Enrollment

General Requirements

In-State Residency Requirements

Massachusetts residency for in-state tuition is determined by the Office of Admissions as defined by the Department of Higher Education Residency Status for Tuition Classification Purposes Policy and by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Tuition Equity law of 2024. A Massachusetts resident is currently defined as a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or a lawful immigrant. A resident must have proof of a minimum of six (6) consecutive months of permanent primary domicile in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts prior to the first day of the semester and present evidence of intent to live in Massachusetts indefinitely. They must also be able to provide two of the following documents establishing the “intent to remain” a Massachusetts resident: valid MA Driver’s License, valid MA Vehicle Registration, MA High School Diploma, MA voter registration, MA utility bill, or lease/mortgage agreement.

People who live in Massachusetts who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents and are not a foreign national with an official temporary status in the United States (such as diplomatic officials or someone authorized to be in the US under an international students, work or visitor visa) may also be eligible for in-state tuition rates if they earned a high school diploma or equivalent in Massachusetts after attending a Massachusetts high school for at least three years. In this case, candidates must provide documentation that they have registered for military selective service (if born male), and that they either have a Social Security Number, an Individual Taxpayer ID Number or sign an affidavit that they will apply for US citizenship or permanent residency as soon as they are eligible to do so.    

Nonresidents may attend MassBay at the out-of-state tuition rate. For more information, please contact the Office of Admissions on 781-239-2500.

International Students

Support services for international students are provided from acceptance to the College and continue throughout their academic experience. When submitting an International Student Application, students should include the following:

1. A completed MassBay application.
2. Documentation of English Language Proficiency, which may be demonstrated by any of these methods:

• Accuplacer English placement into ESL IV or higher.  This assessment is free and available online through MassBay. 
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 68 or higher.
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.0 or higher.
• SATs are not required. If students have taken the SAT and have obtained a score of 450 or higher on the Critical Reading section of the SAT, then no additional proof of language proficiency is required.
• Documentation of English proficiency is not required if student is a native English speaker and attended an international high school where English is the language of instruction. 
• If student passed Freshman English at another US college or university with a grade of C- or higher, then no additional proof of language proficiency is required.

  3. Proof of high school graduation or equivalency.

MassBay Community College requires that international applicants have their educational documents evaluated by an educational evaluation agency such as Spantran Educational Services, the Center for Educational Documentation, World Education Services, Education Credential Evaluators, or any agency appearing on the state approved list: Foreign Degree and Credit Equivalency. Please contact the Admissions Office at 781-239-2500 for more information.

Once the College receives all required documents, the Office of Admissions will notify students in writing of their admission status. Upon receiving an acceptance letter, students must submit the following forms to the Office of Admissions to receive their Certificate of Eligibility (I-20):

• I-20 Request Form
• Notarized financial statement verifying that a student has sufficient funds in U.S. dollars available as their source of financial support for the first 9 months of their educational and living expenses while studying in the U.S. (Note, this amount is subject to change)
• If a student’s sponsor is someone other than their parent or legal guardian, the sponsor must submit a letter to the Admissions Office verifying that they will be assuming financial responsibility for the student
• Copy of passport
• Transfer Request form (if currently on the F-1 visa with a different college or university)
   

International students must maintain a minimum of twelve (12) credit hours per semester and twenty-four (24) credits per year.

International students studying on an F-1 Visa are required to pay the non-Massachusetts resident tuition and fees. International students are not eligible to apply Federal financial aid at MassBay but may apply for scholarships through the MassBay Foundation.

Students seeking to transfer a Certificate of Eligibility I-20 from another U.S. SEVIS authorized institution should seek assistance with this process from the Admissions Office at 781-239-2500.  Students in the USA on a non-immigrant visa who want to change their status and obtain an F-1 student visa should consult with an immigration attorney. Please contact the Admissions Office at 781-239-2500 for more information

MassBay is a commuter school, which means that our students take public transportation or drive to campus.  We do not have dormitories, but our students are eligible to apply for housing at Framingham State University. Visit MassBay Housing Resources for more information. Apartment rentals, homestay companies, international student residences and furniture rentals are available in the Metro West and greater Boston area. The Office of Admissions provides a list of housing resources, but is not responsible for placement or details concerning all aspects of student housing.

Open Houses and Information Sessions

MassBay hosts fall and spring Open House events. In addition, MassBay offers general information sessions, Division of Health Sciences information sessions on the Framingham Campus, and Automotive Technology information sessions at the Ashland Technology Center on a regular basis.

Anyone interested in enrolling at MassBay is encouraged to attend an appropriate event to learn more about the programs and what MassBay has to offer. For more information about upcoming information sessions and to make a reservation, please visit the MassBay website at MassBay Information Sessions - www.massbay.edu/infosessions.

