State financial aid programs guidelines and procedures

280 Pages·1998·7 MB·English

by  Massachusetts. Office of Student Financial Assistance

UMASS/AMHERST
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COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
OFFICE OF STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMS
STATE FINANCIAL AID
GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES
1998-99
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Digitized by the Internet Archive
2014
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https://archive.org/details/statefinancialai9989mass
Massachusetts Assistance for Student Success Program
TABLE OF CONTENTS
MASSGrant
I.
Performance Bonus Grant
II.
No Interest Loan
III.
IV. Gilbert Grant
V. Part-Time Grant
VI. Tuition Waiver
Cash Grant
VII.
VIII. Christian Herter Memorial Scholarship
VMM. Public Service Grant

Massachusetts Assistance for Student Success Program
MASSGrant
I.

BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION
MASSACHUSETTS ASSISTANCE FOR STUDENT SUCCESS
PROGRAMS GUIDELINES
PURPOSE The Massachusetts Assistance for Student Success Program
:
(MASSGrant) is a grant assistance program funded by appropriations from the
Massachusetts State Legislature in accordance with Massachusetts General Law,
Chapter 15, Section 19A. The MASSGrant program provides need-based financial
assistance to undergraduate students who reside in Massachusetts and who are
enrolled in and pursuing a program of higher education in any approved public or
independent college, university, school of nursing, or any other approved institution
furnishing a program of higher education. The MASSGrant provides financial
assistance to Massachusetts students demonstrating the greatest financial need.
DEFINITIONS
:
ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION
:
An eligible institution is defined as a state approved public, private, independent, for
profit or nonprofit, institution in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts authorized to offer
undergraduate degrees or certificates. State approved public, phvate, independent, for
profit or nonprofit institution in New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, Rhode
Island, Pennsylvania, District of Columbia and Maryland have reciprocal agreement
with the Commonwealth and are also eligible to participate.
The institution must be accredited and eligible to participate in the Federal Title IV
programs, as well as have signed a Participation Agreement with the Massachusetts
Office of Student Financial Assistance.
ELIGIBLE PROGRAM
:
Any eligible degree or certificate program offered by an institution.
ELIGIBLE STUDENT
:
A student enrolled in an eligible program and meeting the following requirements:
(a) a permanent legal resident of Massachusetts for at least one year prior to
to the opening of the academic year and be a U.S. citizen or non-citizen
eligible under Title IV regulations

(b) in compliance with Selective Service Registration requirements
(c) eligible for Title IV financial aid and not in default of any federal or
state education loan
(d) demonstrate financial need as determined by the Federal Methodology
need analysis criteria
(e) have an eligible Expected Family Contribution (EFC) based on an
eligibility index system approved by the Board of Higher Education
(f) be enrolled for at least 12 undergraduate credits (or the equivalent) each
academic term in an eligible undergraduate degree or certificate program
(g) not have reached the maximum semester eligibility to continue to receive
a MASSGrant award (eligibility is limited to a specific number of semesters
based on the type of institution that the student is enrolled)
(h) be maintaining satisfactory academic progress in accordance with
institutional and federal standards
STUDENT AWARD VALUES
:
MASSGrant awards may range between $250 and $2500 per academic year. Awards
are determined by an indexing system approved by the Board of Higher Education that
considers the federal expected family contribution (EFC), dependency status, and type
of institution at which the student enrolls. Individual awards for the academic year may
not exceed a student's demonstrated financial need. Eligibility for the MASSGrant is
restricted to a maximum number of semesters as follows:
10 semesters if enrolled in a designated five-year undergraduate program
8 semesters if enrolled in a four-year undergraduate program
6 semesters if enrolled in a three-year undergraduate program
4 semesters if enrolled in a two-year program
2 semesters if enrolled in a one-year
INSTITUTIONAL DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS
:
(a) MASSGrant funds are disbursed to the institution in two equal payments
for the fall and spring semesters for students who meet all eligibility criteria
as certified by the institution.
(b) Payment of MASSGrant funds is sent directly to the institution from the
Commonwealth's Comptroller Office. One hundred percent of funds
from a MASSGrant award shall be used to credit student's account. Funds