Best College & Education in Massachusetts — 19 resources

About College & Education for Women

Education resources for women include FAFSA-based federal aid (Pell Grants up to ~$7,000/year), the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title IX protections against sex discrimination on campus, and dedicated single-mother scholarships through the Jeannette Rankin Foundation, Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards, and Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation. Community colleges offer low-cost two-year degrees and trade certificates, often with CCAMPIS-grant subsidized on-campus childcare. AAUW funds career development grants and fellowships for women. GED and HiSET programs run through state adult education offices, usually free. This directory covers FAFSA offices, community colleges, adult education, and women's scholarships.

College & Education in Massachusetts

Massachusetts Probate and Family Courts handle divorce, custody, paternity, and child support in each of its 14 counties. The Department of Revenue Child Support Enforcement Division runs enforcement. Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Cambridge, and Lowell are the largest cities. Greater Boston Legal Services, Community Legal Aid, Volunteer Lawyers Project, and Jane Doe Inc. (MA DV/SA coalition) serve women.

19 Resources

1. Massachusetts Office of Student Financial Assistance — Free

OSFA at One Ashburton Place administers state-funded financial aid for Massachusetts residents attending Massachusetts colleges, including the MASSGrant, MASSGrant Plus, the Tuition Waiver Program for state universities and community colleges, and the new MassReconnect free community college program for adults 25+. Call 617-391-6070 Mon-Fri 8:45am-5pm. Free to apply.

617-391-6070 · One Ashburton Place, Suite 1401, Boston, MA 02108 · Mon-Fri 8:45am-5pm · Visit Website

2. Massachusetts Community Colleges

Massachusetts's 15 community colleges (Bunker Hill, Roxbury, Quinsigamond, Holyoke, Springfield Tech, Cape Cod, Mass Bay, and others) offer associate degrees, certificates, and workforce training, with MassReconnect making them tuition-free for first-time adult students 25+. Bunker Hill, Quinsigamond, and Mass Bay have particularly strong nursing and allied health programs. Call masscc.org listings or 617-onal-comm for guidance.

617-onal-comm · Statewide — 15 campuses · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

3. UMass Online — Women's Scholarships

UMass Online, coordinated from UMass Amherst at 300 Massachusetts Avenue, offers fully online associate, bachelor's, master's, and certificate programs through UMass Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, and Lowell — useful for Massachusetts mothers balancing work and family. Several UMass colleges offer dedicated women's scholarships. Call 413-545-0111 Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm.

413-545-0111 · 300 Massachusetts Ave, Amherst, MA 01003 · Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm · Visit Website

4. Smith College Ada Comstock Scholars Program

Smith College's Ada Comstock program at 7 College Lane in Northampton enables women of nontraditional age (typically 25+) to complete a Smith bachelor's degree on a flexible schedule with full need-based aid available. Ada Comstock scholars live in dedicated housing or commute. Call 413-585-2700 Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm for admissions information specific to the Ada Comstock pathway.

413-585-2700 · 7 College Lane, Northampton, MA 01063 · Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm · Visit Website

5. GED Testing — Massachusetts

Massachusetts uses the HiSET (and accepts GED) as the high school equivalency credential. DESE oversees testing at 30+ Massachusetts sites including community colleges and adult learning centers. Massachusetts pays the HiSET test fee for income-eligible adults. Call 800-447-8844 for testing logistics; call your local adult learning center for free prep classes.

800-447-8844 · Statewide Testing Centers · Varies by Location · Visit Website

6. Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS) — Free

ACLS within DESE at 75 Pleasant Street in Malden funds 90+ free adult learning programs across Massachusetts offering ESOL, ABE, HiSET/GED prep, and workforce readiness. Programs run at community colleges, public libraries, community-based organizations, and correctional facilities. Call 781-338-3850 weekdays 8:45am-5pm for the program list. Free for income-eligible Massachusetts adults.

781-338-3850 · 75 Pleasant St, Malden, MA 02148 · Mon-Fri 8:45am-5pm · Visit Website

7. Bunker Hill Community College Women's Center — Free

BHCC at 250 New Rutherford Avenue in Charlestown offers a Women's Center providing advising, peer support, scholarship navigation, and connections to single-parent support programs. BHCC participates in MassReconnect (free tuition for first-time students 25+) and has one of the most diverse student bodies in Massachusetts higher ed. Call 617-228-2000 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.

617-228-2000 · 250 New Rutherford Ave, Boston, MA 02129 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

8. Wellesley College Continuing Education

Wellesley College at 106 Central Street in Wellesley offers the Davis Degree Program for women 24+ returning to complete a bachelor's degree at one of the country's premier women's colleges. Need-based aid is available through Wellesley's admission office. Call 781-283-1000 Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm for Davis Scholar admissions information.

781-283-1000 · 106 Central St, Wellesley, MA 02481 · Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm · Visit Website

9. MassHire Career Centers — Education Services — Free

MassHire's network of 29 career centers, coordinated from EOLWD at One Ashburton Place, offers free WIOA-funded training scholarships for women in eligible occupations — nursing, IT, advanced manufacturing, clean energy. Call your nearest center (locator at mass.gov/masshire) or 617-626-5300 weekdays 8:30am-5pm. Free for eligible Massachusetts workers and job seekers.

