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 Cash Grant Program is a complementary program to the Need-Based Tuition Waiver Program. It helps needy students by awarding grant money to cover additional charges such as mandatory fees and non-state-supported tuition. Applicants must: be a permanent legal resident of Massachusetts for one year prior to the start of the academic year for which the grant is awarded; be a U.S. Citizen or a non-citizen eligible under Title IV regulations; be in compliance with Selective Service Registration; not be in default of any federal or state Student Loans for attendance at any institution or owe a refund for any previous financial aid received; be enrolled in at least three undergraduate credits per semester in an eligible program; not have received a prior bachelor’s degree or professional degree or their equivalent; be maintaining satisfactory academic progress in accordance with institutional and federal standards; and attend an eligible institution within the system of public institutions in Massachusetts. The amounts will vary.