Early Childhood Educators Scholarship Program

The Early Childhood Educators Scholarship Program was established by the Massachusetts Legislature to increase the credentials and qualifications of the early education and care workforce. The ECE Scholarship is available annually and is a joint initiative between the Department of Higher Education (DHE) Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) and the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC). 

Qualified applicants who attend Salem State University can receive up to $400 per credit with a maximum allowance of $3,600 per semester.

Visit the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education website for official information and to start your application.

To be eligible for the Early Childhood Educators Scholarship, an applicant must:

• Be a permanent legal resident of Massachusetts.
• Be a U.S. Citizen or non-citizen eligible under Title IV regulations.
• Have applied for financial aid, using the standard Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• Not be in default of any federal or state Student Loans for attendance at any institution or owe a refund for any previous financial aid received.
• Enroll, as a matriculated student, in an undergraduate degree program, full or part-time, in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Family Studies, Child Care Administration or fields that directly name early child development and its specific areas of inquiry.

  Eligible graduate programs include these same categories as well as Early Childhood Research, Policy and Practice; Education Entrepreneurship; and Learning Sciences. Salem State's MEd, advanced early childhood also qualifies.

• Be employed, for at least six months, as an educator or provider in an early education and care program or out-of-school time program that is licensed or authorized by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) and continue employment in this field while pursuing the approved course of study.
• Sign an agreement to continue employment as an early childhood educator or provider in Massachusetts upon completing the degree requirement or repay funds as defined.
• Students must either be pursuing their first bachelor’s degree or pursuing a master’s degree in an approved program, as defined.

• Complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• Create a MASSAid Student Portal account if you do not already have one.
• Complete the ECE Scholarship application in the MASSAid Student Portal system.
• Applicants must have an active ECE Professional Qualifications Registry Number to be considered for the ECE Scholarship. If you do not have an active EEC PQ Registry Number, visit the PQ Registry. 

The 2022-2023 application must be completed by August 1, 2023.