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Categorical Tuition Waiver for Veterans
A waiver of tuition at Massachusetts public colleges — but on a space-available basis, which is the whole story.
Verified August 18, 2026
What this benefit is
A waiver of tuition at Massachusetts public colleges — but on a space-available basis, which is the whole story.
What it's worth: Full or partial tuition waived at a Massachusetts public institution
- The waiver covers TUITION. Massachusetts public institutions charge substantial mandatory fees separately, and a tuition waiver can be a small fraction of the actual bill.
- It is granted on a space-available basis determined by each institution.
Who is entitled to it
- You served in the U.S. armed forces.
- You are a legal resident of Massachusetts.
- You are not in default on any federal student loan.
- Your home is in Massachusetts.
Not sure whether that describes you?
Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.
How to claim it
- 1Check the eligibility gate that actually decides this one — it is rarely the disability rating alone.
- 2Apply through your Massachusetts public institution before the academic year begins.
- Form
- Institutional waiver request
- File with
- your Massachusetts public institution
- Documents you will need
- dd214 · va benefit summary letter
- Each term
- Claimed per academic term.
Correction"Space available" is doing a lot of work. This is not an entitlement — each institution decides availability under its own published practice, so two veterans with identical service can get different answers at different colleges in the same year.
Worth knowingMassachusetts separates tuition from mandatory fees more sharply than most states, and the fees are often the larger number. A tuition waiver is worth asking what the fees are before celebrating.
Sources
- authority · published policyMass.gov — Categorical Tuition Waiver
- operating · published policyMass.gov — Veteran Educational Benefits
This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.