Massachusetts High Demand Scholarship Program

*The following is a brief description for students. Institutions should refer to the most recent guidelines for information.

The Massachusetts High Demand Scholarship Program was created by the Massachusetts Legislature to support economic growth and development. The purpose is to encourage degree completion in high demand disciplines that will help address the workforce needs of the Commonwealth by providing scholarship assistance to support the educational costs of students pursuing such programs of study.

The 2024-2025 application for the Massachusetts High Demand Scholarship will be open to students at Massachusetts public and independent institutions who are pursuing a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), Health Professions, Education, Social Work, Criminal Justice, Economics, or Business degree.

Who Is Eligible?

A student qualifies if they are enrolled in an eligible program and meet the following requirements:

• Physically reside in Massachusetts for at least one year, as of the start of the enrolled term, with an intent to remain in Massachusetts consistent with Board of Higher Education policy; and
• Have approved eligibility status as a “High School Completer,” ¹ per the Massachusetts tuition equity law, ² or be a U.S. Citizen, permanent legal resident, or non-citizen eligible under Title IV regulations.
• Have applied for financial aid, using the standard Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or a FAFSA equivalent application authorized by the Department of Higher Education.
• Be enrolled in an eligible program of study in a designated high need field at a public or independent Massachusetts institution
• Not have received a prior bachelor’s degree or its equivalent
• Must demonstrate achieving and maintaining a minimum college-level GPA of 3.0 on coursework completed after high school graduation
  • Note: New, first-year students starting college in Fall 2024 may apply for this scholarship, but they must maintain a 3.0 GPA once enrolled to retain scholarship eligibility.

¹ See www.mass.edu/tuitionequity for more details.

² Pursuant to Section 9 of Chapter 15A, as amended by Section 11 of Chapter 28 of the Acts of 2023.

Eligible Institutions

In 2024-2025, an eligible institution shall be public or independent institution in Massachusetts.

Award Amounts

Subject to available funds, scholarships will be awarded to students based on enrollment status as follows:

*These amounts represent maximum award values. Final award values will be determined by OSFA during the selection process, based on the eligible applicant pool and the annual budget appropriation.

How to Apply

1. File a 2024-2025 FAFSA
2. Create a MASSAid Student Portal account if you do not already have one.
3. Complete the High Demand Scholarship application in the MASSAid Student Portal System, located under the “Grant/Scholarship Online Applications” tab
4. Upload an unofficial copy of your transcript that clearly indicates your current major and cumulative GPA. Transcripts may be uploaded to MASSAid by accessing the “My High Demand” tab in the Student Portal and clicking the “Upload College Transcript” button.
   • OSFA reserves the right to request official transcripts from an applicant if it deems necessary
   • If you are a new, first-year student starting college in Fall 2024, please upload documentation of your enrolled major and registered first-semester coursework in lieu of an official or unofficial transcript.

The 2024-2025 High Demand Scholarship application will open on June 17, 2024 and remain open until August 30, 2024. Please contact osfa-mhds@dhe.mass.edu with questions.

For further information, please review the Massachusetts High Demand FAQ Document.

High Demand Scholarship Program Procedures and Guidelines