617-626-5300 · Statewide — 29 locations · Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm · Visit Website

10. FAFSA — studentaid.gov — Free

FAFSA at studentaid.gov is the gateway to federal Pell Grants, Direct Loans, and work-study, and is also required for Massachusetts state aid (MASSGrant, MASSGrant Plus, MassReconnect). Massachusetts mothers should complete the FAFSA as soon as it opens each October. Free, no fee to apply.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

11. Federal Pell Grant — Free

The Pell Grant provides up to $7,395 per year (2024-25) for undergraduate students based on financial need — useful for Massachusetts mothers attending community college, UMass, state universities, or private Massachusetts colleges. Pell is layered with Massachusetts state aid. Apply via FAFSA at studentaid.gov; free.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

12. AAUW Educational Funding — Free

AAUW offers American Fellowships ($6,000-$50,000), Career Development Grants (,000-0,000), and Selected Professions Fellowships for women pursuing undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate study — Massachusetts women regularly receive AAUW awards. Local branches (Boston, Cambridge, Worcester, Springfield, the Cape) sometimes offer additional Massachusetts scholarships.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

,000 and the Educational Loan Fund. P.E.O. chapters across Massachusetts (Boston, Worcester, Springfield, the South Shore, the Cape) sponsor local applicants. Free to apply through a sponsoring chapter.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

14. Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards — Free

Soroptimist's Live Your Dream Awards provide cash grants (

,000-
0,000) to women who are the primary financial support of their families and pursuing education or training. Massachusetts Soroptimist clubs in Boston, Worcester, the South Shore, and the Cape sponsor local applicants annually. Free to apply.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

15. Jeannette Rankin Foundation — Free

Jeannette Rankin Foundation provides ,000-$5,000 annual scholarships for low-income women age 35+ pursuing technical training, associate degrees, or bachelor's degrees — well-aligned with Massachusetts mothers using MassReconnect for free community college tuition. Free to apply.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

16. Patsy Mink Education Foundation — Free

The Patsy T. Mink Education Foundation provides $5,000 Education Support Awards to low-income mothers pursuing post-secondary education — useful for Massachusetts mothers attending UMass, state universities, community colleges, or accredited certificate programs. Free to apply annually.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

17. Scholarships.com — Free

Scholarships.com is a free national scholarship search engine that filters by state — Massachusetts-specific scholarships, Massachusetts college-specific awards, and demographic-based awards for Massachusetts women, single mothers, and adult learners. Free, requires email signup.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

18. College Board — BigFuture — Free

BigFuture from the College Board offers free college planning, scholarship search ($6 billion in awards), and SAT prep tools — useful for Massachusetts mothers helping a teenager prepare for college or returning to school themselves. Free, no fee.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

19. Khan Academy — Free SAT Prep — Free

Khan Academy partners with the College Board to provide free official SAT practice, including the new digital SAT format Massachusetts students will take. Useful for Massachusetts mothers supporting a teen's college prep or refreshing skills before a community college placement test. Free with no login required for many resources.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many college & education resources are in Massachusetts?
Women's Corner tracks 19 college & education resources for women in Massachusetts.
Are college & education resources in Massachusetts free?
14 of the 19 listed college & education resources in Massachusetts are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Massachusetts have college & education resources?
Listings span cities including Boston, Amherst, Northampton, Malden, Wellesley.
What are some examples of college & education resources in Massachusetts?
Featured entries include Massachusetts Office of Student Financial Assistance, Massachusetts Community Colleges, UMass Online — Women's Scholarships, Smith College Ada Comstock Scholars Program, GED Testing — Massachusetts.
Do these listings include phone numbers?
9 of 19 Massachusetts college & education listings include phone numbers.
How do I pay for college as a single mom?
Start with FAFSA at studentaid.gov — single moms typically qualify for the maximum Pell Grant (up to $7,395/year, not repaid). Add state grants, Federal Work-Study, and scholarships specifically for single mothers (Patsy Takemoto Mink Foundation, Soroptimist Live Your Dream, Jeannette Rankin Foundation). Many community colleges have Single Parent Programs with childcare, books, and emergency funds.
Can I go to college while on welfare?
Yes — TANF rules now count post-secondary education toward work requirements in most states, especially CTE/vocational programs. The CCAMPIS program funds free on-campus childcare at hundreds of colleges. SNAP students with kids under 12 qualify for SNAP E&T benefits. Tell your TANF caseworker you're enrolling — they often have hidden funds for books, transportation, and uniforms.
How do I get a GED?
GED classes are free at adult education centers, community colleges, libraries, and online through GED.com and Khan Academy. The exam costs 6–
44 depending on state, and many states waive fees for low-income test-takers. Call 211 or search 'adult education' + your state. Most centers offer free childcare during classes.
Are there scholarships specifically for women?
Yes — AAUW, P.E.O. International, Jeannette Rankin Foundation (women 35+), Society of Women Engineers, Live Your Dream Awards, and hundreds of state-specific awards target women, especially returning students and mothers. Search Fastweb and Scholarships.com filtered for 'women' and your major. Apply to many small scholarships — they're less competitive than big ones.