, according to Mayor Walsh.

Another free tuition college scholarship program, the New York Excelsior Scholarship, will begin accepting applications starting June 7. New York students who are enrolled full-time can apply to the free college scholarship program, which covers tuition at state universities for families who earn $125,000 or less. Recipients for the New York college scholarship program will be required to work in New York as many years as they received the free college scholarship or repay the money as a loan if they take a job outside of New York.

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