Christian A. Herter Memorial Scholarship Program

The Christian A. Herter Memorial Scholarship Program was established in 1972 by the Massachusetts State Legislature to recruit students in the 10th and 11th grades whose socio-economic backgrounds and environmental conditions may inhibit their ability to attain educational goals. The students selected for this program must have overcome major adversity in their lives, such as physical or mental abuse, catastrophic illness, or other significant obstacles that may be mental, physical, geographic, or societal in nature. Massachusetts students who demonstrate academic promise and desire to attend post-secondary institutions may receive up to 50% of their calculated need at the college of their choice within the continental United States. Eligible applicants must physically reside in Massachusetts, have a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, exhibit difficult personal circumstances, high financial need, and strong academic promise to continue education beyond the secondary level. Students must be enrolled in the 10th or 11th grade in a public or private secondary school in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and must be nominated by a school or qualified community agency or organization. Upon receiving the scholarship and graduating from high school, recipients must be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student in an eligible program and complete the FAFSA annually. Scholarship awards vary and are based on educational costs, including tuition, room, board, required fees, books, and transportation.