Anna Maria College offers institutional merit-based scholarships for full-time undergraduate freshmen and transfers. A completed FAFSA is not required for merit-based scholarships. These scholarships range in amount from $20,000 to $26,000 and are based on an academic index which is determined by the accepted student’s grade point average, class rank (if provided by the school) and SAT or ACT scores (if submitted). If the student’s school does not provide a rank or the student chooses not to submit SAT or ACT scores, the scholarship amount will be determined by the grade point average.

New Enrolling students that submit the FAFSA before March 1 are eligible for a $500 FAFSA incentive grant.  New Enrolling students that Visit the Campus before May 1 of their final secondary school year are eligible for a $500 Campus Visit Grant.

Heart Advantage Scholarship is a $26,000 scholarship available for students transferring from any community college in New England.  Eligible students will have earned an associate degree before matriculation at Anna Maria with a minimum GPA of 2.8. Students are guaranteed admission to Anna Maria for the completion of the bachelor’s degree.

This scholarship is open to students entering most full-time, day, on-ground, undergraduate programs.

The scholarship will be awarded at the time of admission to all eligible students (no scholarship application necessary). Preferred deadline is June 1 for fall admission and November 15 for spring admission. This is a merit scholarship and does not require the student to file the FAFSA. Students interested in obtaining additional need-based funding are encouraged to submit the FAFSA before March 15 for the fall semester and before November 15 for the spring semester.

The associate degree must be posted on the official community college transcript before the student matriculates at Anna Maria. The student is responsible for having the official transcript sent to Anna Maria College prior to matriculation.

Students will be required to maintain good academic standing at Anna Maria with a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average while attending the College as a full-time student.

This scholarship is open to students entering all full-time, day, on-ground undergraduate programs in:

Art Therapy
Business Administration
Catholic Studies
Criminal Justice
Digital Marketing
Digital and Social Media Design
Early Childhood Education (Pre-K-2)*
Elementary Education (1-6)*
Emergency Management
English Literature
Exercise Science (Health Science)
Fire Science
Forensic Criminology
Graphic Design
Health Administration
Health and Community Services
Health Science
History
Human Development and Human Services
Law and Society
Liberal Studies
Music
Music Education*
Music Therapy*
Paramedic Science*
Pre-Pharmacy (Health Science)
Psychology
Social Work
Sport Management
Studio Art
Theology
Video and Photographic Arts

The program is designed for the completion of the bachelor’s degree in two years; those majors marked with an asterisk (*) may take longer to complete.

Current students at Anna Maria or students applying to Anna Maria may participate in Army ROTC through the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Army ROTC detachment.  Army ROTC is an educational program that combines both college electives in Military Science and Leadership with practical, “hands on” experience. Our courses are designed to train qualified college students to be officers in the United States Army.  Officers are the leaders of the Armed Forces, and Army ROTC is the best leadership course in America.

What is ROTC?
LEADERSHIP THAT LASTS A LIFETIME
Army ROTC is an elective curriculum you take through the Consortium at WPI along with your full time required Anna Maria College classes. It gives you the tools, training and experiences that will help you succeed in any competitive environment. Along with great leadership training, Army ROTC offers scholarships. Because Army ROTC is an elective, you can participate your freshman and sophomore years without any obligation to join the Army. You will have a normal college student experience like everyone else at Anna Maria College, but when you graduate, you will be commissioned as an Officer in the Army. At that point, you will have a wide range of interest areas you can specialize in called branches.

Drawing Cadets from Throughout Central Massachusetts
Cadets from all Worcester Consortium colleges and universities, plus Fitchburg and Framingham State Universities, Daniel Webster College, and UMass Lowell make up what is known as the Bay State Battalion. Headquartered at WPI, this unit prides itself on turning motivated and intelligent Cadets into educated and well-rounded officers.The Bay State Battalion typically trains 90-120 cadets each year. All Cadets attend their Military Science classes and Battalion labs at WPI, though Fitchburg State University and UMass Lowell Cadets conduct their own physical training with approximately 20-40 Cadets each. The 50-60 students of the Worcester Consortium schools do their physical training at WPI.