Campus Tours

Campus tours can be scheduled on our website MassBay Information Sessions or by contacting the Office of Admissions at 781-239-2500.

Non-Degree Seeking Students

Students who intend to take a course or courses to transfer, and do not intend to obtain an associate degree or certificate from MassBay may register for classes without submitting an application for admission. Students who are enrolling in a course(s) that requires a prerequisite must provide information on how the prerequisite has been met. Please note, students in this category are considered “non-matriculated” or “non-degree” seeking students, are not eligible for financial aid, and may not participate in varsity athletics.

Student Immunization

Massachusetts General Law requires all full-time students, international students and all students in a health science program who have contact with patients to obtain a physician’s certificate that the student has received the following immunizations:

1. Two doses of live measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine given at least four weeks apart beginning or after 12 months of age;
2. A single dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) vaccine received any time at or after 7 years of age. If it has been more than 10 years since Tdap was given, a dose of Td is recommended;
3. Three doses of hepatitis B vaccine;
4. Two doses of live varicella vaccine given at least four weeks apart; and
5. A single dose of MenACWY meningococcal vaccine for newly enrolled full-time students 21 years of age or younger received on or after the 16th birthday.

The requirements shall not apply where:

1. The student provides written documentation that he or she meets the standards for medical or religious exemption;
2. The student provides appropriate documentation, including a copy of a school immunization record, indicating receipt of the required immunizations; or
3. In the case of measles, mumps or rubella, hepatitis B, or varicella, the student presents laboratory evidence of immunity (titers).
4. For meningococcal, the student files a signed meningococcal vaccine waiver.

Students enrolled in a health science program shall also comply with immunization requirements outlined by the Division of Health Sciences.

Students who are required to submit their immunization documentation will be sent a communication to their MassBay email outlining the process to submit their immunizations to the College. Once a student receives the instructions, they should submit their documents as soon as possible as state law requires that the immunization forms be submitted within 30 days of the start of the semester. Please note immunization records are retained by the College for five (5) years. For more information or questions, please contact Student Development at studentdevelopment@massbay.edu or 781-239-3142 or the Immunization Requirements webpage.

Under-Aged Students

The College reserves the right to limit or deny enrollment in a course or program to any student under the age of 16. Admission to the College will be based on a case-by-case review of a variety of factors including but not limited to the student’s maturity, life experience, placement test scores, prior education, course content, instructional methodology, and potential risks associated with participation in a particular course or program.

Home Schooling Policy

All home-schooled students without a high school diploma or GED are eligible to apply for admission to a MassBay degree or certificate program provided they have successfully completed an approved home-school program in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws or the laws of their home state.

The College determines whether students have participated in an approved home-school program. Students shall submit with their application for admission evidence that the 12th and final year of a home-school program was approved by their school district superintendent or school committee: a letter from the student’s school district superintendent or school committee is required.  Once a student has provided a letter from the school district documenting that the student’s 12^th grade home-school program was approved, the student or student’s family may certify completion of the approved program. Home-schooled students who have not completed an approved home-school program will not be eligible to enroll in a MassBay degree or certificate program until they have obtained a GED.

New England Regional Student Program

Under the New England Regional Student Program, if a student claims residency in a New England state other than Massachusetts, the student may be able to attend MassBay for 150% of the in-state tuition rate, which is less than the out-of-state tuition rate. MassBay offers this rate for all certificates and degree programs.

Dual Enrollment

The Dual Enrollment program at MassBay allows qualified high school and home-schooled students to enroll in college courses.

With agreement from the students’ high school, participating students may receive both high school and college credit for their course work.

Dual Enrollment requirements:

• Current high school student or currently participating in an approved home-school program.
• Completion of the Dual Enrollment Agreement.
• Overall high school grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 out of 4.0 or higher.
• Placement into college-level math or English classes.

Admission into Specialized & Restricted/Criteria-Based Programs

Admission into some programs is restricted/criteria-based due to a limited number of openings. In addition to general admission requirements, these programs have specific placement testing, course completion, and/or grade requirements. All applicants to restricted/criteria-based programs will initially be offered acceptance into the General Studies program. When admission requirements/criteria have been completed, a student may be considered for a restricted/criteria-based program.

Automotive Technology Requirements

All Automotive programs are selective (restricted/criteria-based) with admissions requirements including a valid driver’s license, and minimum English and math proficiency. 

In addition, each of the automotive technology programs involves physical requirements (commonly called Technical Standards) that candidates must be able to perform in order to participate. The ability to perform these tasks and functions is considered essential to the automotive technology programs.

