The mission of the Massachusetts Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) is to promote and enhance access to higher education by delivering quality student financial aid information and services to residents of the Commonwealth, and thus ensuring that they have an opportunity to enrich their lives and contribute to the economic development and social progress of the state. OSFA has a variety of merit- and need-based grant, scholarship, no-interest loan and tuition waiver programs available for your use at numerous schools.
The Christian A. Herter Memorial Scholarship Program was established to recruit students in the 10th and 11th grades whose socio-economic backgrounds and environmental conditions may inhibit their ability to attain educational goals. The students that are selected for this program must have overcome major adversity in their lives (i.e. physical or mental abuse, catastrophic illness, etc.) Obstacles may be mental, physical, geographic or societal. Eligible applicants must: reside in Massachusetts; be a U.S. citizen or non-citizen eligible under Title IV regulations; be in compliance with selective service registration; not be in default of any loans; demonstrate difficult personal circumstances, high financial need, and strong academic promise to continue education beyond the secondary level; have a 2.5 GPA; and plan on attending a college/university in Massachusetts. Scholarship awards vary and are based on educational cost, including tuition, room, board, required fees, books and transportation.