Scholarships, apprenticeships and free or low-cost training, starting in New England and adding states one by one, with a source link and last-checked date on every listing.
Confirm with the provider before you apply. Never pay to apply for a scholarship. Confirm deadlines, eligibility and costs with the school or program.
Massachusetts: scholarships, apprenticeships and free training
Free college, apprenticeship doors, free training and scholarships for Massachusetts residents. 8 listings, each with its source and last-verified date (Oct 17, 2026). Types here: Apprenticeship, Free college, Free training, Pre-apprenticeship, Scholarship.
Confirm eligibility, amounts and dates on the provider's page before you apply. Never pay to apply for a scholarship. Scam check
Free 18-week, 300-hour welding program with hands-on practice, grant-funded through a partnership with Greater New Bedford Vocational Technical High School and area welding companies and funded by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.
Who it is for (as stated)
18 or older; Massachusetts resident; U.S. high school diploma or equivalency; MA driver's license or photo ID; authorized to work in the U.S.; pass CORI/SORI background check; reliable transportation; ready to work after completion (as stated).
Cost or award (as stated)
Free (as stated)
Deadline or timing
Application for MA residents: June 1 to December 31, 2026 (as shown on the page).
Associated Builders and Contractors of Massachusetts
Awards of $500 to $2,500 (non-renewable) for students in a formal construction training program from a licensed provider, a state- or federally-approved construction apprenticeship, or a construction bachelor's program. Preference to Massachusetts applicants. Awards are based on financial need, academics, activities and work experience.
Who it is for (as stated)
Students in construction training, approved construction apprenticeships or construction degrees; at least one full year remaining after the deadline (as stated).
Cost or award (as stated)
$500-$2,500 per award (as stated)
Deadline or timing
2026 deadline was May 29, 2026 (apprenticeship version for the Gould Construction Institute, and the collegiate version). Check for the 2027 cycle.
State guide to finding a registered apprenticeship; the state's 'Upcoming Apprentice Recruitments' page posts recruitment notices (recent items include union Local recruitments, sprinkler fitter organizations, early-childhood teacher apprenticeships, and culinary and housekeeping pre-apprenticeships). The page itself says it may not show every opportunity and suggests working with your local MassHire Career Center.
Who it is for (as stated)
Varies by program (Massachusetts law generally requires apprentices to be 16 or older).
Cost or award (as stated)
Apprenticeships are paid jobs with training (as described by the state).
Deadline or timing
Each recruitment sets its own dates; see the state's list.
Free pre-apprenticeship with 200+ hours of career-readiness and hands-on skills training to prepare you to compete for union apprenticeship openings. The first step is an information session. The page notes it is free to participants but not free to provide, so it looks for committed applicants.
Who it is for (as stated)
At least 18; resident of Suffolk, Norfolk, Middlesex or Essex County; high school diploma or equivalency; unemployed or under-employed; authorized to work in the U.S.; licensed driver; drug-free; proficient in English; no prior affiliation with a Massachusetts trades union (all as stated).
Cost or award (as stated)
Free to participants (as stated)
Deadline or timing
Information sessions held regularly through the year; sign up on the program page.
Emerge Career, listed by MassHire Central Career Centers (Worcester)
MassHire Central lists Emerge Career training in HVAC, diesel technician and CDL at no cost; the HVAC page says Emerge covers tuition, exam and permit fees, required physicals and transportation support, plus coaching and job placement.
Who it is for (as stated)
HVAC page: you or an immediate family member is or was justice-involved, and you live in Massachusetts. Check the diesel and CDL pages for their own rules.
Massachusetts public community colleges / Mass.gov
Covers tuition and fees at any of Massachusetts' 15 public community colleges for eligible students of any age, in approved certificate or associate programs (the Mass.gov page says EMT and paramedic initial-training courses are also eligible). Students may qualify for an allowance of up to $1,200 a year for books and supplies depending on income, and some for a second allowance.
Who it is for (as stated)
Massachusetts residents (one year) or High School Completers; no bachelor's degree; at least 6 credits a semester in an approved program; FAFSA (or MASFA if not FAFSA-eligible); not in default on student loans.
Cost or award (as stated)
Tuition and fees covered for eligible students (as stated)
Deadline or timing
No single state deadline: Mass.gov says awards are made by each college at enrollment through the year. Each college sets its own admission deadlines (for example, MassBay's page lists Aug 28, 2026 for Fall 2026 and says it is accepting Spring, Summer and Fall 2027 applications).
Catalog of no-cost training pending eligibility. Items listed when we read it included a 220-hour diesel technician course, a 10-week wastewater treatment operator course, a 5-week home energy rating field inspector mentorship, an 8-week biomanufacturing technician pathway, Mass Save Clean Energy Pathways, Worcester Building Pathways, and CDL permit training.
Who it is for (as stated)
Varies by program; the page says programs are free pending eligibility requirements.
Massachusetts Building and Construction Trades Council (MBTU)
Directory of union building-trades apprenticeships. The page says the trades and contractor partners run more than 40 joint apprenticeship training centers in Massachusetts, apprentices do not pay for training, and training runs two to five years depending on trade. It also lists pre-apprenticeship programs (Building Pathways in greater Boston and Worcester-Fitchburg, Building Pathways South, and Community Works in western Massachusetts).