A checklist of the specific Technical Standards necessary for each program is available through the Office of Admissions. Candidates are encouraged to review the list. Candidates with doubts about their ability to perform any of the functions should consult with their health care provider. If candidates or their health care provider feel that some form of accommodation would allow candidates to meet the performance requirements, they should contact the Accessibility Resources Center. For additional information, contact the Office of Admissions at 781-239-2500.

The Automotive Technology program curriculum features a cooperative education (coop) component. Securing a dealer sponsorship commitment is strongly recommended prior to enrollment in a MassBay automotive technology program.

Health Sciences Program Requirement

All but one of our Health Sciences programs are selective. The exception is Medical Coding. Students seeking admission to a health sciences program may be evaluated by grade point average (GPA) and pre-admissions requirements. Science courses must be repeated if they were taken more than five years before the time of matriculation/acceptance into a MassBay health sciences program. In some programs, science courses may only be repeated once.

Prospective applicants to health sciences programs are required to attend an information session as the first step in their application process. Sessions are regularly scheduled by the Office of Admissions. For a current schedule and to make a reservation, visit the MassBay website or contact the Office of Admissions at 781-239-2500.

Applicants to health sciences programs must have all admission requirements completed and evaluated by deadlines published on our web site to be considered for a seat in a program.  For more information, visit Selective Admissions for Health Sciences.

CPR Requirements

Proof of CPR is required for most health sciences programs prior to the beginning of the first semester.  The Basic Life Support Provider certification from the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, or the equivalent through the Military Training Network meets this requirement.

Students who do not have this certification may enroll in a Basic Life Support Provider course through the MassBay Office of Corporate Partnerships & Workforce Development (CPWD).

For more information about the CPWD, please visit MassBay CPWD.

Health Sciences Policies

Students enrolled in MassBay health sciences programs must adhere to policies developed to meet the requirements of their accrediting and regulatory agencies. In addition to academic requirements, there are clinical and affective domain (behavioral) policies for each program. These policies are detailed in the Division of Health Sciences Student Handbook, which is available for viewing and downloading on the MassBay website. A copy of the handbook is provided to each student as part of the orientation process.

Health Sciences Readmission Policy

Students who have been dismissed or who have withdrawn from any program within the Division of Health Sciences (DHS) at MassBay will be considered only once for readmission to the same program. Students who have not been successful in one health science program can apply for admission to a different health program if they have an overall College GPA of 2.0 or better. Students who have been dismissed or withdrawn from a program for reasons of “clinically unsafe practice/behavior” as defined in the DHS Student Handbook and Policy Manual (see E.14.0) or who violate the College’s Student Code of Conduct are not eligible for admission/readmission to any DHS program. See program addendums for specific requirements for admission/readmission.

An application for readmission must be made within 12 months of withdrawal or dismissal from the original program. Readmission application deadlines are February 1 for the fall semester and June 1 for the spring semester. Qualified candidates will be selected from a readmission pool and based on the seat availability for that course and/or program.

Based on specific course/program requirements and accreditation standards, students may be required to retake courses, or take competency exams or skill testing prior to readmission, even if courses have been completed successfully. Should a student not attain a passing grade on skill or competency testing, they will be required to retake a course(s) in its entirety. Also, the student may need to retake the HESI Admission A2 or TEAS Exam if it has been more than two years since they took the HESI exam or three years since they took the TEAS exam.

Search of Records for Past Criminal or Sexual Offenses

Any MassBay health sciences student whose course work or clinical placement activity requires direct access to patients who are children, elderly, or disabled, or other at-risk populations, must submit to a criminal history check. Acceptance or enrollment in a health sciences program does not guarantee a student will be allowed licensure. It is the student’s responsibility to work with the appropriate state licensing board to determine eligibility to sit for a licensing examination. The purpose of the background check is to ensure public safety and avoid unacceptable risk to vulnerable populations.

There are three types of required background checks: CORI, SORI and Supplemental:

CORI and SORI -The student must complete the CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) form to authorize a search of conviction and pending criminal case information under Standard Required Level I (Clinical student access to kids or patients) by the Massachusetts Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (803 CMR 2.05). As required, students must provide the last six digits of their social security number on the CORI form and present a valid government issued ID (such as a license or passport) to verifying staff. Students must also complete the SORI (Sex Offender Registry Information) form.

The CORI and SORI completion process occurs as part of the program orientation process prior to the beginning of health sciences programs. MassBay’s Division of Health Sciences may conduct subsequent CORI checks within one year of the date the form was signed by a student. The Division of Health Sciences will first provide students with written notice of the check. Students will be asked to complete CORI and SORI release forms prior to each following academic year if they are enrolled in a program longer than 12 months.  Students may also be required to complete subsequent CORI and SORI request forms according to clinical facility requirements.

