Paul Tsongas Scholarship
Offered by Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance · Free to apply
The Paul Tsongas Scholarship is a merit tuition waiver at Massachusetts's state universities (Bridgewater, Fitchburg, Framingham, MassArt, MCLA, Salem, Westfield and Worcester). It rewards students with a high school GPA of at least 3.75 and an SAT of at least 1200 (or ACT equivalent), plus any criteria each university sets. Each university may award only five new Tsongas waivers a year, so it is highly selective on each campus. Recipients must keep a 3.3 GPA for four years and file the FAFSA or MASFA. Students apply through the state university they plan to attend.
Other deadlines near this one
How hard is the Paul Tsongas Scholarship to win?
A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first. No published applicant or winner counts exist for this award, so Solyo shows no odds figure.
- Odds
- no published selection data
- Paperwork
- ~2 hrs to file
What drives the odds here
Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.
- Fewer rivalsOpen only to Massachusetts residents
- Fewer rivalsAn official transcript is required
- Fewer rivalsRequires at least a 3.75 GPA
- Fewer rivalsRequires a minimum test score
How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.
Who can apply for the Paul Tsongas Scholarship?
These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.
- Must be a resident of Massachusetts
- Must attend a college in Massachusetts (the award does not travel out of state)
- Open to high school seniors and current college students
- GPA of 3.75 or higher (unweighted)
- SAT score of 1200 or higher
- Must meet the state university's own selection criteria
- Each state university awards at most five new Tsongas waivers a year
Personalized matching
Does your student actually qualify?
Not sure your student clears every rule above? Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.
What the application takes
- Transcript required. Request it from the school registrar ahead of the deadline.
Deadline and application cycle
The next projected deadline is June 30, 2027 (estimated). The last verified deadline has passed; the next cycle is projected from this award's usual June 30 deadline. Confirm the exact date on the official site. Ask each state university's admissions or aid office about its Tsongas process when applying in the fall of senior year.
- Applications close
- June 30, 2027 (estimated)
Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee. We use your student's information only to build their plan.
Common questions about the Paul Tsongas Scholarship
How much is the Paul Tsongas Scholarship worth?
The Paul Tsongas Scholarship awards tuition waiver at a Massachusetts state university and is renewable in later years.
When is the Paul Tsongas Scholarship deadline?
The next projected deadline is June 30, 2027 (estimated). The last verified deadline has passed; the next cycle is projected from this award's usual June 30 deadline. Confirm the exact date on the official site. Ask each state university's admissions or aid office about its Tsongas process when applying in the fall of senior year.
Who is eligible for the Paul Tsongas Scholarship?
Key requirements: Must be a resident of Massachusetts; Must attend a college in Massachusetts (the award does not travel out of state); Open to high school seniors and current college students; GPA of 3.75 or higher (unweighted). 1 more criteria are listed on this page.
Does the Paul Tsongas Scholarship require an essay?
No essay is required. The application does ask for a transcript. Expect to spend about 2 hours on it.
How hard is it to win the Paul Tsongas Scholarship?
A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first. No published applicant or winner counts exist for this award, so Solyo shows no odds figure. What is known: open only to Massachusetts residents and an official transcript is required. Plan on about 2 hrs of work.
Is the Paul Tsongas Scholarship free to apply?
Yes. The Paul Tsongas Scholarship is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.
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Lists this award appears on
Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.