Your Commitment
Army ROTC students who receive an Army ROTC scholarship or enter the Army ROTC Advanced Course must agree to complete a period of service with the Army.You can serve full time in the Army for three years (four years for scholarship winners).Selected Cadets may choose to serve part time in the U.S. Army Reserve or Army National Guard while pursuing a civilian career.It’s an experience that you can’t get anywhere else, and your leadership skills will be challenged every day. If interested, please contact the WPI Enrollment Officer Mr. Darryl Gill at dlgill@wpi.edu or (508) 831-5268 for more specific details on your Army ROTC service commitment.

More information found here at the official GoArmy website!

*Enrolling in the Army ROTC Basic Course does NOT involve a commitment of service to the Army unless you have received an Army ROTC Scholarship.*

Scholarships
High school seniors may apply for a four year, full tuition and fee scholarship while applying for admission into the college(s) of your choice.  Simply visit www.armyrotc.com  for information on how to apply and to fill out the scholarship application.  If you are already a student at Anna Maria you may be eligible for a two or three year, full tuition and fee scholarship.  All scholarships include a book allowance and monthly stipend.

If you are interested in participating in Army ROTC or if you would like to inquire about scholarship opportunities you may email Army ROTC at armyrotc@wpi.edu or call (508) 831-5268.

Current students at Anna Maria or students applying to Anna Maria may participate in Air Force ROTC through the Worcester Polytechnic Institute Air Force ROTC detachment, Det 340.  Air Force ROTC develops the leaders of tomorrow by preparing students to become officers in the U.S. Air and Space Forces while earning a college degree. In AFROTC, you’ll not only build lifelong friendships, but you may also have the opportunity to pay for school through our scholarship programs. Most importantly, unlike many other college students, you’ll have a rewarding career waiting for you after graduation.​

What is Air Force ROTC?
Air Force ROTC is an elective curriculum you take through the Consortium at WPI along with your full-time required Anna Maria College classes. This is usually a five-hour commitment per week for freshmen, with activities hosted at WPI. Air Force ROTC also offers scholarships you can compete for in high school or college. More information on scholarships can be found here.  Because Air Force ROTC is an elective, you can participate your freshman and sophomore years without any obligation to join the Air Force. You will have a normal college student experience like your peers at Anna Maria College, but when you graduate, you will be commissioned as an Officer in the Air Force. At that point, you will enter Active Duty and begin your Air Force career.

Air Force ROTC at WPI

If you are interested in participating in Air Force ROTC while attending Anna Maria or if you would like to inquire about scholarship opportunities, please email Air Force ROTC at afrotc@wpi.edu or call (508) 831-5747. You can also find more information on the Det 340 website located here.

Anna Maria has endowed and named scholarships that it awards to students each year based on the donor’s criteria. Amounts vary.

The Federal Pell Grant ranges from $346 to $6,897 for the year (2022-2023). Students must complete a FAFSA each year and demonstrate exceptional financial need to be eligible.

The FSEOG is awarded to students, who demonstrate exceptional financial need and are working on their first undergraduate degree. The Financial Aid Office determines the recipients and the amounts of the individual awards. FSEOG is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and priority is given to Pell Grant recipients.

Information for state grants are collected from the FAFSA each year and sent by the Department of Education to the state of residency listed on each student’s FAFSA. Each state has set deadlines to be eligible and amounts vary from state to state and year to year. Students residing in the state of Massachusetts must submit their FAFSA by 8/1 to be considered. Anna Maria will award state grants as soon as it is notified by each state. States that participate in this program include Massachusetts, Pennsylvania,  and Vermont. States may opt out from year to year. Contact your guidance counselor or appropriate state agency for application information and deadline dates.

The Gilbert Grant is awarded to students with residency in the Commonwealth of MA with financial need. Students must be enrolled full-time (at least 12 credits) to be eligible. The Financial Aid Office determines the recipients and the amounts of the individual awards. MA Gilbert Grant is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and priority is given to Pell Grant recipients.

Anna Maria College may receive a small allowance from the Commonwealth of MA to award to MA resident students, who are enrolled less than full-time. The Financial Aid office determines who receives the funds based on need and priority deadlines.

International students are encouraged to apply for outside scholarships to assist with their educational costs at Anna Maria College. IEFA.org provides a comprehensive search engine based on your home country and program of study. Click here to access the search engine.

Big Y Scholarship Program

Big Y provides scholarships of various amounts to students who reside in western or central Massachusetts, Norfolk County Massachusetts, or the state of Connecticut. Scholarship applications are due on February 1st for the upcoming Fall semester. You can access the application portal here.

