Last updated: 9/6/22

City of Boston Scholarship Fund

Through the fund, we award new college-goers and continuing education students $2,500 per year to help pay for school.

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The City of Boston Scholarship program is no longer accepting applications. The application period for the City of Boston Scholarship program officially closed on Friday, April 29, 2022 at 5 p.m.

More higher education funding

For other scholarship opportunities and resources, please visit our Higher Education Funding Opportunities page.
Still have questions?

If you have questions about the fund, or are interested in making a donation, please contact us at 617-635-0946 or COBscholarship@boston.gov. You can also make a donation online.

How to apply

complete the application

The application for the City of Boston Scholarship is now closed. The 2022-2023 application period ended on Friday, April 29th at 5:00 p.m.

PREPARE TO APPLY

Before applying, you should be prepared to give us:

a copy of your most recent transcript
answers to three short questions
one recommendation form from a teacher, guidance counselor, or community member (they will submit the form separately)
your Student Aid Report, and
your Student Award Letter from your college or university.

application information

We created a simple, one-page recommendation form that tests for college and career readiness. This form is submitted separately from the rest of the application.

You will need to answer three short questions:

A question on financial circumstances
A reflective question
A question looking toward the future

There is also an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculator for students not eligible for Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

There's a separate section of the application for continuing education students.

FAFSA help

Have questions about completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)?

Check out these how-to videos from our partners at uAspire. These videos review the information that you will need to gather and offer tips for completing the FAFSA.

2020 FAFSA checklist

Fill out the uAspire 2020 FAFSA checklist! This checklist can be filled out on your phone or computer.

How to create your FSA ID

Students will need one FSA ID for them and for one parent that they live with.

What info do you need to complete the FAFSA?

You will likely need 2019 tax documents and W-2 forms for your FAFSA if you or your parents worked that year.

Eligibility

CITY OF BOSTON RESIDENCY

To apply for the scholarship, you must be a Boston resident for at least two years at the date of application.

WHO CAN APPLY

The scholarship is for new and current college students AND continuing education students who plan to attend a post-secondary school in Massachusetts. By the time scholarships are awarded, you must have either:

graduated from high school, or
completed a GED program.

Please note: this is a need-based scholarship.

NEW COLLEGE STUDENTS

You need to plan to enroll as a full-time student in a two-year or four-year university or college in Massachusetts.

Do you plan to go to community college? Our Tuition-Free Community College program is likely the best fit for you.

current COLLEGE STUDENTS

You need to be enrolled as a full-time student in a two-year or four-year university or college in Massachusetts.

CONTINUING EDUCATION STUDENTS

You must plan to enroll in undergraduate classes at a two or four-year university, an accredited trade school, or a vocational school in Massachusetts.

You need to have a gap in education of two years or more as a non-student in your adult life. You also must be within two years of completing your educational goal.

Learn more about the process

NUMBER OF RECIPIENTS

Last year, we received more than 350 applications for the City of Boston Scholarship. This year, we will be awarding about 10 new scholarship recipients.

AWARD AMOUNT AND LENGTH

New college students receive $10,000 over the course of four years ($2,500 for each year). Continuing education students receive $5,000 over the course of two years ($2,500 for each year).

ELIGIBILITY

You will remain eligible as long as you remain in good academic standing with your school and still demonstrate financial need.

SELECTION PROCESS

After reviewing your application, we will invite a group of semi-finalists to an interview in mid-May. We plan to notify selected applicants by the end of May.

CITY OF BOSTON SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE

The committee makes the final decision on who is awarded scholarships. Over the last 20 years, we’ve given more than 1,000 residents financial support to further their education.

Scholarship funding

The fund relies on generous donations from individuals, organizations, and corporations. Contact us at COBscholarship@boston.gov, or send a check for the "City of Boston Scholarship Fund" to the address below:

City of Boston Scholarship Fund
Attn: Casey Brock-Wilson
Boston City Hall
1 City Hall Square, Room 608
Boston MA 02201

We also accept online donations via credit card or e-check:

Donate ONLINE

Watch: Learn about the scholarship