2017 City scholarship applications now available to Boston residents

Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced applications are now available for the 2017 City of Boston Scholarships. The City of Boston Scholarship program is designed to support higher education, and is available to Boston residents interested in pursuing an undergraduate degree in Massachusetts.

"For the last 20 years, the City of Boston Scholarship Fund has provided more than 2,000 residents with the financial support needed to further their education," said Mayor Walsh. "Our students are the foundation of Boston's future, and I encourage anyone interested in pursuing higher education to apply for this scholarship. Investing in our residents means investing in the future of our city."

Candidates must be Boston residents who have graduated from high school or have completed G.E.D. programming by the time the awards are made. Additionally, candidates must be planning to attend, or currently attending, a two- or four-year accredited post-secondary institution within Massachusetts.

The City of Boston Scholarship fund provides up to $2,500 per academic year towards tuition, and relies primarily on generous voluntary contributions from individuals, organizations and corporations to further the goal of having more Boston residents complete a post-secondary education. During the 2015-2016 academic year, the scholarship program awarded a total of $250,000 to over 100 students representing almost every neighborhood of Boston, over 20 local high schools and 20 local colleges/universities.

"The cost of college tuition has increased by 45 percent in the last decade - a price rising faster than nearly any other good or service in America," said Boston Chief of Education Turahn Dorsey. "Over the coming year, the Mayor's Education Cabinet and the City's Scholarship Committee will work with local students, educators, higher education officials, and college access experts to identify ways to to ensure that all Boston students find an affordable way to reach - and complete - a postsecondary education."

Residents who fit the criteria are encouraged to apply online. The deadline to submit applications for incoming freshmen is Friday, May 5th at 5:00 p.m. For applicants who are renewing their scholarship, the deadline is Friday, June 30th at 5:00 p.m.

Learn more about the City of Boston scholarship fund.