BOSTON – All four University of Massachusetts undergraduate campuses in Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth and Lowell this Fall welcomed 66 community college graduates who are the first to be awarded the UMass Community College Advantage Scholarship, a new two-year $10,000 scholarship given to students in the top 10 percent of their class who enroll at UMass.

Launched in December 2023, the UMass Community College Advantage Scholarship guarantees students in the top 10 percent of their graduating class admission to the University of Massachusetts and a minimum of $10,000 over two years, or $2,500 each semester, to complete their bachelor’s degree. The scholarship is designed to expand access to a bachelor’s degree for historically underrepresented students and encourage timely completion for students at Massachusetts’ 15 community colleges.

“We are thrilled to welcome these talented and motivated students who worked hard to be at the top of their class, earned the UMass Community College Advantage Scholarship, and decided to attend one of our nationally ranked UMass campuses,” UMass President Marty Meehan said. “We are confident students awarded this scholarship will thrive on our campuses as they work toward their bachelor’s degree and then join the ranks of so many UMass graduates working and making a difference in Massachusetts and around the world.”

The UMass Community College Advantage Scholarship is awarded in addition to federal and private grants and financial aid. Students remain eligible for additional aid, based on individual circumstances.

“Since the community colleges have the greatest diversity of any sector of higher education, such a scholarship incentivizes more students to transfer to UMass while diversifying their student body and providing essential financial support for students to succeed,” said Northern Essex Community College President Lane Glenn, who worked closely with UMass President Meehan to launch the scholarship.

To be eligible for the UMass Community College Advantage Scholarship for the Fall 2024, students must have:

·     Graduated from a Massachusetts community college in the top 10 percent of their graduating class.

·     Be eligible for in-state tuition.

·     Completed the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or equivalent state financial aid application.

·     Completed their associate degree prior to the beginning of the Fall 2024 semester.

The UMass Community College Advantage Scholarship is among several initiatives aimed at expanding access to a four-year college degree, which data shows significantly increases a person’s income over their lifetime. Some other UMass’ college affordability initiatives include:

·     Increasing university-funded financial aid by 73 percent to $406 million annually.

·     Launching early college programs at all UMass campuses to give thousands of high school students opportunities to earn transferrable UMass college credits for free, creating significant savings on tuition costs.

With the launch of MassEducate, which provides free community college to Massachusetts residents, the university is also exploring additional ways to improve the transfer process for community college students to help more students succeed. Some initiatives under consideration include increasing the number of staff dedicated to helping students with the transfer process, boosting funding for merit-based financial aid, and building additional capacity in key academic programs. Last year, 44 percent of all UMass transfer students came from a Massachusetts community college, and the university anticipates the number will increase with MassEducate.

The UMass Community College Advantage Scholarship is available to students transferring to UMass Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, and Lowell. For more information on the UMass Community College Advantage Scholarship, visit the dedicated webpage.