The Supplemental background checks include a National County Records search, Social Security Number validation, and healthcare fraud and abuse checks (OIG/GSA).  These checks will be conducted within the health sciences student’s account on www.viewpointscreening.com.

If a CORI and/or SORI Report or National County Background Check is returned with a finding(s), it may or may not prohibit progression in a health sciences program. CORI and/or SORI finding(s) will be forwarded to a college-wide Review Committee, and the student will be invited to the review session. The final decision regarding a student’s progression in a health sciences program will be determined at that time.

Some health care facilities may require supplemental information and/or screening from students prior to clinical placement. These include, but are not limited to, submission of social security numbers, finger-printing, drug-testing, CORI checks, and proof of immunizations. It is the policy of MassBay Community College to review these requirements prior to clinical placement to ensure that students’ rights and privacy are protected in accordance with state and federal laws. Additional fees may also apply.

Health/Immunization Records

Health sciences students must have had a physical exam within one year prior to entry into a health program. Students must obtain their health care provider’s documentation of a physical exam and verification that all required immunizations are current. Required immunizations include:

• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) 2-dose vaccine or Titer (laboratory evidence of immunity)
• Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis (Td/TDAP) booster within the past 10 years
• 2-Step Tuberculin Test within the last six months, QuantiFERON or T-Spot blood test, or chest x-ray with documentation of a negative symptom review check annually thereafter
• Varicella 2-dose vaccine or Titer
• Hepatitis B 3-dose or Heplisay-B 2-dose vaccine series and an Antibody Titer 1 - 2 months following completion of the series. This requirement must be completed prior to entry into a health sciences program. It takes six months to complete the Hepatitis B vaccination process. EMT students are required to submit the vaccine only.
• Seasonal influenza vaccine
• A single dose of MenACWY meningococcal vaccine for newly enrolled Health Science students 21 years of age or younger received on or after the 16th birthday or signed declination form.
• Covid-19 Vaccine and bivalent booster dose.
• Titers must be submitted on official laboratory reports. The TB test and seasonal influenza vaccine must be updated annually

All immunization and CPR documentation will be managed by Viewpoint Screening, a secure, web-based platform. Once enrolled in a health sciences program, students will receive instructions on how to create a personal profile on and upload their immunization and CPR documentation to the Viewpoint Screening website. Viewpoint Screening will send email alerts to students when documentation is missing, incomplete, or in need of updating. Students are responsible for reading these email alerts. Health Sciences faculty will refer to Viewpoint Screening data to determine whether students are cleared to attend clinical or field experience rotations.

Authorization for Release of Medical Information

The Physical Examination & Immunization Record form requires the student’s signature authorizing the release of immunization information to clinical affiliated agencies. College policies regarding student rights will be maintained. The Federal Family Education Rights in Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) prevents unauthorized individuals from gaining access to educational records, health records, and disability information. Students must provide written permission to release or disclose such information. Students must grant permission for the sharing of any information between the College and clinical facility that is relevant to the success of the clinical experience.

Minimum Technical/Performance Standards

MassBay’s health sciences programs have technical standards that candidates must be able to perform in order to successfully and safely complete the program. The categories of functions include muscular and skeletal, auditory visual, manual dexterity and fine motor skills, verbal, olfactory, and environmental.

A list of the technical standards for each program is available through the Division of Health Sciences, and students must sign the technical standards forms indicating their ability to perform. Prospective students are encouraged to review the list of physical requirements. Candidates with any concerns about their ability to perform any of the functions should consult with their health care provider. Should candidates or their health care provider feel that some form of accommodation would allow candidates to meet performance requirements, they should contact the Accessibility Resources Center. For additional information, contact the Office of Admissions on 781-239-2500. The Technical Standards form can also be found in the Division of Health Sciences Student Handbook - www.massbay.edu/health-sciences-handbooks - and in the Office of Admissions - www.massbay.edu/selective-admissions.

Medical Leave Policy

Students can be withdrawn from a course mid-semester with verified medical or family illness documentation. Restrictions may apply to the restricted health science programs. Students who are granted medical or family leave will be accommodated in the subsequent offering of that course on a space available basis, after first providing medical documentation approving their participation. Students seeking readmission to a restricted health science program must contact the Department Chair by the required date. Students will have 12 months to be reinstated in the withdrawn course for medical reasons.

In order to complete a medical withdrawal, please contact Student Development. If you are in a restricted health science program, please first meet with the Academic Dean.