Free community college opens doors to area students, educators say

A new plan to make community college free for any Massachusetts resident looking to get a first-time degree could be a game changer for students, Middleboro High School Principal Paul Branagan said.

The MassEducate program, approved as part of the 2025 budget signed by Gov. Maura Healey, allows Massachusetts residents who do not yet have a bachelor’s degree to attend any state community college with no tuition or fees. 

The program could save prospective community college students tens of thousands of dollars. 

Branagan said that this decision removes the cost barrier to attending college. He said that early college learning opportunities will now be available to students who might not have originally envisioned themselves attending.

For example, Branagan noted that taking business classes at a community college might help students working in the skilled trades who want to open up their own shop someday.

“It is a transformational opportunity for all students,” he said.

In the Freetown-Lakeville Regional School District, about 20 out of 184 graduates went to community college after attending Apponequet Regional High School last year, according to Teri Fleming, Director of Curriculum and Assessment for the Freetown-Lakeville Regional School District,

About 11 to 15 percent of graduates went to community colleges in the last five years, Fleming said. The most common college choices were Bristol Community and Massasoit Community colleges.

Fleming said the free community college option will likely be blended into college counseling conversations between students and guidance counselors. These conversations start as early as sophomore year to help students figure out post-high school plans, according to Fleming.

“I think it's a great thing for our families and community,” Fleming said.

While attending community college will now be free for many, there are some eligibility requirements.

Prospective students looking to go to community college for free are required to have a high school diploma, have lived in Massachusetts for at least one year and enroll in at least six credits per semester, according to Massasoit Community College.

Massasoit Community College opened up a campus on Middleboro’s Union Street in 2010. 

That college charged $224 per credit including fees before the MassEducate program. Full-time students taking the minimum of 12 credits would pay $2,688 each semester before potential additional course costs for books or other fees.

An associate degree in Liberal Arts Studies from Massasoit requires a minimum of 61 credits to attain. Prior to the MassEducate program, this degree would cost $13,664.