You may be entering a Massachusetts community college for your associate’s degree and perhaps not thinking beyond that. But for those of you who plan to earn a bachelor’s degree after your time at community college, you’re in luck. There’s a program in our state called MassTransfer that provides several benefits for students transitioning from a MA community college to a MA 4-year public college or university including a guarantee of transfer admission to a 4-year public college and powerful savings on a bachelor’s degree.
The MassTransfer website allows students to map out their college education and find out the most affordable options. The website also includes a savings calculator to show how much students can save by starting at a community college. Once students graduate from their community college program, they can receive the following MassTransfer benefits as they transition to their 4-year college or university, based on their final community college GPA. Here are the different MassTransfer programs:
MassTransfer A2B Degree
After earning your associate degree at a Massachusetts community college, easily transfer 60 credits to a Massachusetts 4-year college or university, and save money during the application process and on tuition charges based on your GPA. Hundreds of majors are offered in the A2B program.
Requirements
- Complete an approved program at a Massachusetts community college
- Earn at least a 2.0 GPA in that program
Benefits
- Guaranteed transfer of 60 credits to any Massachusetts public college or university
- No application fee
- No application essay
- Guaranteed admission to 4-year Massachusetts school if transferring with a 2.5 or higher GPA
- MassTransfer Tuition Credit if transferring with a 3.0 or higher GPA
MassTransfer Gen Ed Foundation
Starting your bachelor’s degree at a community college can likely save you money. And through the MassTransfer Gen Ed Foundation, you’ll receive a guaranteed transfer of 34 community college credits, helping you to save time and money once you transfer to a 4-year school.
Requirements
- Complete 34 credits at a Massachusetts community college
- Earn at least a 2.0 GPA on those credits
Benefits
- Guaranteed transfer of 34 credits to any Massachusetts public college or university
MassTransfer A2B + Commonwealth Commitment
If you plan to start your higher education journey at a community college, and then intend a transfer to a 4-year public Massachusetts school, take advantage of Commonwealth Commitment. The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education created the Commonwealth Commitment to provide students a cost-effective pathway to earn both an associate and bachelor’s degree in Massachusetts. You can also read our interview with the Manager of Commonwealth Commitment.
Requirements
- Earn an associate degree at a Massachusetts community college within 2.5 years
- Transfer to a MA state university or UMass campus and complete your bachelor’s within 2 years
Benefits
- Guaranteed transfer of 60 credits to any Massachusetts public college or university
- No application fee
- No application essay
- Guaranteed admission to 4-year Massachusetts school if transferring with a 2.5 or higher GPA
- MassTransfer Tuition Credit if transferring with a 3.0 or higher GPA
- Freeze on tuition and mandatory fees upon program entry if attending full time and transferring with a 3.0 or higher GPA
- 10% rebate off tuition and mandatory fees (payable at the end of every semester) if attending full time and maintaining a 3.0 or higher GPA
To begin the MassTransfer process, explore this checklist, which will walk you through the steps of planning, applying, and enrolling as your prepare for your transfer. Even if you’ve just started at your community college, it’s important to look ahead to ensure you complete the necessary academic and administrative requirements to properly participate in the program.
We encourage you to also use the MassTransfer Benefits tool within MEFA Pathway to design your own MassTransfer plan and see how much you can save by combining a community college education with attendance at a 4-year MA public college or university. Simply visit mefapathway.org, log in or register for a free account, and select MassTransfer Benefits under the Search Colleges tab to get started.
Beginning your college career at a community college can lower your educational costs dramatically. When you graduate, instead of hefty loan payments, you’ll likely have more money in your pocket for fun. It’s a great deal worth exploring!
Mary is a collaborative community relations builder with experience in the financial services industry.
