Financial aid expansion announced for Massachusetts public college and university students

SALEM, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - Governor Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll announced a new financial aid expansion Wednesday that will benefit about 25,000 students attending public community colleges and state universities across the Bay State.

Effective immediately and retroactively for this fall semester, the MassGrant Plus expansion program will use nearly $62 million in funding from the 2024 budget to cover tuition, fees, books, and supply costs for Pell grant-eligible students. It will also reduce out-of-pocket expenses for full-time middle-income students by up to half.

Remaining funds will be used to support ongoing financial aid policies and implement the state’s new tuition equity law.

Healey stressed the importance providing not just education, but access to it.

“Massachusetts, we pride ourselves in being first in education - home to the first public school, public library, you know. We’ve been leaders in that space and this is about living up to that, living up to that ideal. You can be a leader in education, but you’re not a leader in education if you’re not a leader in access to education,” Healey explained.

The announcement comes after the Healey-Driscoll Administration made a $20-million dollar investment in MassReconnect, which made community college free for state residents ages 25 and older regardless of income.

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