Merit Scholarships
UNE offers a robust Merit Scholarship program that bases gift money awards on your level of academic achievement. All incoming full-time undergraduate students will receive Merit Scholarships in amounts from $5,000 to $24,000 per year. UNE uses a test-blind admissions policy, which means we will not consider ACT or SAT scores for general admission. Instead, we will review your high school experience as a whole. These awards are renewable for four years of undergraduate study at UNE as long as you maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above.
Institutional Grants
Nor’easter Scholarship
If you demonstrate financial need, we may award this funding to further supplement the cost of your UNE education.
Sibling Grant
If you and your sibling are concurrently enrolled full-time at UNE, contact our office to obtain the Sibling Grant.
Legacy Grant
If your parent(s) earned a degree from UNE, Westbrook College, or Saint Francis College, contact our office to obtain the Legacy Grant.
Endowed and Annual Fund Scholarships
These scholarships are made possible to returning undergraduate students by individual donors to UNE. Award criteria vary based on the individual donors' preferences. In most cases, awards are made on the basis of academic merit and financial need. Student Financial Services will contact students in late spring, highlighting the application process.
Federal Grants
Pell Grant
The Federal Pell Grant is awarded to undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need and have not yet earned a baccalaureate degree. Amounts are awarded according to the U.S. Department of Education's standards and requirements. If you are awarded a Pell Grant, the amount can change annually and is dependent on your enrollment status.
SEOG Grant
The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) can be awarded to undergraduate students who demonstrate great financial need and have not yet earned a baccalaureate degree. Eligibility and amounts are determined by our office.
TEACH Grant — Education Majors
The U.S. Department of Education's Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant Program (TEACH) provides funds to students who are completing or plan to complete coursework necessary to begin a career in teaching, and who agree to teach full-time for at least four years:
- As a highly qualified teacher
- At a school or educational service agency servicing low-income students
- In a high-need field.
Students must complete the following in order to be eligible:
- FAFSA
- Agreement to Serve
- TEACH Grant Counseling
- UNE TEACH Grant Application on/before the final day of the current academic year for which you’re applying
The requirements can be completed at Federal Student Aid — TEACH. Contact our office at (207) 602-2342 for more information on the TEACH Grant.
State Grants
Maine State Grant
The Maine State Grant is awarded to undergraduate students who are Maine residents, demonstrate financial need, and have not yet earned a baccalaureate degree. UNE will determine awards based on eligibility as well as enrollment status for applications received no later than the May 1 priority deadline.
Other State Grants
Similar to Maine, other states may offer grant programs to our undergraduate students. Funding is usually based on certain levels of financial need, enrollment status, and the completion of application materials by a certain deadline found on the FAFSA website. We encourage you to check with your state for specific requirements.
Additional Scholarship Sources
An effective way to reduce student loan borrowing is to access as many scholarships as possible. An outside scholarship is gift aid awarded by an outside organization. Most outside scholarships are awarded via an application process and may have additional student requirements or prerequisites. We strongly urge you to diligently research available scholarships and to take advantage of as many as you can every year you are in school. Great resources for finding scholarships include guidance counselors, parents’ employers, local organizations, and banks. We have also developed a comprehensive list of scholarship search engines and tools.
Outside Scholarship Reporting
Students who have been awarded a scholarship are required to report their outside resources to UNE Student Financial Services. You can notify SFS of your scholarship via our online Outside Scholarship Reporting Form. The information that you provide will help us apply your scholarship to your account. Please note that only scholarships that are coming directly to UNE and are payable only to UNE may be added to your anticipated financial aid before payment is received.
Most students receive a Scholarship Notification when they are awarded a scholarship. You are required to send your notification to the UNE Student Financial Services office. You can provide your scholarship notification to us through our scholarship reporting form above.
- Some scholarship checks are sent directly to UNE and are payable only to UNE. In these cases, you only need to complete the scholarship form. If the check is sent directly to UNE and is made payable to both you and UNE, you will need to come to the SFS office to endorse the check before payment can be made.
- A small number of scholarships require UNE to send them an invoice for the awarded scholarship funds. If your scholarship requires it, UNE will send the invoice and will apply the scholarship funds to the account when we receive payment from the scholarship organization.
- If the scholarship check is sent directly to you and is payable to you, you can use scholarship funds by making a payment on Touchnet. You can also endorse the check and make payable to UNE. Contact our office for instructions.
When UNE has received payment for the award amount, your scholarship funds will be applied to your account. Please contact our office at (207) 602-2342 or sfs@bianlifan.com if you have any questions.
UNE’s Tuition Free Program
Starting in fall 2025, the University is pleased to offer a tuition free program to eligible graduating high school students from all states. For consideration, students must complete a 2025–2026 FAFSA and meet all program requirements. Qualifying students will be notified of their eligibility on their official financial aid offer letter which will begin going out in January 2024. All students interested in this exciting opportunity are encouraged to apply for admission and complete a FAFSA.
Eligible students must meet the following criteria:
- Accepted into an undergraduate program of study for fall 2025 of the 2025–2026 academic year.
- First-year, first-time students only, attending college immediately or shortly after graduating from high school.
- Demonstrate a weighted high school GPA of 3.85 or greater.
- Maintain full-time enrollment at the University. This is defined as a minimum of 12 credits per semester.
- Live on campus.
