How Massachusetts' Tuition Equity Law is Opening Doors for More Students in the Commonwealth

There is exciting college education news in Massachusetts. Signed into law on August 9, 2023 (FY24 Budget), effective July 1, 2023, there is a new pathway for all students, but especially for undocumented students, to establish residency for state higher education benefits. This new opportunity, thanks to the Massachusetts Tuition Equity Law (2023 Mass. Acts 28, § 11), is called the High School Completer Status pathway, and it expands access to in-state tuition at all Massachusetts public institutions and eligibility for state financial aid programs at public or private higher education institutions.

Qualifications

To qualify as a High School Completer, a student applicant must meet the following three requirements:

• Have attended high school in the Commonwealth for at least three years
• Have earned a diploma or the equivalent (a GED^®/ HiSET^®) in the Commonwealth
• Provide one of the following forms of documentation:
• A valid Social Security number (SSN) OR
• Documentation reflecting the issuance of an individual taxpayer identification number OR
• Documentation of registration with selective service (if applicable) OR
• If the individual is not a citizen or legal permanent resident of the United States, a completed Department of Higher Education (DHE) Affidavit stating that the individual will file an application to become a citizen or legal permanent resident within 120 days after the individual becomes eligible to do so

Steps to Take

To apply for the High School Completer status, students must:

• Print and complete the Higher Education Tuition Equity Eligibility Form and Affidavit for High School Completers, which can be found online here.
• Send the completed form to the institution where they are/intend to be enrolled.

Each institution is responsible for determining tuition status for their respective students (using DHE implementation procedures). Students only need to submit the form once to the institution at which they seek to qualify for in-state tuition or financial aid. Once deemed eligible for in-state tuition, a student becomes eligible for consideration for all state financial aid programs under the same terms as other individuals. An important note is that eligibility to be considered for financial aid does not guarantee a student will receive financial aid, as they must still meet the same underlying criteria for financial aid programs that apply to all students.

Benefits

Once a student qualifies through the High School Completer pathway, the student is immediately eligible for:

• Massachusetts in-state tuition rates at all public higher education campuses
• All Massachusetts non-need-based tuition waivers, such as the Adams Scholarship (if otherwise eligible)
• All Massachusetts non-need-based financial aid, such as the Foster and Adopted Child Tuition Waiver and Fee Assistance Programs (if otherwise eligible)

Current college students can use this High School Completer pathway for the 2023-24 academic year and may be eligible for these benefits retroactive to July 1, 2023, as applicable.

Since eligibility for all state need-based financial aid requires the filing of the FAFSA (which undocumented students cannot file), the state recently launched the Massachusetts Application for Student Financial Aid (MASFA), which undocumented students can submit in order to apply for state need-based financial aid.

These changes have the potential to open up opportunities for affordable higher education to numerous Massachusetts students. You can find more information about the Massachusetts Tuition Equity Law on the DHE's website here. It includes FAQs, implementation procedures, and the application form mentioned above. And if you have questions about this new opportunity, you can email tuitionequity@dhe.mass.edu.