Community Scholarship Program of Western Massachusetts

The Community Scholarship Program of Western Massachusetts offers a variety of scholarships for full and part time undergraduate students. Over 1,000 awards are made annually from over 150 individual scholarship funds. Most awards are restricted to residents of Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties; however, some are open to residents of neighboring counties as well. Information The online application is open until February 28th annually and can be found here.

The Greater Worcester Community Foundation

Greater Worcester Community Foundation offers many college scholarships, ranging in size from $300 to $5,000 to graduates of Worcester County high schools. Students apply online from January through early March. Recipients are selected in April and May. Scholarships are awarded for the following academic year beginning in September. Students must be full-time undergraduate students to apply. Using information from the scholarship application, Foundation staff match all applicants with the scholarships for which they are eligible. Applications are available here.

Western Massachusetts Scholarship Program

The Stephen Phillips Memorial Scholarship fund sponsors this program. Students who are permanent residents of Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, or Hampshire counties may apply. Applicants should have a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher, have a course of study related to social justice and/or environmental causes, and should have demonstrated financial need. Information on the application process can be found here.

Early Childhood Educators Scholarship

The Early Childhood Educators Scholarship is funded by the State of Massachusetts and is designed to provide assistance to Massachusetts residents who are Title IV eligible and who are pursuing careers related to Early Childhood Education. Students may be full or part time, but must be working for at least 6 months in an early educator or care program that is authorized or licensed by the State of Massachusetts and must remain employed while receiving funding through the program. Scholarships may be awarded up to $4,500 per semester and applications are open from April 1st to October 1st annually. Information on the application process can be found here.

Rhode Island Foundation Scholarships

The Rhode Island Foundation offers a variety of scholarship opportunities for students who live in the state of Rhode Island. Students must create an account and complete a universal eligibility quiz to determine which scholarships they are eligible to apply for. Then, the application can be completed within the scholarship portal. Deadlines vary based on specific scholarship requirements, but most scholarships have annual deadlines in the Spring. We encourage you to view available scholarships here.

One Family Scholars Program- MA

The One Family Scholars Program provides financial assistance, including scholarships, funds for books, supplies, and technology, and monthly stipends, to students who are single parents with dependents under the age of 18, living below 200% of the federal poverty level. Recipients must be Massachusetts residents enrolled in a degree granting program. The application for 2024-2025 opens April 1st, 2024 and closes July 21st, 2024. Find more information here.

Below is a list of resources that will assist in the search for scholarship opportunities for minority students.

• Top Scholarships For Black Students, And Where To Find More – Forbes Advisor
• Scholarship Program – Jackie Robinson Foundation
• Build your future with Google
• Scholarships (iamcybersafe.org)
• Ron Brown Scholarship – Ron Brown Scholar Program
• The Gates Scholarship: Scholarship Main

Below is a list of national scholarship search engines that may be useful in your scholarship search:

• Petersons.com
• Fastweb.com
• Scholarships.com
• USNews.com Scholarship Finder 

We encourage all Anna Maria College students to pursue as many outside scholarship opportunities as possible. If you are the recipient of an outside scholarship, you must report the award and the amount to the Office of Student Financial Aid. It is the student’s responsibility to make us aware of any source of funding not listed on your award letter. Federal regulations require that your total financial aid not exceed your calculated financial eligibility.  In some cases, outside scholarships may necessitate an adjustment to your financial aid package. Whenever possible, self-help awards (loans and/or employment programs) will be reduced before grants or scholarships are impacted.

With options ranging from institutional scholarships and federal loans to organizational grants and work-study programs, women pursuing post-secondary education can often secure funding from multiple sources to finance their collegiate experience. For many female students, however, the problem is finding scholarships catering specifically to their interests and goals. The guide below makes this process easier by highlighting the type of women’s funding programs available, providing insight on how to find and apply for scholarships, and giving advice on how to seek out unconventional funding sources. Click here for more information.

Anna Maria College is approved by the Board of Regents of Higher Education for the purpose of training veterans and other eligible persons. Veterans who are eligible to receive benefits should consult the Registrar’s Office for the specific details of application and enrollment certification. Any changes in course registration and/or full-time status must be promptly reported to the Registrar’s Office.

Anna Maria College offers generous need-based grants to students who show financial need based on the filing of their FAFSA each year.