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Scholarships
- Scholarships Find out how to get scholarship money for college that you don’t need to pay back.
- $2,000 No Essay Scholarship Enter to win our no-essay $2,000 college scholarship in 2 minutes or less.
- Scholly Scholarships Easily find and sort through thousands of college scholarships for free.
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- Scholarship Resources Explore our scholarship resources, articles, and guides.
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Scholarships
Top Maine scholarships for you
Find Maine scholarships that can help you pay for college.
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What are Maine scholarships?
Maine scholarships are financial aid for college created specifically for students living in Maine or looking to go to school in Maine. Maine scholarships can help students attain higher education opportunities that otherwise may be out of reach due to financial reasons. All scholarships are free money for college that you don’t have to pay back.
Eligibility requirements for Maine scholarships
Before you apply for Maine scholarships, make sure you check the eligibility requirements. To qualify for Maine scholarships, you’ll most likely need to prove you’re a resident or you’re attending school in that state. Some other common eligibility requirements may include your GPA, community service, citizenship, plan to attend an accredited program, leadership potential, and submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). Scholarship eligibility requirements vary, so don’t assume you won’t qualify. Check them out!
Are Maine scholarships worth my time?
Some scholarships are quick and easy to apply for. Others require time and effort. Typically, fewer students apply to scholarships that require work which means you could have better odds of winning.
Pro tip: Don’t skip over Maine scholarships with smaller award amounts ($). There’s typically less competition for them—and they add up!
How do I find Maine scholarships?
There are many resources to help you find Maine scholarships.
Scholarship resources
- The financial aid office at a college or career school
- Organizations (such as professional associations) related to your field of interest
- Federal agencies
- Free scholarship search tools like Scholly Scholarships
- Local libraries, businesses, or associations
Your high school guidance office is a great place to start when looking for local scholarships. You could also try doing a search for your city’s name and “community foundation,” or the county you live in and “foundation.”
Scholly Scholarships
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Easily search through thousands of college scholarships based on your background, major, state you live in, and more.
Hot tip! Smaller scholarships may have less competition, increasing your odds of winning.
Scholarships for Maine
New England FEMARA Scholarship
Due: 1/10/2025
No Essays
No Recommendations Required
$2,000
The New England FEMARA Scholarship will be awarded to as many students as possible as funds permit. Applicants must have a Technical Class License or higher. Students in any field of study at any institution are eligible. Applicants must also have a demonstrated interest in community or school interests will be considered highly important in selecting a recipient. The applicant must be holding an amateur radio license for at least one year. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the ARRL Foundation Inc. for more information.
Dr. James L. Lawson Memorial Scholarship
Due: 1/10/2025
No Essays
No Recommendations Required
$1,000
The Dr. James L. Lawson Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to those with a General Class License or higher. Eligible fields of study are bachelor's degree or higher in electronics, communications, or related fields. Transcripts must include all semesters for which grades have been awarded. If the student is applying for graduate school assistance, high school transcripts are not necessary. The applicant must be holding an amateur radio license for at least one year. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the ARRL Foundation Inc. for more information.
Maine State Grant Program
Due: Varies
No Essays
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
$2,500
Administered by FAME, the Maine State Grant Program provides need-based grants to Maine undergraduate students of all ages.
James V. Day Scholarship
Due: 5/1/2025
No Essays
No min. GPA Required
No Transcripts Required
$500
The James V. Day Scholarship will be awarded to descendent(s) of a Maine Legionnaire, living or deceased. Applicants shall be the children or grandchildren of current or deceased members of an American Legion Post in the State of Maine. Applicants must be of good character and demonstrated through their past behavior that they believe in the American way of life. Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation from persons, other than relatives and teachers, who have had the personal opportunity to observe the applicant and who can give worthwhile opinion of the character, industry, purposefulness and general worthiness of the applicant. Applicants must also submit a proof of application, acceptance or current attendance at an accredited college or vocational school. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the American Legion Department of Maine for more information.
Daniel E. Lambert Memorial Scholarship
Due: 5/1/2025
No Essays
No min. GPA Required
No Transcripts Required
$1,000
The Daniel E. Lambert Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to students whose parent or grandparent must be a veteran. Students must submit a copy of military discharge and identify their relationship with the veteran. Applicants must be enrolled in, or attending an accredited college or vocational technical school. Applicants must be of good character and must have demonstrated by his or her past behavior that they believe in the American way of life as demonstrated through letters of recommendation. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the American Legion Department of Maine for more information.
New England Regional Student Program-Tuition Break
Due: Varies
No Essays
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
Amount Varies
NEBHE's Tuition Break program, formerly known as the New England Regional Student Program (RSP), provides significant tuition savings to residents of the six New England states when they enroll at out-of-state public colleges and universities within New England and pursue approved programs. Approved degree programs are associate, bachelor's and graduate degrees. NEBHE does not require a separate application for Tuition Break eligibility. A student needs to complete the college's admissions application, and list a Tuition Break program as their intended major or program of study. Some college applications may include a specific question regarding the Tuition Break program. A student eligible for Tuition Break status is considered on the same basis as other equally qualified applicants. The institution informs the student of their Tuition Break status when accepted to the college. An additional review process may be required for acceptance into certain programs. Both internal and external transfer students may be eligible for the Tuition Break, unless an institution has policies that restrict eligibility. Please visit the program's website or contact the New England Board of Higher Education for more information.
