Massachusetts Launches “Go Higher” Brand and Ad Campaign Promoting Governor Healey’s College Affordability Initiatives

Massachusetts Launches “Go Higher” Brand and Ad Campaign Promoting Governor Healey’s College Affordability Initiatives  

BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced the launch of “Go Higher,” a new brand and awareness campaign designed to inspire more students to go to college by highlighting Governor Maura Healey’s efforts to make community college free and expand financial aid at public four-year colleges.  

 

The “Go Higher” campaign aims to increase exposure to higher education, improve the information pipeline, and build awareness of financial and institutional supports that help students see themselves in college. 

 

“We know that far too many students are held back from pursuing the college and career pathways they want because of high costs. That’s why we have worked with the Legislature to make higher education more affordable by making community college free and expanding financial aid at four-year colleges,” said Governor Healey. “Now, more students than ever before are attending college in Massachusetts, putting them on a path to stay in our state, make more income, and fill our workforce needs. We want to spread the word to people across the state that all of this is possible for them as well.” 

  

“Financial aid investments have shown us that when you put college within reach for more students, they show up eager to earn a better living,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Creating historic financial aid programs can only be successful if we’re intentional about building awareness that these opportunities exist. Go Higher helps break down barriers and spotlight opportunity, so more students and families know how Massachusetts is helping to make college part of their story.”  

 

The Go Higher campaign, which began on September 22, features billboards, MBTA posters, bus panels, indoor signage, and digital ads in both English and Spanish. Over an eight-week period, it will reach high school students and adult learners with a clear message: Massachusetts has doubled state financial aid and there are affordable higher education pathways for students across the state. 

 

Massachusetts’ Fiscal Year 2026 budget invests approximately $400 million in state financial aid programs. This funding continues investments that made public two-and four-year colleges and universities tuition and fee free for low-income students (those who qualify for federal Pell Grants); made community college tuition and fee free for qualifying students regardless of income level; continue offering need-based financial aid to students attending private institutions; and more. The Go Higher brand encompasses all forms of financial support, including grants, scholarships, loan forgiveness, tuition waivers, and in-state tuition.  

 

This effort builds on the administration’s Advisory Council to Advance Representation in Education (ACARE) recommendations that centered on increasing access, equity, and support for historically underserved and underrepresented students across Massachusetts. 

 

“Go Higher is part of a larger commitment to equity and representation for our learners,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. “As ACARE has underscored, it is not enough to remove financial barriers—we must also actively show students from every background that higher education is for them. This campaign makes that message visible across Massachusetts.” 

 

“Financial aid programs shouldn’t be limited to those who know to look for them,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega. “Go Higher helps us publicize all that Massachusetts offers to make college more affordable, and the more we tell students about these opportunities, the more we close the information gap that can keep them from going to college.”  

 

“We want Massachusetts students to know about the historic amounts of financial aid that is available to them right now,” said Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Pedro Martinez. “Go Higher is about sharing that information and letting students now that higher education is an affordable opportunity for them.” 

 

The Go Higher brand and campaign launched shortly before the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opened on October 1, 2025 for the 2026-2027 academic year. This will be the first time in three years that the federal form is expected to open on the traditional FAFSA open release date for all students, following delays the prior two years due to updates and improvements to the application. Students must complete the FAFSA to be eligible for consideration for state and federal financial aid programs. Alternatively, certain eligible students who cannot submit a FAFSA may submit a Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid (MASFA) to apply for state financial aid. 

 

This campaign also builds on efforts to spread awareness on financial aid last spring, such as the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s Financial Aid Road Show, in which officials visited eight schools across Massachusetts and spoke with hundreds of students about historic financial aid opportunities. This road show also coincided with the state’s “College is Possible” ad campaign that ran from late February to mid-May, targeting high school seniors and adult learners across Massachusetts with billboards and TV, radio, and digital ads in English and Spanish. 

 

For information about state financial aid programs, students should visit Mass.gov/GoHigher.