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Those considering attending Northern Essex or another in-state community college received an added incentive Wednesday—the chance to earn an annual $5,000 scholarship.
The University of Massachusetts said the top 10% of the state’s future community college graduates will receive a minimum of $5,000 per year above federal and private financial aid if they enroll at one of the four UMass campuses.
“We want to send a clear message that UMass welcomes highly talented community college graduates to continue their pursuit of a college degree on our nationally ranked Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth and Lowell campuses,” UMass President Marty Meehan said. “We believe this initiative will lead to more community college graduates choosing to finish their four-year degree at UMass, which will accelerate their upward economic trajectory and strengthen the Commonwealth’s workforce.”
The Community College Advantage Scholarship is designed to encourage highly talented community college students to finish their associate’s degrees at one of 15 community colleges and then complete their bachelor’s degrees at UMass.
Officials said it is also designed to provide “equitable access to historically underrepresented groups of students in light of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on race-based admissions,” and strengthen the talent pipeline as the number of high school graduates in Massachusetts is projected to decline in coming years, the existing population is aging and more young people are leaving the state.
Starting in Fall 2024, the Community College Advantage Scholarship will guarantee students in the top 10% of their community college graduating class admission to a University of Massachusetts campus and a minimum of $2,500 per semester for a total of at least $10,000 for the students’ final two years of college.
Students remain eligible for additional aid based on individual circumstances.