Massachusetts Public Service Grant Program
Massachusetts’ Public Service Grant is an entitlement-based award for students who lost a parent or spouse through death or disappearance in public service in the Commonwealth. It is intended for family members facing a loss and education costs; it does not require demonstrated financial need, but applicants must meet criteria and document qualifying relationship and service. It is not a general benefit for everyone employed in public service.
About Massachusetts Public Service Grant Program
Massachusetts’ Public Service Grant is an entitlement-based award for students who lost a parent or spouse through death or disappearance in public service in the Commonwealth. It is intended for family members facing a loss and education costs; it does not require demonstrated financial need, but applicants must meet criteria and document qualifying relationship and service. It is not a general benefit for everyone employed in public service.
Covered categories include children or surviving spouses of certain police officers, firefighters, and corrections officers who died from duty-related injuries; children of specified military members missing in action or veterans killed in action whose service was credited to Massachusetts; and other cases defined in the guidelines. Students must meet residency rules, file FAFSA or MASFA, lack a prior bachelor’s degree, maintain progress, and enroll full time in an approved program. Every case needs documentation.
The award equals full-time annual tuition at a Massachusetts public institution. At an authorized independent college, the formula uses UMass Amherst’s annual tuition as a benchmark. It does not automatically pay housing, books, transportation, or every campus charge. The final amount depends on the institution, term, and file, so families should request a written explanation of the calculation and posting date.
The state page says first-time 2026–27 applications and supporting records are due by May 1, 2027. The grant does not renew automatically: students must reapply each year or contact OSFA for the current renewal form. Gather relationship records, service documentation, and academic records; ask the state office which category applies. Keep decisions and ask how the grant coordinates with other aid before relying on a final balance.
Ask financial aid for a term-by-term estimate separating tuition, fees, housing, and other expenses. Keep the award decision, any service or loan agreement, and renewal records. If your studies, residence, or employment change, contact the administrator before making a decision that could affect the aid.
College scholarship and financial-aid program