Scholarship Description
Who Is Eligible?
To be eligible for the DCF Adopted Child Tuition Waiver and Fee Assistance Program, a student must:
Be twenty-four years of age or under at the start of the academic year.
Be in the custody of the Department of Children and Families and have been adopted by an eligible Massachusetts state employee through the Department of Children and Families, or;
Be in the custody of the Department of Children and Families and have been adopted by an eligible Massachusetts resident through the Department of Children and Families.
Be a United States citizen or eligible non-citizen.
Be enrolled full time, half time, or part time in an eligible program or is taking an eligible course as defined.
Be enrolled in an undergraduate degree, certificate or short-term certificate program, or be taking noncredit courses.
Apply for financial aid, using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Not have received a prior bachelor’s degree or its equivalent.
Not be in default of any federal or state student loans or owe a refund for any previous financial aid received.
Be in good standing and meet the institution’s requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress.
Eligible Course
Any state-supported course offered by an institution at a public college or university, excluding all graduate courses and courses in the MD program at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Eligible courses include those toward an undergraduate degree program, certificate program, short-term certificate program, and non-credit courses. Institutions are encouraged to develop waiver programs for eligible students that would provide a 50% tuition waiver for any non-state supported course and/or certificate programs.
Eligible State Employee And Residents
Eligible state employees shall include all individuals determined to be Massachusetts State employees at the time of adoption of the eligible student including:
All full and part-time Massachusetts state government employees employed by the state, for at least six months at the time of the adoption. Employees who were working for the state at the time of the adoption and continued to be employed by the state for at least six months after the adoption.
Eligible Massachusetts residents shall include:
All individuals determined to be Massachusetts state residents at the time of adoption of the eligible student.
Eligible Institutions
An institution within the system of public higher education under Section 5 Chapter 15A of the General Laws.
Award Amounts
Students eligible for the DCF Adopted Child Tuition Waiver and Fee Assistance program will be entitled to a tuition waiver and fee assistance equal to 100% of the resident rate, subject to budgetary appropriation, for eligible state-supported courses offered at the participating public higher education institutions.
How Do I Apply?
Contact the Massachusetts Office of Student Financial Assistance at (617) 391-6070 to obtain more information and to inquire about application requirements or deadlines. Additionally, you must obtain eligibility documentation from the Department of Children and Families and present it to your campus financial aid office for consideration.
Year of Need: College Freshman, College Sophomore, College Junior, College Senior, Trade/Technical,
Type: Needs Based
Num Awards: Multiple
Min Award:
Max Award: Full Tuition
Deadline: 2025-12-31
Sponsoring Organization
Massachusetts Office of Student Financial Assistance
454 Broadway, Suite 200
Revere, MA 02151
Contact Person:
Phone: (617) 391-6070
Fax: (617) 727-0667
Web: http://www.osfa.mass.edu/
Email:
