Commonwealth September 11, 2001 Tragedy Tuition Waiver

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

The Commonwealth September 11, 2001 Tragedy Tuition Waiver recognizes the challenge that children or spouses of victims of the national tragedy may face in their attempt to pay for a college education. The program provides a 100% tuition waiver to Massachusetts children and widowed spouses who are directly affected by the September 11 events for any state-supported course or program offered by a Massachusetts public college or university.

Who Is Eligible?

To be eligible for a Commonwealth September 11, 2001 Tragedy Tuition Waiver, a student must meet all of the following requirements:

• Be the spouse or child of a resident of Massachusetts who died or is missing and officially presumed dead as a direct result of the acts of terrorism that occurred in the United States on September 11, 2001.
• The student must submit the following to the institution:
  • Copy of the student's legal birth certificate.
  • Certificate of Death for the spouse, parent or legal guardian (or other official documentation of death)
  • Proof that the death is connected to the terrorism that occurred on September 11, 2001.
  • File a current year Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Eligible Institutions

An eligible institution is within the system of public institutions of higher education under Section 5 of Chapter 15A of the General Laws.

Award Amounts

Students eligible for the Commonwealth September 11, 2001 Tuition Waiver will be entitled to a tuition waiver equal to 100%  of the resident tuition rate for eligible state-supported courses offered at the participating public higher education institution.

Click here to view the full value of tuition waivers, by school, for a full-time student in the current academic year.

How to Apply

Contact the financial aid office at the Massachusetts public college or university you are attending or plan to attend for application requirements. You can also contact the DHE’s Office of Student Financial Assistance at (617) 391-6070 to obtain more information.

Tuition Waiver Guidelines