This waiver extends eligibility to all children and young adults, age 24 or under, adopted through the Department of Children and Families (DCF) by state employees or eligible Massachusetts residents, regardless of the date of adoption.

Eligibility
The student must meet the following requirements:

• Be a Massachusetts resident for at least one year prior to the opening of the academic year
• Be 24 years of age or under at the start of the academic year
• Be in the custody of DCF and have been adopted by an eligible Massachusetts state employee through DCF, or
• Be in the custody of the DCF and have been adopted by an eligible Massachusetts resident through DCF
• Be a United States citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Be enrolled full time, half time, or part time in an eligible program or is taking an eligible course as defined
• Be enrolled in an undergraduate degree, certificate or short-term certificate program, or be taking noncredit courses
• Apply for financial aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Not have received a prior bachelor’s degree or its equivalent
• Not be in default of any federal or state loans or owe a refund for any previous financial aid received
• Be maintaining satisfactory academic progress in accordance with institutional and federal standards
• Must meet Selective Service requirements

Eligible state employees shall include all individuals determined to be Massachusetts State employees at the time of adoption of the eligible student including all full and part-time Massachusetts state government employees employed by the state, for at least six months at the time of the adoption. Employees who were working for the state at the time of the adoption and continued to be employed by the state for at least six months after the adoption. Eligible Massachusetts residents shall include all individuals determined to be Massachusetts state residents at the time of adoption of the eligible student.

Helpful contacts

• Massachusetts Office of Student Financial Assistance: (617) 391-6070 for information about application requirements and deadlines
• Child and Family Services: (800) 972-2734 to find the agency that services your area

Required documentation

• A certificate or letter of eligibility from DCF must be submitted to our Student Financial Services Office
• A GCC Tuition Waiver Form must be completed and returned to the Student Financial Services Office for each term the student wishes to apply the waiver

Charges waived

• 100% day in-state (state-supported) tuition
• 100% day in-state DCE (D/D non-state-supported) tuition
• 100% day in-state (state supported) fees
• No other tuition categories or fees are waived

Eligibility
You must be an active member of the Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, or Coast Guard) stationed and residing in Massachusetts.

Required documentation

• A copy of your Armed Forces card showing you are on active duty and stationed in Massachusetts must be provided to the GCC Veteran’s Center
• A GCC Tuition Waiver Form must be completed and returned to the GCC Veteran’s Center for each term the student wishes to apply the waiver

Charges waived

• 100% day in-state (state-supported) tuition
• 100% day in-state DCE (D/D non state-supported) tuition
• 100% evening tuition
• 100% intersession tuition
• 100% summer tuition
• No fees are waived

Eligibility
Certification by the respective Commission

Required documentation

• Written documentation certified by the appropriate Commission's local office and/or caseworker showing that you qualify for the waiver must be provided to our Student Financial Services Office
• A GCC Tuition Waiver Form must be completed and returned to the Student Financial Services Office for each term the student wishes to apply the waiver

Charges waived

• 100% day in-state tuition
• 100% day in-state DCE tuition (D/D)
• 100% evening tuition
• 100% intersession tuition
• 100% summer tuition
• No fees are waived

Eligibility
The student must meet the following requirements:

• Be a Massachusetts resident for at least one year prior to the fall semester
• Be 24 years of age or under at the start of the academic year
• Be a current or former foster child who was placed in the custody of the state through a Care and Protection Petition, or
• Be a child whose guardianship was sponsored by the Department of Children and Families through age 18
• Have been in the custody of the Commonwealth for at least six months before age 18
• Not have been adopted nor returned home
• Be a United States citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Be enrolled in an undergraduate degree, certificate or short-term certificate program, or be taking noncredit courses
• Apply for financial aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Not have received a prior bachelor’s degree or its equivalent
• Must meet Selective Service requirements
• Must meet satisfactory academic progress requirements
• Not be in default of student loans or owe a financial aid refund

Helpful contacts

• Massachusetts Office of Student Financial Assistance: (617) 391-6070 for information about application requirements and deadlines
• Child and Family Services: (800) 972-2734 to find the agency that services your area

Required documentation

• A certificate or letter of eligibility from DCF must be submitted to our Student Financial Services Office
• A GCC Tuition Waiver Form must be completed and returned to the Student Financial Services Office for each term the student wishes to apply the waiver

Charges waived

• 100% day in-state (state-supported) tuition
• 100% day in-state DCE (D/D non-state-supported) tuition
• 100% day in-state (state supported) fees
• No other tuition categories or fees are waived