Educators for Maine Program
Due: 5/1/2025
No Recommendations Required
$5,000
The Educators for Maine Program is a competitive, merit-based, forgivable loan for Maine students enrolling in or pursuing undergraduate or graduate education degrees. Applicants must demonstrate an interest in careers in education or child care and are planning to work in Maine after graduation. The loan is available for undergraduate and graduate students. They must submit an essay and copies of all of their college transcripts. Graduating high school seniors may also apply. They must submit an essay and provide their current high school counselor's email address. They will provide the student's transcript and high school profile. Undergraduate students must be enrolled full-time in an accredited US college or university. Graduate students must be enrolled at least half-time in an accredited US college or university. Students must be pursuing initial certification as a teacher, including speech pathology, or child-care-provider qualifications. There are different application links available for high school seniors and undergraduate and graduate students. This loan is renewable for up to eight semesters for undergraduates and four semesters for graduate students. Preference is given to those enrolled in underserved subject-area programs. Please visit the award's website for more information.
Daniel E. Lambert Memorial Scholarship
Due: 5/1/2025
No Essays
No min. GPA Required
No Transcripts Required
$1,000
The Daniel E. Lambert Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to students whose parents or grandparents must be veterans. Applicants must show evidence of being enrolled in, or attending an accredited college or vocational technical school. They must be of good character and have demonstrated by their past behavior that they believe in the American way of life, both demonstrated through letters of recommendation. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the American Legion Auxiliary Department of Maine for more information.
Timothy S. and Palmer W. Bigelow, Jr. Scholarship
Due: 5/31/2025
$2,000
The Timothy S. and Palmer W. Bigelow, Jr. Scholarship was created in 1988 by the Bigelow family to aid students from New England who are seeking a career in horticulture. Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited landscape or horticulture program or related discipline. Applicants must be enrolled in good standing. Applicants must have senior standing in a two-year curriculum (having completed the first year), junior standing in a four-year curriculum (having completed the first two years), or a graduate student standing. It is not required for students to attend an institution at one of the six New England states that is required in student's residency. Undergraduate students must have a minimum GPA of 2.25, and graduate students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0. Preference will be given to an applicant who plans to work in any aspect of the nursery industry following graduation, including the desire to own one's own business. Preference will also be given to an applicant in financial need. Previous Timothy Bigelow Scholarship award winners are not eligible for additional funding. Applicants must submit two letters of recommendation. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Horticultural Research Institute for more information.
What types of scholarships are available for students?
Need-based scholarships
These are scholarships for students who have demonstrated a financial need. There’s no universal number or set income level that tells you if you qualify. How each scholarship defines what financial need means varies. The federal government as well as specific organizations, corporations, and colleges/universities/schools offer need-based scholarships.
Merit scholarships
Merit scholarships are for students who have shown high academic, athletic, or extracurricular achievement over their high school careers. Not all schools/colleges offer merit-aid—highly selective schools typically don’t. The process for applying for merit scholarships varies. For merit scholarships offered through colleges and universities, you generally don’t have to do anything other than complete the application to the school itself. For some schools, you need to submit the FAFSA® to be eligible.
Career-specific grants or scholarships
These are awarded to students who know they want a career in a specific industry. Maybe they know they want to be a teacher, a nurse, or an engineer. To be eligible for grants, students must submit the FAFSA®. To find career-specific scholarships, try searching for your major and “association.”
Community or nonprofit scholarships
Nonprofit and community organizations often receive funding from donors to create scholarship programs for students who need them.
Tips for successful scholarship applications
- Pull together everything you need for the application including transcripts, so you can submit a complete scholarship application.
- You may need a recommendation letter or letters for a scholarship. Ask a teacher, employer, or someone else who knows you to write one for you—and be sure to give them enough time to do it.
- If you’re writing a scholarship essay, follow the prompt, answer the essay question completely, and write from your experience. A few well-written essays that you can reuse for different scholarship applications can really pay off.
- Highlight your strengths and achievements in your application.
- Talk about your financial need and what you would use the scholarship money for if you won. How would it help?
- Have to interview for a scholarship? Dress to impress in a professional outfit. And do your research! Look into how/why the scholarship was created. Try to bring up why it’s meaningful to you. Also, don’t forget to send a thank-you note afterwards.
- Keep track of all the deadlines for the scholarships you’re applying to. If you miss one, they may not extend the due date.
- Apply for scholarships year after year, all through college. As you continue your studies, gain more experience, and try new extracurricular activities in college, you might be eligible for more scholarships you weren’t originally qualified for.
Here are more tips that can help you understand all there is to know about scholarships and up your chances of winning.
Frequently asked questions
These tips can help as you get ready to apply for Maine scholarships.
When are scholarship application deadlines?
There’s no standard deadline for scholarship applications. Each scholarship has its own deadline, so be sure to keep track of dates and make sure you don’t miss any deadlines of scholarships that you want to apply to.
Do you need to know which college you’re attending?
You don’t need to know which college you’re going to attend before applying for most scholarships. However, once you’re awarded scholarships, some of them may ask for eligibility verification—which can include proof of college enrollment.
Is there a limit on how many scholarships you can apply for?
Absolutely not, so apply for as many as you can to increase your chances of winning free money. Want to find more types of scholarships? There are so many, check them out!
Pro tip: Apply for scholarships each year you’re in college.
Does every scholarship application require an essay?
Not every scholarship will ask you to submit an essay—different scholarships have different requirements. If you’re applying for a scholarship with an essay and need help writing yours, get tips for writing scholarship essays.
Need more money for college?
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More resources to explore
Tips for writing scholarship essays
Get tips for writing scholarship essays. Learn what makes a good scholarship essay.
Find scholarship resources
Explore our scholarship resources, articles, and guide to get all the tips and tricks to help pay for college.
Fill out the FAFSA®
Learn when and how to apply for the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to maximize your chances of getting federal student financial aid. Get tips now.
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