Researching College

What if you could get everything you want out of college but keep cost—and therefore debt—to a minimum?

Beginning your college career at a community college is a smart choice. If you're from Massachusetts, attending a State U or UMass is already one of your most affordable options, but your tuition and fees can cost up to half as much during any time you spend at a Community College!

To help you leverage those savings toward completion of a State U or UMass bachelor's degree, Massachusetts’ public college and universities have joined together to offer a variety of cost-saving transfer pathways to reduce the price of a State U or UMass bachelor’s degree. These pathways vary in requirements and total expected savings, so be sure to explore your options and choose the best pathway for you.

What are the Programs?

General Education Foundation: 1 year at Community College + three years at State University or UMASS

A2B Degree: 2 years at Community College + 2 years at State University or UMASS

• • MassTransfer guarantee full transfer of a minimum of 60 credits but, depending on their final GPA and/or prerequisite coursework, students who complete A2B Degrees (Associate to Bachelor’s) may also receive guaranteed admission and tuition discounts.

Commonwealth Commitment: 2 years at Community College + 2 years at State University or UMASS

• • freeze on tuition and mandatory fees upon program entry

  • 10% rebate on tuition and mandatory fees

  • additional tuition credit upon bachelors program entry

  • guaranteed admission and transfer of credits

Reverse Transfer:

• • Students who transferred from a Community College without earning an associate degree may apply credits earned afterwards at a State U or UMass Campus back to their community college, essentially claiming their earned associate degree while staying on track to earn a bachelor’s as well.

Non-Mass Transfer Options:

• • If you are not following one of the MassTransfer Pathways, there are still transfer options available that let you take advantage of the course and program maps that have been created—search for course equivalencies between our community colleges, state universities and University of Massachusetts campuses.

  • Many community colleges have additional transfer agreements and campus equivalency guides with public and private colleges and universities that do not fall under the MassTransfer statewide policy.

For more specifics about the program click HERE