Commonwealth Commitment
The Commonwealth Commitment offers reduced tuition and fees for Massachusetts students who complete community college and transfer to a state university.
Admissions → Transfer Students
Transfer Pathway Programs
MassArt participates in special transfer programs for those currently attending or looking to attend a Massachusetts Community College.
On average, 30% of newly enrolled transfer students each year have attended a community college in Massachusetts, and at MassArt we strive to make the transition into a 4-year college as smooth as possible.
Commonwealth Commitment
The Commonwealth Commitment is a pathway offered through the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education’s MassTransfer program. It allows Massachusetts students to significantly lower the cost of a bachelor’s degree by beginning their coursework at a state community college before transferring to a Massachusetts state university such as MassArt.
The Commonwealth Commitment is for Massachusetts high school students interested in attending MassArt who have the opportunity to take coursework equivalent to our Studio Foundation year (MassArt’s first-year student requirements) at any state community college and then transfer to MassArt as a sophomore with reduced tuition and fees among other benefits
Take the Commonwealth Commitment and pledge to enroll full-time and maintain a 3.00+ grade point average as you follow a MassTransfer A2B Mapped degree program.
On top of MassTransfer benefits, you will shave thousands of additional dollars off your degree sticker price through a combination of special savings offered only to Commonwealth Commitment students.
Commonwealth Commitment may also be a good option for students who would benefit from improving their GPA and/or portfolio at a community college before applying to MassArt.
- Begin at a Massachusetts community college and enroll in the Commonwealth Commitment program before completing 15 credits
- Take equivalent coursework to MassArt’s required Foundation year outlined in our A2B pathways (all MassArt students are required to begin their studies as a first-year student in the Foundation program before beginning in their chosen major)
- Transfer to MassArt after one year*
- Complete their bachelor’s degree within 3 years at MassArt
- Maintain full-time, continuous enrollment and a cumulative 3.00+ GPA, in order to stay enrolled in the program
*Because MassArt has a highly sequential curriculum, we have a unique relationship with the Commonwealth Commitment. Students are able to apply to transfer to MassArt after one year because community colleges seldom have the equivalents to MassArt’s specific sophomore major studio requirements. Commonwealth Commitment students typically transfer in as sophomores and spend 3 years earning their BFA at MassArt. Students can transfer their MassArt credits back to the community college to earn their associate degree
Freeze on all increases on tuition & mandatory fees upon program entry (valid until student successfully completes or leaves Commonwealth Commitment program)
- A 10% rebate off tuition & mandatory fees, payable at the end of every successfully completed semester
- Additional MassTransfer Tuition Credit on bachelor’s degree program entry (valued at $1,030 per year)
- Guaranteed Admission – space permitting and pending portfolio review*
- Students applying to transfer to MassArt must complete an application via the CommonApp and submit an essay as well as a portfolio; learn more about MassArt’s application requirements
*Students must submit coursework samples from each studio class in their application portfolio.
- Start by researching the right community college for you.
Students who are interested in transferring to MassArt will want to ensure their community college offers equivalent coursework to MassArt’s Foundation year program. Students will also want to factor in location, student services, elective course offerings, etc. - Connect with a counselor and enroll in Commonwealth Commitment. Students can speak with a transfer counselor at their community college about filling out their Commonwealth Commitment participation form (students must submit their participation form prior to earning 15 college credits at the community college, excluding dual enrollment credits or development courses).
Once enrolled, you may want to talk to your transfer counselor or an academic advisor to make sure you are enrolling in the right courses to set you up for a smooth transfer. Students should have at least eight out of MassArt’s ten Foundation requirements completed in order to be eligible to transfer at the sophomore level (students can “make up” up to two remaining requirements at MassArt). You can reference MassArt’s Foundation course equivalency chart. For additional support, you can also connect with Shannon Gallagher, Transfer Admissions Counselor at MassArt, at sagallagher@massart.edu. - Ace your classes!
In order for credit to transfer, students must earn a grade of ‘C’ or higher in courses that are 100-level or higher. Keep in mind that studio credit is evaluated based on your transcripts as well as your portfolio; please document and save your artwork to include in the portfolio portion of your application. Ideally, students should have 3-5 work samples from each studio class. Portfolios should include 20-30 pieces overall. Please review MassArt’s portfolio tips. - Ready to apply?
Commonwealth Commitment students transferring in at the sophomore level must begin their coursework at MassArt in the Fall (some programs do make exceptions, please inquire). The application deadline for the fall semester is March 1. After the Common Application is submitted you will receive two emails with login information and a link to the MassArt Applicant Portal. It can take up to 24-hours after submitting your Common Application to receive these emails – plan your time accordingly. - MassArt Transfer Application
Once you submit your application and all required materials, the admissions team will review your materials and verify your eligibility for the program. An application fee waiver will be granted once your eligibility has been verified.
MassTransfer
Are you a Massachusetts high school student interested in attending MassArt? If so, you can earn significant savings on the cost of your education while strengthening your application to MassArt by participating in the state’s MassTransfer program.
Through the program, you would begin your coursework at a local community college by following MassTransfer’s 30-credit A2B Mapped Pathway (and take equivalent coursework to MassArt’s first-year student requirements). Upon completion, you would transfer to MassArt at the sophomore level into the undergraduate program of your choice, pending space availability.
Students who are not eligible for Commonwealth Commitment are encouraged to check out the MassTransfer A2B Pathway. The A2B pathway offers students the flexibility to take less than a full-time course load each semester while still providing application and tuition benefits (though benefits are not as extensive as with Commonwealth Commitment).
Visit Masstransfer Comparison Page
Students are also encouraged to reference MassArt’s Transfer Credit Guidelines and Transfer Application Checklist when ready to apply.
Pathway Partnerships:
Articulation Agreements
Greenfield Community College
Greenfield Community College (GCC) and MassArt participate in articulation agreements that guarantee transfer credit of appropriate courses from GCC to MassArt into the specific major areas of Painting, Photography, and Studio For Interrelated Media (SIM).
Please view the pdfs below to view coursework required to transfer:
Students at Greenfield Community College are eligible for transfer under this articulation agreement if they meet the following criteria:
- have earned an Associates’ Degree in Art (Art/Visual Art) from Greenfield Community College; and
- have achieved a 3.0 or higher overall GPA in their Greenfield program, and
- have completed all program pathway requirements outlined below .
Students who satisfy the requirements of the Articulation Agreement are eligible for the following benefits:
- Guaranteed Acceptance to MassArt pending portfolio review provided they complete all pathway requirements.
- Guarantee of Junior Status at MassArt upon matriculation.
- Guarantee transfer of credits, provided credits meet MassArt’s transfer credit guidelines.
Students who complete the GCC-MassArt program pathway are also eligible for additional MassTransfer benefits. Additional benefits per the MassTransfer A2B agreement:
- MassTransfer tuition credit for students who earn a 3.0 or higher GPA.
- Waived application fee (students can contact MassArt admissions for more information on the application fee waiver).
Students who complete the GCC-MassArt program pathway may be eligible for additional Commonwealth Commitment benefits: Additional benefits per the MassTransfer A2B agreement:
- Freeze on tuition and mandatory fees on program entry and 10% end of semester rebate check.
- Students must maintain full time enrollment, maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher, complete their associate degree within 2.5 years, and complete their bachelor’s degree within 2 additional years to remain eligible for Commonwealth Commitment benefits.
(Students not meeting the above criteria may still apply for transfer admission to MassArt) Students who apply for other concentrations may enter at the freshman, sophomore, second-semester sophomore, or junior level. MassArt faculty determine entrance level and major-course requirements based upon portfolio review.
