Homeschool benefits: Quinsigamond Community College
Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) admits homeschool graduates who completed a district-approved home program, and Massachusetts residents who file the FAFSA or MASFA can attend with tuition and fees fully covered through Massachusetts Free Community College, worth $233 per credit. Students from other New England states do not get a discount: they pay in-state tuition plus a 50% surcharge.
Who qualifies
Completed an approved homeschool program
Send evidence with your admission application that your district superintendent or school committee approved the program. If your student is under 16, add a letter from the superintendent or school committee.
Lived in Massachusetts a year
Free Community College requires living in Massachusetts for at least one year before the first term, or approval as a Massachusetts High School Completer.
Files the FAFSA or MASFA
File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid each year, or the Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid (MASFA) if your student cannot file the FAFSA.
Has no bachelor's degree
Students who already hold a bachelor's degree or higher, or more than one associate degree, do not qualify.
What it is worth
QCC charges Massachusetts residents $233 per credit from fall 2026 on, $24 in tuition plus a $209 educational service fee; Free Community College covers all course-related tuition and fees for eligible students.
- One class (3 credits)
- $699
- Minimum free-tuition load (6 credits)
- $1,398
- Full-time semester (12 credits)
- $2,796
- One year at 12 credits a semester
- $5,592
- Two years at 12 credits a semester
- $11,184
Final 2026-2027 Free Community College guidelines were still listed as forthcoming, so confirm your student's award with the financial aid office before the bill is due.
From applying to keeping it
- Any time
Apply to QCC
Applications are open all year and there is no application fee. Include proof that your homeschool program was approved.
- Before you enroll
File the 2026-2027 FAFSA or MASFA
The 2026-2027 form covers both fall 2026 and spring 2027.
- Each semester
Enroll in at least 6 credits
Take at least six credits, usually two classes, in an approved associate degree or certificate program.
- After your award
Confirm your degree status
Complete the Degree Status Affirmation form on The Q before funds are paid out.
- Each year
File again
Submit a new FAFSA or MASFA every academic year and keep satisfactory academic progress.
What it pays for
Covered
- Tuition for eligible courses
- Course-related fees
- Up to $1,200 a year for books and supplies, based on need
Not covered
- Students with a bachelor's degree
- Students with more than one associate degree
- Students who have lived in Massachusetts less than a year
Free Community College is a state program that covers all course-related tuition and fees for eligible courses; the books allowance depends on household income and enrollment.
Good to know
Homeschool completion is not confirmed as eligible
QCC lists a high school diploma or equivalent as a requirement, so ask the financial aid office at 508-854-4261 or financialaid@qcc.mass.edu whether your student's approved homeschool completion meets it before you count on the award.
Who to contact
Admissions answers questions about homeschool documentation and the New England Regional Student Program, and financial aid handles Free Community College awards.
admissions@qcc.mass.edu 508-853-2300 Go to QCC for free
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Massachusetts
Obtain approval of your home education plan from the resident district before instruction begins or withdrawing a child of compulsory school age. Renewal and reporting follow the district’s homeschool policy.
Massachusetts sets these rules:
- Subjects: The approved plan must provide instruction in the studies required by law, equal in thoroughness, efficiency, and progress to the local public schools. Districts review content, materials, instructional time, methods, and evaluation.
- Testing: Assessment methods and reporting follow the locally approved plan. Massachusetts does not impose one statewide annual standardized-test requirement.
- Records: Keep the progress evidence and reports required by your approved district plan; the state does not prescribe a single homeschool portfolio format.
- Teachers: State educator-licensing requirements for public schools do not apply to home instruction.
Read the Massachusetts homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Massachusetts
Questions parents ask
- We live in New Hampshire. Do we get a discount at QCC?
- No. New England Regional Student Program students pay in-state tuition plus a 50% surcharge per credit, and only for a QCC program not offered at a public college in their home state.
- Can my student go part time?
- Yes, down to six credits a semester, which is usually two classes. Below that, the free tuition does not apply.
- Is there an application deadline?
- No fixed deadline is listed. QCC accepts applications all year, and the FAFSA or MASFA has to be refiled each academic year.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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