- Must file a FAFSA for the 2025–2026 academic year, demonstrate an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of less than $100,000 for the 2023 tax year, and have a Student Aid Index (SAI) of 0.
- Must accept all Federal and State Grant Aid included in the financial aid package.
- Must be a classified as a dependent for financial aid purposes. Independent students should contact Student Financial Services for more information regarding eligibility.
FAQ
General
UNE’s Tuition-Free Program (TFP) provides eligible students accepted for fall 2025 into an undergraduate program of study with the opportunity to attend the University tuition free.
The TFP covers tuition for full-time enrollment in an undergraduate program for eligible students. Additional educational-related costs include, but are not limited to, required fees, residence hall, and dining charges.
The TFP is available for all eligible students accepted into any undergraduate program of study for fall 2025. If eligible students are accepted into accelerated programs (for example, a 4+1 or 3+2 program), the TFP applies only to the undergraduate portion of their program.
Eligible students who meet the requirements of the TFP program can attend UNE tuition free for up to four years of undergraduate study. Students who extend their enrollment beyond four years will no longer qualify for the TFP.
The TFP is available for both in-state and out-of-state students who meet the eligibility requirements.
The TFP reflects a strong commitment to student success and the economic development of Maine and New England. By removing financial barriers, UNE aims to attract high-achieving students, address workforce shortages, and prepare graduates for careers in health care, biosciences, life sciences, and other growing industries.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible students must meet the following criteria:
- Accepted into an undergraduate program of study for fall 2025 of the 2025-2026 academic year.
- Have a cumulative, unweighted high school GPA of 3.85 or higher.
- First-time, first-year students only, attending college immediately or shortly after graduating from high school.
- Attend the University on a full-time basis. This is defined as a minimum of 12 credits per semester.
- Live on campus.
- Must file a FAFSA for the 2025-2026 academic year, demonstrate an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of less than $100,000 for the 2023 tax year, and have a Student Aid Index (SAI) of 0.
- Must accept all Federal and State Grant Aid included in the financial aid package.
- Must be classified as a dependent for financial aid purposes. Independent students should reach out to Student Financial Services for details about eligibility.
To determine student dependency status and which parent to list as a contributor on the FAFSA, please visit http://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/help.
Transfer and international students do not qualify.
To review basic financial aid eligibility, please visit http://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/eligibility/requirements.
The selection process for the Honors College is distinct from the TFP. If you are eligible for the Honors College, you will be contacted about this separately. If you are interested in learning more about the Honors College, please visit http://fbqe.bianlifan.com/honors-college.
Provided they meet the criteria, gap year students who would enter UNE as first-time, first-year students are eligible for the TFP.
Application process
There is no application or request process. To be considered for the TFP, students must be accepted to UNE for fall 2025 and have a valid 2025–2026 FAFSA on file. Use of the Direct Data Exchange on the FAFSA is required. Upon receipt, UNE Student Financial Services will automatically review the FAFSA to determine eligibility. If a student meets all TFP criteria, their financial aid package will indicate eligibility.
To learn more about the financial aid application process at UNE, please visit http://fbqe.bianlifan.com/sfs/undergraduate/applying-aid.
No. If you meet all conditions for the program, you will automatically be eligible for the program regardless of when you apply to UNE, so long as you are admitted for the fall 2025 semester.
Notification and Communications
If a student meets all TFP criteria, their financial aid offer package will indicate eligibility for the program. Student Financial Services will begin sending electronic financial aid offer letters in January 2025. To be considered for the TFP and all financial aid opportunities, students must submit a 2025–2026 FAFSA.
Future Years and Renewal Conditions
Yes. Students who continue to meet conditions of the Tuition-Free Program will remain eligible to attend UNE tuition-free for up to four years of undergraduate study.
The TFP will cover the full cost of tuition, including any tuition increases during your eligibility time at UNE.
Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 for continued eligibility. If a student’s GPA falls below this threshold, they will not be eligible for the TFP.
Students must maintain full-time enrollment in an undergraduate program of study to maintain eligibility for the TFP. If a student drops below full-time enrollment, they will no longer qualify for the TFP, and their financial aid eligibility will be reassessed in accordance with university policy.
If a student withdraws or takes a leave of absence, they will no longer be eligible for the TFP.
The TFP covers only the published full tuition and does not include any additional costs associated with course overloads.
Other Considerations
If a student is eligible for federal or state funding, it will be included as part of the financial aid package. Students eligible for the TFP will be offered financial aid funding to cover the full cost of tuition. In most instances, receipt of outside scholarships will not impact eligibility for TFP, however all outside scholarships must be reported to Student Financial Services.
If a student fails a course, their cumulative GPA must be 3.5 or above to maintain eligibility for the TFP. If a student extends enrollment beyond four years, they will no longer be eligible for the TFP.
The TFP will cover tuition for UNE’s study abroad program in Tangier, Morocco. The TFP does not cover the cost of tuition for other study abroad programs or travel courses.
The TFP is only available for full-time enrollment during the fall and spring semesters and does not cover summer enrollment.
The TFP does not affect eligibility for student loans or Federal Work Study. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year to be eligible for federal direct loans and federal work study.
Each semester, students will see a tuition charge on their account along with credit transactions covering the full tuition amount.
To learn more about the UNE Tuition-Free Program contact Student Financial Services or Undergraduate Admissions.