Did you know? There are many Massachusetts colleges that now offer free tuition. Here are just a few:
The four University of Massachusetts undergraduate campuses – UMass Amherst, UMass Boston, UMass Dartmouth and UMass Lowell – now offer free tuition for in-state students with families that have an annual household income of $75,000 or less.
Smith College in Western Massachusetts offers free tuition for undergraduate students with family annual income of up to $150,000 for domestic and international students beginning in Fall 2026.
College of the Holy Cross in Worcester has expanded their free tuition, which was offered to families with income of $75,000 a year to those with a total income of $100,000 or less.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology also offers free tuition to families with annual income of less than $200,000. For those with income under $100,000 tuition, their “free ride” financial aid package covers tuition, fees, housing, and dining. Of course, one must also bear in mind that MIT is one of the toughest schools to get in to, as the school’s admittance rate is only 4 percent.
Harvard University has just implemented a new policy, offering free tuition for students whose families earn $200,000 or less, and covers all billed expenses for those with incomes of $100,000 or less. This new policy is effective for the 2025-26 academic year. Like MIT, it too only has a 3-4% acceptance rate.
Tufts University and Mount Holyoke meet 100 percent of need, but it’s relevant to where the Student Aid Index (SAI) number falls, which helps schools determine a family’s financial need. Bear in mind that this is very different than saying “if you make under X number of dollars annually, tuition is free.”
For example, if you apply to a school where the tuition is $88,000 per year and your SAI on the FAFSA says you can afford $38,000, the school will find a way to support your financial need to make up the difference. However, if you apply to a school where tuition is $37,000 per year, you will not receive financial aid because your SAI is $38,000. Be sure you know the policy of a particular school when figuring out whether or not you can afford it.
There are also colleges that base tuition on more specified, non-income driven criteria. For example, Regis College in Weston offers full tuition coverage for Pell Eligible students who graduate from any Catholic high school in the United States, Puerto Rico, or U.S. territories.
If you have questions or you would like to arrange for an initial complimentary parent/student PCCI consultation, call (508) 622-5250 or email nod@personalcollegecounseling.com.