Eligibility

• Score in the advanced category in either the Mathematics or the English language arts section of the grade 10 MCAS test and score in the Proficient or Advanced category on the second subject (Mathematics or English language arts)
• Have a combined MCAS score on these assessments that ranks in the top 25% in their school district
• Must be a permanent Massachusetts resident
• Must be a United States citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Enrolled full-time in a Massachusetts public college or university, and has not earned a prior bachelor's degree
• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Must be in compliance with applicable law regarding Selective Service Registration
• Must not be in default with applicable law regarding any Federal or State student education loans for attendance at any institution or owe a refund for any previous financial aid received
• Must be enrolled in 12 or more credits for any term the student wishes to apply the waiver
• Must maintain a 3.0 GPA for continued eligibility

Required documentation

• A copy of the student's award letter signed by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts must be provided to the Student Financial Services Office
• A GCC Tuition Waiver Form must be completed and returned to the Student Financial Services Office for each term the student wishes to apply the waiver

Charges waived

• 100% day in-state (state supported) tuition
• 100% day in-state DCE (D/D non-state supported) tuition
• No other tuition categories or fees are waived

The Stanley Z. Koplik Certificate of Mastery with Distinction waives tuition at Massachusetts public colleges and universities. The Koplik Certificate of Mastery may be used for 8 consecutive semesters at Massachusetts colleges and university.

Eligibility to apply

• Be currently enrolled in a Massachusetts public high school (Students who have graduated high school are not eligible to apply)
• Be a permanent Massachusetts resident
• Be a United States citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Must be eligible to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Required to maintain a GPA of 3.3 for continued eligibility

Required documentation

Koplik Application applications, forms, and supporting documentation should be submitted to the Koplik coordinator at your high school. For students in their senior year, applications must be submitted to the Koplik coordinator by May 1. It is important to note that since scores from tests taken in May and June are not reported until early July, the application need not be complete when submitted however notifications will not be sent until scores are received.

Koplik coordinators are asked to submit scores for these students by the end of July. For any questions you may have regarding the Koplik Certificate of Mastery, please contact koplik@doe.mass.edu.

Charges waived

• 100% D/D & Day Tuition

The Massachusetts National Guard Education Assistance Program provides a 100% tuition waiver for Massachusetts National Guard soldiers attending a state college, university, or community college program. Generally, these state-supported programs are offered during the day as part of a degree program.

Eligibility

• Is an active member of the Massachusetts Army or Air National Guard who in good standing
• Is accepted for admission to, or is enrolled, full- or part-time in a Massachusetts public institution of higher education, as defined above
• Is eligible to receive and has been issued a Certificate of Tuition Waiver Eligibility by the Military Division of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts applicable for any portion of the academic year
• Maintains satisfactory academic progress as defined by the institution

NOTE: Unit members are exempt from the MA residency requirement if serving in a Massachusetts unit.

Required documentation

• A certificate of Tuition Waiver from their National Guard unit must be submitted to the GCC Veteran's Center for each term the student wishes to apply the waiver
• A GCC Tuition Waiver Form must be completed and returned to the GCC Veteran’s Center for each term the student wishes to apply the waiver

Charges waived

• 100% of all tuition categories excluding intersession tuition charges
• No fees are waived  

The Massachusetts National Guard Education Assistance Program provides a 100% tuition and fee waiver for Massachusetts National Guard soldiers attending a state college, university, or community college program. Generally, these state-supported programs are offered during the day as part of a degree program. Your assistance can continue as long as you are in good standing academically and until you have reached 130 semester hours.

Eligibility

• Must be an active member of the Massachusetts Army or Air National Guard who is in good standing
• Is accepted for admission to, or is enrolled, full- or part-time in a Massachusetts public institution of higher education, as defined above
• Is eligible to receive and has been issued a Certificate of Eligibility by the Military Division of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts applicable for any portion of the academic year
• Has not exceeded the 130 semester credit hours maximum, or the equivalent quarter hours or clock hours, when combined with Certificates of Eligibility issued prior to September 1, 2006
• Maintains satisfactory academic progress as defined by the institution

It is the responsibility of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Military Division to inform the institution of the status of any member of the National Guard who has failed to maintain good standing or has terminated his/ her service. Upon receipt of this information, the institution must determine if the award may be canceled for that academic term or for such future terms to follow.

