UMass Boston

Talk to your school counselor or the UMass Boston Early College staff associated with your high school. Your school counselor can share information about the program and support you with your application. 

Students should speak with their high school counselor or the early college director at their high school. All students who have an IEP or 504 Plan are also recommended to sign up with UMass Boston’s Ross Center for Disabilities Services to receive support and accommodations for their college classes.

Yes! Early College courses are offered through UMass Boston and are taught by UMass Boston faculty. You will earn college credit that can be applied toward both your high school and college requirements.

College classes generally require students to be more independent and take more responsibility for their own learning than a high school class. Students should have good attendance and come to class on time, prepared, and ready to participate. Early College students receive comprehensive support from advising, tutoring, mentoring, and career coaching services, among other support and resources.

Successful completion of Early College courses taken at UMass Boston will be added to a student’s high school transcript and appear on their UMass Boston transcript.

Yes! Early College courses completed with a grade of C or better are transferable to other Massachusetts public colleges and universities. We cannot guarantee that private or out-of-state universities will accept all credits, as transfer credit acceptance policies vary by institution. We recommend speaking to an admissions counselor.

Early College students are UMass Boston students and have access to all the support and resources available on campus. Early College students are provided with robust wraparound support, including:

• Embedded tutor-mentors in first-year courses. Tutor-mentors are college students who work directly with Early College students and support them at their high school and on campus. Early College students also have specialized access to the Center for Academic Excellence as a resource for additional tutoring and academic support.
• Access to the Writing Center
• Designated Early College advising coaches. Advising coaches will provide academic and career support both at the high school and at the UMass Boston campus.
• Support from UMass Boston Early College associate directors. Directors work directly with partner high schools.

The following websites contain more information about Early College programs in Massachusetts:

• Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
• Mass Department of Education: Early College
• Massachusetts Alliance for Early College (MA4EC)

Early College classes through UMass Boston are FREE to participating high school students. There is no cost to students or families for tuition, books, or transportation.

Early College is funded through multiple funding streams, including state reimbursement for designated programs and generous philanthropic support.

Please email earlycollege@umb.edu or call 617.287.5840.

Please email the Early College Director, Andrea Dawes, to discuss. We would love to hear from you.

Early College is always looking to partner across campus. Please email the Early College Director, Andrea Dawes, to discuss.