New England Regional Student Program

New England Regional Student Program
 

The New England Regional Student Program (NERSP) allows undergraduate students from the six New England states, who are enrolled in some programs not offered by their home-state public colleges or universities, to pay a reduced tuition rate. The information here applies to undergraduate students at UMass Amherst; graduate students should reach out to Lindsay De Santis for NERSP information for graduate programs at UMass Amherst.

The approved NERSP undergraduate degree programs available at UMass can be found here.

  1. If a student is not initially admitted to the university as an NERSP student and wishes to change their status to NERSP after they have been matriculated, it is the student's responsibility to notify the NERSP Registrar Representative in the University Registrar’s Office – Thomas Fritsch. Students must be in one of the approved NERSP majors and live in the designated New England State to participate in the program. The student is also responsible for reviewing all the current eligibility criteria below. NOTE: these criteria are subject to change annually
     
  2. Students can declare a NERSP major by following the declaration of major process of their new department. Once the major change has been processed in SPIRE, students can request NERSP status from Thomas Fritsch via e-mail. In order for the NERSP change to take effect in the current term and to receive the NERSP tuition reduction, the change of major and request must be processed no later than the end of add/drop for that term. After add/drop all requests for NERSP status or changes in residency status will be considered eligible for the following semester. There will be NO retroactive adjustment to your bill after add/drop.
     
  3. Students are monitored each semester for progress in their major and their continued residence in the approved New England State. Progress in a major means enrolling in and completing courses required for the NERSP major each semester.  Students who are determined not to be making appropriate progress will be removed from the program.
     
  4. Students declaring two majors must have the NERSP major declared as their primary major.
     
  5. If a student moves to another New England State and the major is not eligible for the NERSP rate in that state, the student will be charged the out-of-state tuition rate.
     
  6. If a student changes into a major that no longer qualifies for NERSP, the student will be charged the out-of-state tuition rate.
     
  7. The University Registrar's Office does not consider NERSP students under the Proximity Policy.
     
  8. If the university withdraws a major from the NERSP eligibility list, students who had declared the major prior to the removal will still be eligible to remain in NERSP until they graduate, or have a break in enrollment, or change to a non-NERSP major, or move to a state that does not qualify for NERSP.
     
  9. Information on tuition and fees is available on the Office of the Bursar’s website. Questions pertaining to tuition and fees should be directed to the Bursar’s Office (215 Whitmore) at (413) 545-2368.
     
  10. Any change in your status may affect your Financial Aid package and your Bursar's Office bill. Please note that some scholarships are based in part upon residency status. A change in residency (including transfer to a major covered by the Tuition Break Program for New England Residents) may reduce or impact scholarship awards. You may want to check with both these offices before changing your major and therefore your billing status.
     
  11. Changes in NERSP status will be processed up to the last day of add/drop for that semester. Retroactive adjustments for prior semesters will not be made.
     
  12. Further information about the program can be obtained by contacting Thomas Fritsch via e-mail or phone (413-545-0555), or at the Tuition Break website of the New England Board of Higher Education.