Required documentation

• A Certificate of Eligibility must be submitted to the GCC Veteran's Center for each term the student which to apply the waiver
• A GCC Tuition Waiver Form must be completed and returned to the GCC Veteran’s Center for each term the student wishes to apply the waiver

Charges waived

• 100% of all tuition categories
• 100% of all mandatory fees
• No other fees are waived  

The following waivers are available for state employees and their dependents:

• MA Higher Education (Full-time) Spouse/Child Waiver (Code 3)
• GCC Benefited Employee (Full-time & Half-time) Waiver (Code 4)
• GCC Non-Benefited Employee (Half-time) Waiver (Code 4)
• MA Higher Education Faculty (Full-time) Waiver (Code 5)
• MA Higher Education (Half-time) Spouse/Child Waiver (Code 6)
• MA Higher Education Faculty (Half-time) Waiver (Code 7)
• MA State Employee/MA Higher Education Staff Waiver (Code 8)
• GCC Employee AFSCME Member (Code 9)
• MCCC Member: Spouse/Child Tuition & Waiver (Code 17)
• MA Community Colleges Employee Non-Unit (Full-time) Spouse/Child Waiver (Code 29)
• MA Community Colleges Employee Non-Unit (Half-time) Spouse/ Child Waiver (Code 30)
• DCE Adjust Faculty/Spouse/Child Waiver (Code 32)

Required documentation

To qualify for Massachusetts state employee tuition and/or fee waivers (tuition remission), the employee must obtain a tuition remission form completed by the HR department at the appropriate state agency where the employee works. The form must be signed by the certifying official in the HR department who is authorized to verify eligibility and approve the waiver (tuition remission). The form must also be signed and dated by the eligible employee. For additional information about these waivers contact the GCC Student Financial Services Office by phone at (413) 775-1301 or email at sfs@gcc.mass.edu.

Charges waived

Varies -- see chart above

For a description of this waiver and eligibility criteria click here.

Required documentation

• Proof of the student's tribal membership as certified by the Bureau of Indian Affairs must be provided the Student Financial Services Office
• A GCC Tuition Waiver Form must be completed and returned to the Student Financial Services Office for each term the student wishes to apply the waiver

Charges waived

• 100% day in-state (state-supported) tuition
• 100% day in-state DCE (D/D non state-supported) tuition
• 50% evening tuition
• 50% intersession tuition
• 50% summer tuition
• No fees are waived

Senior waivers are subject to approval by the Registrar on a seating availability basis. For art classes, an additional $20.00 charge per credit is not waived. Senior waivers for non-credit workforce and community education classes are approved separately on a case-by-case basis by Workforce Development or Community Engagement.

For information about registration, contact the Enrollment Services Office at registration@gcc.mass.edu or the Advising Center at advising@gcc.mass.edu. Questions about the waiver, billing, and payment should be sent to the Student Financial Services Office at sfs@gcc.mass.edu.

Eligibility

• Must be over the age of 60 as of the first day of classes
• Must be a Massachusetts resident for at least one year prior to the start of the semester

Required documentation

Students must provide to our Enrollment Services Office a valid photo ID showing date of birth.

Waiver process

• If you have used a senior waiver in the past, an informational hold has been placed on your account to alert you and your advisor of the date you can begin registering for classes if you wish to  use the senior waiver.
• Summer 1 2023 senior waiver registration begins May 10, 2023. Summer 2 2023 senior waiver registration begins July 3, 2023. Fall 2023 senior waiver registration begins August 24, 2023.
• If you do not plan to use the senior waiver, you can register at any time once registration begins. Any classes you register for prior to the established senior waiver dates will not be covered by the waiver.
• For each semester you wish to use the senior waiver, a senior waiver form must be completed by you and approved by a designated official from our Enrollment Services Offices

Charges waived

If you do not have a baccalaureate degree:

• 100% day in-state (state-supported) tuition
• 100% day in-state DCE (D/D non state-supported) tuition
• 100% evening tuition
• 100% intersession tuition
• 100% summer tuition
• 50% college service fee
• No other fees are waived

If you do have a baccalaureate degree:

• 50% college service fee
• No tuition charges or other fees are waived

Eligibility

• Service in one of the following missions: Spanish War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Lebanese keeping force, Grenada  rescue mission, the Panamanian intervention force, or the Persian Gulf War (as provided in M.G.L. Chapter 4, Section 7(43))
• For purposes of tuition waivers, the term “veteran” shall also include any individual who served in the army, navy, marine corps, coast guard or air force of the United States for not less than 90 days at least one of which was served in the theatre of operation for the Somalian mission known as “Operation Restore Hope” and whose last discharge or release was under honorable conditions.

Required documentation

• A copy of your DD 214 must be submitted to the GCC Veteran's Center
• A GCC Tuition Waiver Form must be completed and returned to the GCC Veteran's Center for each term the student wishes to apply the waiver

Charges waived

• 100% day in-state (state-supported) tuition
• 100% day in-state DCE (D/D non state-supported) tuition
• 100% evening tuition
• 100% intersession tuition
• 100% summer tuition
• No fees are waived