Finding College Scholarships & Grants
By Bibiana Bautista
Editor's note: Please check websites directly to confirm details as this page is not updated regularly.
General Resources
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
To apply for federal student aid, such as federal grants, work-study, and loans, you need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Completing and submitting the FAFSA is free and easier than ever,** and it gives you access to the largest source of financial aid to pay for college or career school.
Many states and colleges use your FAFSA information to determine your eligibility for state and school aid, and some private financial aid providers may use your FAFSA information to determine whether you qualify for their aid.
Editor’s note: The FAFSA has been updated (and hopefully simplified) beginning in 2023. While the application normally is available in August, this year (2023 for the 2024-25 school year) it will not be available until December.
Cost of College
The Phillips Scholarship site helps track estimated costs of attendance (in and out of state rates) including room and board prices across all universities (though information in a financial aid package will be the most reliable final resource).
Editor’s note: When considering college costs, it is important to know that the sticker price is often not what you pay. Schools that list the highest prices also often give the most financial aid and may end up cheaper than schools that post lower costs. Don’t cross a school off your list just because of the sticker price.
Resources for Finding Scholarships
Office of Financial Assistance
MA state resources for grants, tuition waivers, and scholarships from organizations in Massachusetts:
uAspire's Scholarship Spreadsheet
This resource from uAspire keeps track of many scholarships, so it's a little easier to see what you might be eligible for and how to apply. The tabs on MA HS,
MA College,
and UD/DACA/TPS
will be most relevant to MA students.
US Department of Labor
Editor’s note: Many colleges will automatically consider applicants for scholarships when they apply. Be sure to check deadlines. Students may need to submit applications earlier (often by 11/1) for full scholarship consideration.
Select List of Scholarships
Geography-based scholarships
Tuition-free Community College (TFCC) Plan
Beginning Fall 2023, the City of Boston is expanding eligibility for the Tuition Free Community College (TFCC) Plan to include all Boston residents regardless of age, income, or immigration status.
Leg Up Scholarship
The Leg Up Scholarship is a program that aims to support students from Chelsea, East Boston, Revere, Lynn, or Medford, Massachusetts to excel in college and launch their careers. It is a unique scholarship program that provides flexible and individualized financial and social support to students to help them maximize their academic and social experiences in college and to achieve their long-term goals. Leg Up Scholars graduate from college prepared to take on life’s challenges and opportunities and do so with limited to no student debt. The program is funded by Doreen Portnoy Bilezikian, born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, and administered by The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI).
Esther H. Hawks Trust
The Esther H. Hawk Trust awards scholarships to residents of Lynn, Massachusetts, for full-time study at U.S. colleges.
Grace Swift Nye & Alfred Gibbs Nye Scholarship Trust
Scholarships to graduating high school seniors in Bourne, Plymouth, Sandwich, and Wareham, MA. (617) 482-5270
Emilio A. & Mary A. Difelice Scholarship Trust
Scholarships to graduating students who reside in Beverly, Salem, Danvers, Peabody, Hamilton or Manchester, MA for postsecondary education. For more info contact at: (781) 581-4277
Ednah Horner Charitable Foundation
Scholarships to students in the Peabody, MA, area. For more info contact at: (781) 581-4277
Dennis and Marion Mavrogenis Trust Fund
Scholarships to financially needy residents of Salem, MA, for higher education. For more info contact at: (781) 581-4292
Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts
Scholarships for students in Southeastern Massachusetts pursuing higher education. Most SouthCoast Community Foundation scholarships are available through our online scholarship portal. Unless otherwise noted, scholarships are available through the Universal Application, which automatically pairs eligible students with all available scholarships. You will also find additional scholarship opportunities accessible from our online portal which require separate applications.
Berkshire Bank Foundation Scholarship Awards Program
The Berkshire Bank Foundation awards $2,500 college scholarships to high school seniors in a town or city served by Berkshire Bank. Applicants must have a record of volunteerism in the community in non-school sponsored activities and participation in extracurricular activities, a minimum 3.0 GPA, a family income under $100,000, and a plan to attend a two or four year college or technical school.
Special categories
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award
Lift Music Fund
Lift Music Fund helps underrepresented students overcome the barriers, financial and otherwise, to pursuing a career in music. Consists of micro-grants for everyday costs associated with performance tracks . Open to students ages 11-22.
Sphinx Scholarship Resource
This resource highlights over 45 regularly updated minority scholarship opportunities to further assist in offsetting the cost of education for themselves and their family. The guide also provides a list of things to know while applying for scholarships to make the process easier and information on where to find the scholarships and grants.
Stephen Phillips Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Stephen Phillips Memorial Scholarship Fund offers renewable, four-year scholarships to students with financial need who display academic achievement, a commitment to serving others (in school, their community, or at home), a strong work ethic, and leadership qualities. Must be a permanent resident of a New England state.
Music Forward Foundation
Music Forward Foundation, in partnership with Live Nation, Inherit the Music, Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union, and Governors Ball, is proud to be able to provide financial support to college juniors and seniors pursuing a career in music & live entertainment. Scholarships have been a part of Music Forward’s programs since our inception. The newest iteration of the program, established in 2016, has grown to seven scholarships awarded annually totaling $60,000. Our scholarship program is one of the few that are specifically designed to support students interested in the core aspects of the concert business.
Wesley Weyman Trust
Scholarships to students enrolled in qualified institutions for study in the field of music. Application address: c/o Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 (617) 523-1635
Samuel Huntington Public Service Award
The award provides a $10,000 stipend for a one-year public service project. $5,000 is awarded at the beginning of the project and the remaining $5,000 is awarded upon receipt of a six-month progress report. The award allows recipients to engage in a meaningful public service activity for one year before proceeding on to graduate school or a career. For more info contact at: (781) 907-3358 E-mail: amy.stacy at us.ngrid dot com
Be Cautious
With any scholarship you apply for, beware of scams. Be cautious of scholarship search firms that have any of these elements:
You can report scholarship scams to the National Fraud Information Center (NFIC) by filing a report online or calling their toll-free hotline at 800-876-7060.
Bibiana Bautista is currently a first-year honor student at Umass-Lowell pursuing a career in Music Education. The following is a list of resources she has compiled for Massachusetts students seeking scholarships for higher education. You can read more of Biby’s story here. AHEM is very grateful to Biby for allowing us to republish this information.