Beacon Student Success Fellowship (BSSF)

Are you Pell-eligible and want to fund your summer Research, Study Abroad, or Internship Experience?

Can be used for:

Internships
Research
UMass Boston Study Abroad
Volunteer Opportunities

Check out pre-approved BSSF opportunities in Handshake here

Eligibility Requirements:

Open to undergraduates only
Must be Pell-eligible (for the ‘25-’26 academic year)
Be returning in your undergraduate program to UMass Boston in Fall 2026
- *BSSF applicants who are graduating in the summer ’26 who submit experiences that related to their academic program / career goals may also be considered
Be in good academic standing meeting satisfactory academic progress (at least cumulative 2.0 GPA or higher)
Meet financial aid satisfactory academic progress (complete at least 67% of the courses you attempt)

Important Deadlines:

BSSF Eligibility Application DUE: Friday April 17th, 2026 at 11:59 PM

Submit Experience via Handshake DUE: Friday April 17th, 2026 at 11:59 PM

As soon as you complete the Eligibility Application and Submit your Experience via Handshake, please read and understand the Financial Aid impact the BSSF award may have on you.

How to apply

Step 1. Complete the BSSF Eligibility Application

Instructions for the Eligibility Application

Step 2. Submit an Experience via Handshake

Instructions for How to Submit an Experience via Handshake

How your application will be assessed and scored by our review committee

When you Submit your Experience via Handshake, you will be asked to respond to three (3) prompts related to your BSSF experience and how it is aligned with the Career Readiness Competencies, as defined by the National Association of Colleges & Employers (NACE). Please refer to their “What is Career Readiness” webpage, and review our Assessment Rubric for the Career Readiness Competencies Prompts to learn more about the competencies and how you will be assessed.

Assessment Rubric for Career Readiness Competencies Prompts