PITTSFIELD, Mass. - Gov. Maura Healey launched MassReconnect on Thursday. The new program now makes community college free for Massachusetts residents aged 25 years and older.

Healey hopes the program will be transformative, and said it's expected to support about 8,000 students across the state in its first year, including many at Berkshire Community College.

Healey made the announcement at MassBay Community College’s Wellesley Campus on Thursday. The MassReconnect launch awards $100,000 to all 15 community colleges in the state to help the program hit the ground running this fall.

The debt-free education initiative is limited to Massachusetts residents 25 or older who have not previously earned a college degree and enroll in at least six credits per semester. The program covers tuition and fees, and helps pay for books and supplies.

Berkshire Community College’s director of admissions Megan Lussier said removing the barrier of cost for thousands of students is an investment in the future of communities throughout the state.

“A majority of our students coming here are within the 25 to 40 year old range," Lussier said. "And so, this is really going to benefit those students here. We have seen an uptick in our application pool since the announcement has happened. I think there's going to be a huge sigh of relief for these students to able to get away from that financial burden that was tying them down to an educational journey. And now they're going to be able to set their goals high for themselves and their future.”

The state is encouraging eligible residents to enroll as soon as possible and interested students can enroll at any time, but lot of the community college programs start the first week of September. Berkshire Community College starts classes on Tuesday, Sept. 5.