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 2025-2026 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 2025 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 2025-2026, an eligible institution shall be public or independent institution in Massachusetts.

Eligible programs for consideration for the 2025-2026 High Demand Scholarship are designated by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code. A full list of eligible programs listed by CIP code can be found below.
FY26 High Demand Scholarship Eligible CIP Code List

Award Amounts

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

Full-time enrollment (12+ credits)

Up to $10,000 per year or $5,000 per semester at independent institutions
Up to $10,000 per year or $5,000 per semester at UMass
Up to $10,000 per year or $5,000 per semester at State Universities
Up to $5,000 per year or $2,500 per semester at Community Colleges

Part-time enrollment (6-11 credits)

Up to$5,000 per year or $2,500 per semester at independent institutions
Up to $5,000 per year or $2,500 per semester at UMass
Up to $5,000 per year or $2,500 per semester at State Universities
Up to $2,500 per year or $1,250 per semester at Community Colleges

*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

File a 2025-2026 FAFSA
Create a MASSAid Student Portal account if you do not already have one.
Complete the High Demand Scholarship application in the MASSAid Student Portal System, located under the “Grant/Scholarship Online Applications” tab
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 2025, please upload documentation of your enrolled major and registered first-semester coursework in lieu of an official or unofficial transcript.

The 2025-2026 High Demand Scholarship application will open on June 2, 2025, and will close on July 18, 2025. 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