Veterans' Guide to Benefits

Education Benefits

Tuition waiver for all Massachusetts veterans to all state colleges and universities

M.G.L. ch. 15A, s.19
Veterans of Massachusetts, as defined by M.G.L. ch. 4, s.7, clause 43, may be eligible for any state-supported course in an undergraduate degree program or certificate program offered by a public college or university. To be eligible, a veteran must also be a legal resident of Massachusetts and s/he must not be in default of any federal student loans.

Veterans will be eligible on a space-available basis for a waiver of full or partial tuition based on proper documentation of the eligibility of the veteran. Space availability shall be determined in accordance with normal practices and procedures as published by each institution, i.e., the individual college or university. Contact the Veterans Representative at the college or university for details.

National Guard tuition and fee waiver

Acts of 2005 ch. 130
Members of the National Guard are eligible for a waiver of both fees and tuition at all state colleges and universities. Please contact the college or university veterans’ representative for details about this program.

Public service scholarship programs

M.G.L. ch. 15A, s.16
Scholarships will be awarded to:

• Children of prisoners of war or military or service persons missing in action in Southeast Asia whose service was between February 1, 1955, and the termination of the Vietnam campaign; and
• Children of veterans whose service was credited to the Commonwealth and who were killed in action or otherwise died as a result of such service.

Scholarships will be for undergraduate studies at an institution of higher education in the Commonwealth.

Contact Information

Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
Office of Student Financial Assistance
454 Broadway Street, Suite 200
Revere, MA 02151
(617) 727-9420
www.osfa.mass.edu
Email: osfa@osfa.mass.edu

Post 9/11 GI Bill

Veterans who served for a minimum of 90 days active duty on or after September 11, 2001, may qualify for the Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33). This new federal program provides increased benefits for veterans pursuing an approved education program at an approved degree-granting institution.

To be eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, veterans must have received an honorable discharge; and served at least 90 aggregate days on or after September 11, 2001; or discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 continuous days.

This federal benefit has state-specific implications since the cost of tuition and fees varies by state and is based on the highest in-state undergraduate rate. A monthly housing allowance based on the zip code of the college/university and a book stipend of $41.67 per credit of up to 24 credits or $1,000 per academic year is also part of the program.

For information and to apply, call (888) 442-4551 or go to www.gibill.va.gov.

Veterans Upward Bound Program

The Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) Program has two locations in Massachusetts: UMass Boston and Suffolk University. VUB is a free pre-college program to help veterans develop the academic and personal skills necessary for success in a program of post-secondary education.

Eligibility

• be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• have served over 180 days on active military duty or have a service-connected disability (Reservists serving on or after September 11, 2001, shorter terms of service may provide eligibility)
• have a military discharge other than dishonorable
• have academic need

And, applicants must qualify in one of the following two ways:

• They must be a potential first-generation college graduate (their primary caregiver had not graduated from a four-year higher education institution before the applicant turned 18), OR
• They must meet income guidelines for the program. These are based on federal taxable income and family size. Please call for detailed guidelines.

Contact Information

Veterans Upward Bound
UMass Boston
100 Morrissey Boulevard
McCormack Hall, 3rd floor, Room 704
Boston, MA 02125
(617) 287-5870
Fax: (617) 287-5844
www.veterans-ub.umb.edu
Email: veteransupwardbound@umb.edu

Veterans Upward Bound
Suffolk University, 73 Tremont, Suite 7025
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 725-4100
vub@suffolk.edu
www.suffolk.edu/offices/39470.html 

Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund

The Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund provides funds for current and future college/university students whose parents were killed on deployment during Operations Enduring or Iraqi Freedom.

Contact Information

Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund
(866) 856-5533
www.mslfund.org
E-mail: info@mslfund.org