The University of Massachusetts Amherst

Integrated Learning Center at UMass Amherst
Financial Aid

UMass Admissions Scholarships and Awards

About Admissions Scholarships and Awards

The following are the primary awards administered by Financial Aid Services.  This is not a comprehensive list, there are others available at our scholarship search

Merit aid is awarded on the basis of academic achievement rather than financial need. Students need to maintain full-time undergraduate enrollment and satisfactory academic progress as defined in the Academic Regulations, published by the University Registrar.

For Our Massachusetts Applicants

UMass Amherst Flagship Award

The Flagship Award is offered to in-state applicants who are low income and/or who are first generation college attendees. The scholarship committee takes into consideration a student's academic record and level of academic challenge; however, the review also includes factors such as school activities, community service, and work experience. This scholarship or award may be combined with a tuition credit.

  • Awards range from $6,000-$10,000 per year.
  • Award application: First-year entering and transfer students, no application required.
  • Notification: Admissions Office will notify recipients at the time of acceptance.
  • Renewal requirement: Maintain the minimum requirements of satisfactory academic progress (see the Academic Regulations published by the University Registrar).
  • Renewable for first-year students up to an aggregate total of four years (eight semesters) of full-time undergraduate enrollment and for transfer students up to an aggregate total of two years (four semesters) of full-time undergraduate enrollment.
  • Information about the Flagship Award specific for MassTransfer students can be found on the UMass MassTransfer website.

Honors-to-Honors Scholarship

The Honors-to-Honors Scholarship is for Massachusetts community college honors students entering the UMass Amherst Commonwealth Honors College. Students must be in an approved MassTransfer program and are encouraged to complete their community college honors program. Students who do not complete their honors program and who have a 3.5 GPA for each semester completed (two or more semesters), who are in approved MassTransfer programs, and who meet all other UMass Amherst transfer admissions criteria will also be considered. To receive the award students must accept the invitation to be in Commonwealth Honors College. This scholarship may be combined with a tuition credit.

The award is for residents of Massachusetts who are low-income or first-generation students. The award amount is $6,000 per year for two consecutive years (or four semesters). Recipients will be selected by a scholarship committee made up of faculty and staff from Academic Affairs and Commonwealth Honors College. The scholarship committee takes into consideration a student's academic record and level of academic challenge; however, the review also includes factors such as school activities, community service, field of study, and work experience.

  • Award application: MassTransfer students may apply for it as part of the MassTransfer Application.
  • Notification: Admissions Office will notify recipients at the time of acceptance.
  • Renewal requirement: Maintain the minimum requirements of satisfactory academic progress (see the Academic Regulations published by the University Registrar)
  • Renewable up to an aggregate total of two years (four semesters) of full-time undergraduate enrollment.

Academic Honors Scholarship

A $5,000 scholarship is awarded annually at the Massachusetts Science Fair to a top-scoring winner. This scholarship may be combined with a tuition credit.

  • Award application: Documentation of the first place award must be submitted and verified with Massachusetts Science & Engineering Fair (MSEF).
  • Notification: The Admissions Office will notify the recipient after acceptance and upon submission of documentation.
  • Renewal requirement: Cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher and maintain the minimum requirements of satisfactory academic progress (see the Academic Regulations published by the University Registrar).
  • Renewable up to an aggregate total of four years (eight semesters) of full-time undergraduate enrollment.
  • Appeals are directed through the Associate Director of Financial Aid for Awarding.

Community College Academic Honors Scholarship

This scholarship is offered to in-state residents graduating from a Massachusetts community college with strong academic records. The award is based on both GPA and overall academic rigor. For more information, see our Frequently Asked Questions website.

  • Award application: MassTransfer students may apply for it as part of the MassTransfer Application.
  • Notification: The Admissions Office will notify recipients at the time of acceptance.
  • Renewal requirement: Maintain the minimum requirements of satisfactory academic progress (see the Academic Regulations published by the University Registrar).
  • Renewable up to an aggregate total of two years (four semesters) of full-time undergraduate enrollment.

UMass Community College Advantage Scholarship (CCAS)

Award: $5,000 annually ($2,500 per semester) for a maximum of two years. 
The Community College Advantage Scholarship has both UMass Amherst campus-based requirements and terms and conditions set by the UMass President's Office. Students must meet all criteria to be eligible for the Community College Advantage Scholarship.

UMass Amherst Terms and Conditions
Application and Eligibility:

  • Eligible students will be confirmed by their community college to be in the top 10% of academic standing in their graduating class. Once students have received notification of eligibility from their community college, they must complete the University of Massachusetts Community College Advantage Scholarship interest form.
  • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or, if not eligible to complete the FAFSA, complete the Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid (MASFA).
  • Only students who have been admitted through the UMass Amherst Admissions Office into a full-time, in-person, undergraduate program are eligible. Students attending part-time and students enrolled in online programs or programs offered through University Flex are not eligible for this scholarship.

Renewal Criteria:

  • Students must be continuously enrolled full-time and maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress. The award is available for a maximum of four consecutive semesters.

UMass President's Office Terms and Conditions

For information on the President's Office terms and conditions, please visit their Community College Advantage Scholarship website.

For Our Non-Massachusetts Applicants

UMass Amherst Chancellor's Award

UMass Amherst Undergraduate Admissions offers the Chancellor's Award to admitted first-year students from outside of Massachusetts whose academic and personal achievements are especially strong. Please note that UMass Amherst does not use the GPA provided by the high school but instead recalculates a GPA for every applicant, using the same weighting for honors, AP, and college coursework. This recalculation is done in accordance with the standards outlined by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education. These scholarships and awards may be combined with a tuition credit. See our FAQ page for additional information.

  • Awards range from $10,000-$18,000 per year.
  • Award application: None required
  • Notification: Admissions Office will notify recipients at the time of acceptance.
  • Renewal requirement: Maintain the minimum requirements of satisfactory academic progress (see the Academic Regulations published by the University Registrar)
  • Renewable up to an aggregate total of four years (eight consecutive semesters) of full-time undergraduate enrollment at UMass Amherst.
  • The award is based on information you provided with your application and the amount of the award is not negotiable.
  • Any change to your residency status that results in a reduction to your cost of attendance, including university-initiated changes related to the use of military benefits, veterans' benefits, or Massachusetts state employee benefits, will eliminate your award.