Costs - Merit Scholarships
The University of Maine’s university-wide Merit Scholarship Program is administered by the Office of Admissions. It is designed to acknowledge and attract excellent students to Maine’s only major research, land-grant and sea-grant university. Awards to students who are residents of Maine are designed to assist with the cost of in-state tuition and fees. Awards to students who are not residents of the Maine are designed to assist with the difference between the cost of their tuition and fees, and in-state tuition and fees. Merit awards are made to new, incoming, first-time, first-year and transfer students who enter in the fall semester. First priority for the university-wide Merit Awards is given to first-year students accepted through the Early Action Admission Program (a complete application and all required official documents on file by Dec. 15) and to transfer students who have submitted a complete application by Feb. 1. Students submitting a complete application after the above dates will only be considered for a Merit Award if funds remain available.
Awards are made based on official information presented as part of a complete application that is on file at the time that the application is reviewed. First-year students hoping to qualify for Merit Awards are encouraged to take their standardized tests (SAT/ACT) no later than October of their senior year and to request that official scores be sent directly to UMaine from the testing agency when they register for the test. This will ensure the receipt of their test results in time for consideration during Early Action. First-year Merit Awards are renewable for up to eight semesters of full-time enrollment, provided the student maintains a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA). The amount of the award varies with the type of Merit Award, academic qualifications, standardized test scores and the student’s tuition residency status (in-state, out-of-state, New England Regional Student Program, Canadian or International). Students generally qualify for only one (the most competitive) Merit Award.
If you will be a first-year applicant planning to enroll full-time in the fall semester you can use the University’s Net Price Calculator to estimate any merit award you might be eligible for, you can also estimate your net price after financial aid. To go to UMaine’s Net Price Calculator please click here.
In addition to the university-wide Merit Scholarship Program that is administered by the Admissions Office, some academic departments and colleges, as well as the Athletics Department and the University of Maine Foundation, offer scholarships for incoming and continuing students. For more information, visit the scholarship page of the Office of Student Financial Aid.
Criteria for Selection
Merit Scholarship Awards are made to incoming, new, first-time first-year and transfer undergraduate accepted applicants, who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the USA, beginning their studies at UMaine in the fall semester. (International students should contact the Office of International Programs for information on merit-based awards for international students).
First priority for merit awards is given to accepted Early Action Candidates (complete admission application submitted or postmarked by December 15). Candidates completing applications after December 15 will only be considered for a merit scholarship if funds remain available after awards are made to qualifying Early Action candidates. To be assured full consideration for most institutional merit-based awards, first-year students should apply through the Early Action program and transfers should have their complete application on file by February 1.
Qualifications for consideration for merit awards generally include, but are not limited to, academic achievement, standardized test scores, academic program and anticipated contribution to the university. Generally to be considered, students should have completed a strong college preparatory program in high school, rank at least in the top 40% of their high school class and have achieved a minimum combined SAT critical reading and mathematics scores of 1100 or a minimum composite ACT score of 24 at the time of application. Contribution to the university includes but is not limited to: diversity as reflected by ethnicity, race, gender, physical challenge, field of academic study, purpose for pursuing higher education, or perseverance in overcoming educational and social obstacles; significant personal accomplishments beyond the traditional measures of academic achievement which may include work experience, field study, or personal accomplishments in spite of adversity; or outstanding artistic talent and special accomplishment in the fine and performing arts areas of music, theatre, or art. Meeting this general criteria qualifies a student for consideration, but does not guarantee an award. Awards will be based on the types of merit scholarships that are available at the time the student is offered admission.
The amount of the award depends upon the type of merit scholarship offered and the student’s residency status/tuition classification (in-state, out-of-state, New England Regional Student Program (RSP), Canadian or International). Merit Scholarships generally vary from $500 to $10,000. Awards are valid only at the University of Maine (and not the other University of Maine System universities).
Students interested in merit awards in the Visual and Performing Arts (Music, Art and Theater) must submit, by February 1, both a separate scholarship application to the academic department (which may require an audition or portfolio submission) and a complete admission applications to the Application Processing Center. Please contact the School of Performing Arts at 207-581-4700 or the Department of Art at 207-581-3245 for more information.
Types of Awards
• Visual and Performing Arts Scholarships: A separate scholarship application (which may require an audition or portfolio submission) and a complete application for admission must be on file by Feb. 1. For information about the music and theatre awards, contact the School of Performing Arts, 207-581-4700. For the art award, contact the Department of Art, 207-581-3245.
• Transfer Merit Awards: Twenty $1,000, one-time awards are available for transfer students based on academic GPA and completed credits. Several are reserved for Maine Community College transfers or members of Phi Theta Kappa. Priority is given to transfers with a complete application on file by Feb. 1.
• Additional Merit Awards: Additional Merit Awards may be available based on academic achievement, standardized test scores, geographic location and anticipated contribution to the class in terms of leadership and diversity. The amount of these awards will vary based on the terms of the award, academic achievement, standardized test scores and funds availability.
• International Student Tuition Scholarships: Ten tuition scholarships are available for outstanding international students. More information and the application form are available here.