Massachusetts College Grants: MASSGrant and MASSGrant Plus

By Steve Levine · Updated November 8, 2026

Massachusetts college grants come mainly from the state’s Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA): MASSGrant, a need-based grant for full-time residents, and MASSGrant Plus, which covers the full cost of tuition and fees at eligible public colleges for families earning under about $85,000 a year. You apply for both with the FAFSA, or with the Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid (MASFA) if your citizenship status keeps you from filing the FAFSA. For 2026-27, OSFA’s MASSGrant FAFSA deadline was June 30, 2026.

The two programs work together. MASSGrant is the base state grant. MASSGrant Plus is a last-dollar top-up that fills the tuition and fee gap left after other grants at public colleges.

Massachusetts college grants at a glance

	MASSGrant	MASSGrant Plus
Need measure	Student Aid Index (SAI) and type of institution	Family income (adjusted gross income, family of four estimate)
Enrollment	Full time, at least 12 credits	At least 6 credits per term under about $85,000 income; 12 credits between about $85,000 and $100,000
What it pays	Award varies by SAI and institution type	Remaining tuition and fees at eligible public colleges, plus up to $1,200 for books and supplies for the lower-income group
Application	FAFSA or MASFA	FAFSA or MASFA

Sources: OSFA, MASSGrant and OSFA, MASSGrant Plus.

MASSGrant eligibility

According to the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education’s OSFA, you must:

Be a U.S. citizen, permanent legal resident, or non-citizen eligible under Title IV rules (MASFA filers are handled under state law).
Have lived in Massachusetts for at least one year with the intent to stay.
Enroll full time, at least 12 credits or the equivalent, in a certificate, associate or bachelor’s program at an eligible institution.
Not already hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent.
Be current on federal and state student loans and make satisfactory academic progress.
Show financial need for tuition and fees.

How much MASSGrant pays

OSFA says, “Awards will vary, depending on the student aid index (SAI) and the type of institution.” The office publishes its 2026-2027 guidelines as a separate document; we did not read award amounts from that document in a form we could verify, so we do not quote dollar figures here. Your college’s aid offer will show your MASSGrant.

MASSGrant deadline

OSFA lists the MASSGrant FAFSA deadline as June 30, 2026 (for the 2026-2027 academic year). OSFA had not posted a 2027-28 date on the page when we checked. Filing the 2027-28 FAFSA now, well before that, also helps with college-funded aid, which often has earlier priority dates. Our FAFSA deadlines guide explains the difference.

MASSGrant Plus: free tuition and fees at public colleges

MASSGrant Plus is Massachusetts’ tuition-free program for lower- and middle-income students at public institutions. OSFA describes two income groups:

Family income under about $85,000 a year: MASSGrant Plus “covers the full cost of your tuition and fees” for full- or part-time students at eligible public four-year schools, in OSFA’s wording. It does not cover room and board, but it includes up to $1,200 for books and supplies.
Family income of about $85,000 to $100,000 a year: full-time students may have tuition and fees “reduced by up to half of your out-of-pocket expenses.”

OSFA says these income figures are estimates based on adjusted gross income for a family of four and that assets are not counted. A larger family may qualify at a higher income; a smaller family may need a lower one. If you are near the line, OSFA advises speaking with a financial aid counselor and filing the FAFSA or MASFA anyway.

Other MASSGrant Plus conditions

Be a matriculated student in a certificate, associate or bachelor’s program.
Not already hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
Have at least one year of Massachusetts residence with intent to remain, or an approved status under state law.
Meet verification and satisfactory academic progress requirements.
Have no default on federal or state student loans.
Have a remaining tuition and fee balance after other grants and scholarships.

That last condition is the last-dollar rule. A student whose Pell Grant and MASSGrant already cover tuition and fees may receive only the books-and-supplies portion, or nothing, from MASSGrant Plus.

FAFSA or MASFA

File the FAFSA if you can; it also qualifies you for the Federal Pell Grant. OSFA says students who cannot complete the FAFSA because of citizenship status should file the MASFA instead. Our guide on how to fill out the FAFSA covers each step of the federal form.

How Massachusetts grants fit with federal aid

Massachusetts grants are packaged with Pell. Because MASSGrant Plus is applied last, a higher Pell Grant reduces the state top-up rather than adding to your total tuition aid. A federal change to know: for award years beginning on or after July 1, 2026, a student whose non-federal aid equals or exceeds the cost of attendance is not eligible for Pell, according to a June 4, 2026 Federal Student Aid electronic announcement. Cost of attendance includes housing and food, so this rarely applies, but it can matter for a student living at home with large outside scholarships.

Massachusetts state aid checklist

Confirm at least one year of Massachusetts residence.
File the FAFSA or MASFA as early as possible, and before OSFA’s posted deadline.
Plan your credit load: 12 credits for MASSGrant; 6 for MASSGrant Plus under about $85,000 income, 12 above it.
Choose an eligible public college if you are counting on MASSGrant Plus.
Stay current on any federal or state student loans.
Respond quickly to verification requests.

Questions families ask about Massachusetts grants

Do part-time students get MASSGrant Plus?

Yes, for families under about $85,000 in income. OSFA says MASSGrant Plus covers tuition and fees for full- or part-time students in that group, with a minimum of 6 credits per term. Families between about $85,000 and $100,000 must enroll in at least 12 credits.

Does MASSGrant Plus pay for housing?

No. OSFA says it does not cover room and board. Students living on campus should expect to pay for housing and meals from Pell (if any is left after tuition), savings, work, outside scholarships or federal loans.

We are just over $100,000 in income. Should we still file?

Yes. OSFA’s income figures are estimates for a family of four based on adjusted gross income, and assets are not counted. A larger family may still qualify. Filing the FAFSA also qualifies you for federal loans and for the college’s own grants, so there is no downside to filing.

I already have an associate degree. Am I eligible?

Both programs bar students who already hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. An associate degree does not, by itself, disqualify you. Students transferring from a community college to a state university should file the FAFSA and confirm with the new school’s aid office.

What if I am behind on a student loan?

Both programs require that you be current on, and not in default on, federal and state student loans. If you are in default, contact your loan servicer about getting back in good standing before you apply.

Where to go next

Compare Massachusetts with other states in our guide to state grants for college, and search for awards that help with room and board, which MASSGrant Plus does not cover, using our free scholarship finder. OSFA answers questions at (617) 391-6070.

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