Scholarships
A number of programs are available that offer support for your UMass Amherst education.
State/Dept. of Higher Education Sponsored Scholarships
John and Abigail Adams Scholarship Program
The John and Abigail Adams Scholarship awards non-need-based state-supported undergraduate tuition waivers to students who are awarded John and Abigail Adams Scholarship by the Department of Education. The purposes of the Adams Scholarship are to: Reward and inspire student achievement; Help attract more high-performing students to Massachusetts public higher education; and Provide families of college-bound students with financial assistance.
Agnes M. Lindsay Scholarship Program
The Agnes M. Lindsay Scholarship provides scholarships for students with demonstrated financial need who are from rural areas of Massachusetts and attend public institutions of higher education within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Christian A. Herter Scholarship Program
The Christian A. Herter Memorial Scholarship Program is a state-supported program whose mission includes providing educational opportunities to Commonwealth students who demonstrate academic promise and desire to attend post-secondary institutions. The Christian A. Herter Memorial Scholarship Program was established in 1972 by the Massachusetts State Legislature as an early identification program to recruit students in the 10th and 11th grades whose socio-economic backgrounds and environmental conditions may inhibit their ability to persevere and attain educational goals.
MASSGrant Program
The MASSGrant is a grant assistance program funded by appropriations from the Massachusetts Legislature. 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.
Tuition Advantage Program
The Tuition Advantage Program (TAP) is an additional benefit for students who have earned an associate's degree in the Joint Admissions Program with a 3.0 cumulative grade point average. TAP allows a 33% reduction off in-state tuition at a state college or the University of Massachusetts as a day student (TAP is not available for summer or evening programs). The tuition reduction applies for the two years (or four consecutive semesters) following graduation from community college, provided the 3.0 grade point average is maintained.
STEM Scholar Internship Match Program
The Scholar-Internship Match Fund was established by the Massachusetts Department of Education to provide a match for industry scholarships and internships given to Massachusetts residents pursuing a post-secondary degree at Massachusetts public higher education institutions. Eligible students, beginning in their sophomore year, shall pursue career paths in specific science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The DHE award amount is contingent upon the student receiving a corresponding industry scholarship or internship. The annual DHE Scholar Internship award to each recipient under this program shall not exceed $5,000 per student.
University of Massachusetts sponsored scholarships
The University of Massachusetts University Scholars Program
This program is administered by the University of Massachusetts President’s Office. Principals of all accredited high schools in Massachusetts are able to nominate students for the program by the February 15 nomination deadline. First- and second-ranked Massachusetts high school seniors with 1200+ SAT (ACT 27+) scores who attend accredited public or private high schools in Massachusetts, are Massachusetts residents, and meet all eligibility requirements are awarded scholarships of up to $10,000 to attend the University of Massachusetts. Eligibility for the program is determined without regard to financial need.
The Community College Scholars Program
This program is designed to recognize outstanding academic performance by Massachusetts Community College graduates. Community college presidents nominate candidates by March 15th of each year. Each nominee must be the top academically ranked student of his or her graduating class and must have earned a transfer designated associate's degree with a grade point average of at least 3.75.The scholar must be a resident of Massachusetts and meet the admissions requirements of the University. Only one nominee from each of the 15 Massachusetts community colleges is eligible to receive the scholarship. Awards are valued up to $10,000 per year for a maximum of four semesters of continuous enrollment provided that the scholar is enrolled full time and maintains an overall grade point average of 3.0 or greater.
Academic Honors Scholarship
This $5,000 scholarship is awarded to the first-place winner of the Massachusetts Science Fair. This scholarship may be combined with tuition waivers.
Industry/Industry Association Sponsored Scholarships
The Google Anita Borg Scholarship
The Google Anita Borg Scholarship hopes to encourage women to excel in computing and technology and become active role models and leaders. Scholarships will be awarded based on the strength of candidates' academic background and demonstrated leadership. A group of female undergraduate and graduate student finalists will be chosen from the applicant pool. The scholarship recipients will each receive a $10,000 scholarship for the 2008-2009 academic year. Remaining finalists will receive $1,000 each.
Microsoft Scholarships
Each year, Microsoft awards over half a million dollars in scholarships to deserving college students with a minimum 3.0 GPA who wish to pursue careers in computer science or related technical fields.
There are general scholarships, as well as scholarships for women, minorities, and students with disabilities. The Microsoft scholarships cover up to 100% of the student's academic year tuition as posted by the financial aid office of the university or college.
Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship
Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships are awarded to full-time sophomores or juniors pursuing careers in computer science, mathematics, or engineering. All applicants must have a grade point average of at least a "B" and be in the upper fourth of their class. Up to 300 Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships are awarded each year, with recipients from across the United States. The amount of the scholarship is based on the student's tuition, fees, books, room, board, and other eligible expenses as certified by a campus financial aid officer.
Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships are awarded to full-time sophomores or juniors pursuing careers in computer science, mathematics, or engineering. All applicants must have a grade point average of at least a "B" and be in the upper fourth of their class. Up to 300 Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships are awarded each year, with recipients from across the United States. The amount of the scholarship is based on the student's tuition, fees, books, room, board, and other eligible expenses as certified by a campus financial aid officer.
MassNetComms Technical Scholarship Program
The Mass Network Communications Council created the Technical Scholarship Fund in 1998. The goal of the fund is to recognize and reward students who demonstrate scholastic aptitude, leadership skills and technical achievements, and to encourage them in their pursuit of a technical degree from a Massachusetts university, college or technical school. Students who are part of the Scholarship program do not just receive a monetary award; they have the opportunity to meet today’s successful telecom executives and learn in depth about the industry through their insights and MassNetComms educational programs. These experiences help the future leaders of our industry gain insight into the opportunities and challenges that lay ahead.
The Mass Network Communications Council created the Technical Scholarship Fund in 1998. The goal of the fund is to recognize and reward students who demonstrate scholastic aptitude, leadership skills and technical achievements, and to encourage them in their pursuit of a technical degree from a Massachusetts university, college or technical school. Students who are part of the Scholarship program do not just receive a monetary award; they have the opportunity to meet today’s successful telecom executives and learn in depth about the industry through their insights and MassNetComms educational programs. These experiences help the future leaders of our industry gain insight into the opportunities and challenges that lay ahead.
Claricode, Inc Scholarship
Claricode provides custom medical software solutions and application integration services exclusively to healthcare providers, software product companies, and medical device manufacturers. We have worked with a variety of premier healthcare organizations on novel applications that improve quality of life and lower the overall cost of patient care.
The scholarship program is for college students who can best answer in 500-1000 words, "How will medical software improve the future?" It is a very exciting time for healthcare technology and we wanted to generate some excitement with the healthcare providers of our future by getting university students thinking about it. The scholarship award money is broken down into a first, second and third place winner to be determined by our judging panel of industry experts. The first, second, and third place winners will receive $2500, $1500, and $1000, respectively. All majors/concentrations are welcome to apply.
Computer Science Department Sponsored Fellowships
Bay State Fellows
The Department of Computer Science offers a tuition-free masters degree, accompanied by a small assistantship, to any undergraduate computer science major at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, who completes the program with an overall GPA of at least 3.60. In recognition of their academic achievements, participants will be designated as "Bay State Fellows" by the department. Fellows may participate in the program for up to two years (four semesters) -- although it is possible to complete the program in less time.
