Scholarships & Grants
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About Scholarships
Note: access to the UMFK portal is required to view scholarships.
There are three main scholarship categories:
UMFK Foundation Scholarships
UMFK administers these scholarships through various monies made available to the University, such as through endowments, donations, etc.
UMS Scholarships
As a campus in the University of Maine System (UMS), limited scholarship funds are available to eligible UMFK students.
Outside Scholarships
These scholarships are from agencies and institutions other than UMFK. The application process will vary with each scholarship.
UMFK and UMS scholarships (besides Bengal Academic Scholarships) require you to complete their respective applications. Once you apply, we will inform you if you are awarded funds.
You are responsible for completing any necessary application process for outside scholarships, and you must report these funds to the Business or Financial Aid offices. Be sure to read the information about each outside scholarship carefully.
Finish Strong Scholarship
It’s never too late to return to college! UMFK’s Finish Strong opportunity is made especially for working adults, 24 years old or older, who do not have a prior bachelor’s degree. We know that life can be busy, and often, well-intentioned plans can go astray. UMFK’s Finish Strong opportunity provides additional support and a scholarship, especially for working adults.
Bengal Academic Scholarships
We offer several merit-based scholarships for qualifying first-year and transfer students enrolled in on-campus degree programs. Complete your admissions application, and your eligibility will be reviewed automatically when the Admissions Committee decides on your application. If you are eligible for U.S. Federal financial aid, we strongly encourage you to apply by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Bengal Academic Scholarship Policies
- A freshman is a student who has completed 11 or fewer college credits (not to include credits a student may have completed while in high school).
- A transfer is a student who has completed 12 or more college credits (not to include credits a student may have completed while in high school).
- Students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress in their chosen major, complete a minimum of 24 credit hours (delivered by the University of Maine at Fort Kent) per year (12 per semester) and maintain the specific GPA requirement of the award they receive.
- A student who loses eligibility due to academic performance or failure to complete a semester will no longer be eligible for the scholarship.
- All Gold recipients must maintain a continuing GPA of 3.0, Silver recipients a 2.80, and Transfer recipients a 2.75.
- The maximum number of continuous semesters to receive the scholarship is 8 for a bachelor’s degree and 4 for an associate’s degree. Merit award recipients enrolling in the Applied Forest Management program will be allowed five continuous semesters of eligibility due to the required number of semesters needed to complete the program. Transfer scholarship recipients have individual renewal eligibility limits.
- Student Academic Scholarships are traditional fall and spring term awards and cannot be used for summer terms.
- Only students enrolled in an on-campus program are eligible – students enrolled in an online program do not qualify for a Bengal merit scholarship.
- Students who already have a bachelor’s degree are not eligible for a Bengal merit scholarship.
- High School GPA can be weighted or unweighted (use the higher one, typically the weighted one).
- Students eligible for the University of Maine System Waiver Programs and the New England Board of Higher Education Tuition Break Program (NEBHE) are not eligible to receive these scholarships.
The Bengal Merit Scholarship Program will be administered by the Financial Aid Office and managed so that total financial aid does not exceed a student’s educational costs. These scholarships are not refundable, and in the rare case where an individual’s financial assistance exceeds a student’s direct cost, a Bengal Academic Scholarship may be reduced to comply with federal/state regulations and institutional policy.
Students with a Bachelor’s degree are not eligible for this academic scholarship. Gold level recipients are required to live on campus.
| Scholarship Name | Residency | Eligibility Requirements | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bengal Gold (Freshman) | In-State & Canada | High School GPA 3.0 | $2,000.00 |
| Out of State | High School GPA 3.0 | $5,000.00 | |
| International | Cumulative Average of 90 – 100 (3.0/4.0) | $5,000.00 | |
| Bengal Silver (Freshman) | In-State & Canada | High School GPA 2.8 or higher | $1,000.00 |
| Out of State | High School GPA 2.8 or higher | $3,500.00 | |
| International | Cumulative Average of 80 – 89 (2.75) | $3,500.00 | |
| Bengal Transfer | In-State & Canada | Cumulative GPA of 2.75 | $1,000.00 |
| Out of State | Cumulative GPA of 2.75 | $5,000.00 | |
| International | Cumulative GPA of 2.75 | $5,000.00 |
Scholarship Suggestions for High School Students
If you are a high school student, you may want to check out the following resources:
- Your high school guidance office
- Your employer
- Your parent’s employer
- Faith-based institutions
- Local civic organizations
- Local town office
Scholarships are often awarded based on:
- Academics
- Athletics
- A particular field of study
- Ethnic background
- Religious affiliation
- Special interest
Notes and Disclaimers
- Important: do not provide money or any of your personal information to anyone when applying for scholarships!
- The application process can vary for each type of scholarship. Read the details provided carefully.
- This website includes links to other websites. These links are provided for your convenience and do not signify their endorsement. We have no responsibility for the content of the linked website(s).
- UMFK does not guarantee all UMFK/UMS scholarships posted will be awarded.
- You can be considered for other UMFK scholarships not listed on your scholarship application.
UMFK is not responsible for:
- Application errors
- Non-UMS scholarships listed on a UMS application
- A student applying for the wrong scholarship
- A student wrongly mailing an application to UMFK that should have gone to another institution
- A student listing a scholarship on the wrong form
- Errors in scholarship postings, scholarship amounts, or posted scholarship deadline dates
- An application submitted after the deadline
Grants
Grants are typically based on need and include programs such as Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), and State Grants, which are funds received from the federal government. These funds do not have to be repaid.
Pell Grant
The Pell Grant is a Federally funded grant program designed to form the foundation of all aid received. Pell Grants are available to undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need. To be considered for this type of aid, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), listing UMFK’s school code (002041) in the appropriate section, and submit the FAFSA to a central processor for review. No additional Pell Grant application is required. The Pell Grant program will send you a Student Aid Report (SAR) (or a link to an online site to obtain one), which can be kept for your records. Copies can be obtained from the Federal Student Aid website.
The amount of a Pell Grant award varies depending upon eligibility, the cost of attendance, and the number of credits for which the student is enrolled (full-time, three-quarter time, or half-time). Whenever enrollment status changes, as does the amount of the Pell Grant, a Pell Grant recipient must be enrolled in an undergraduate program for at least three credit hours per semester. Pell Grants are available for the time required to complete the first undergraduate bachelor’s degree, so long as the student is making Satisfactory Academic Progress.
Qualify for Free Tuition?
The Promise Program guarantees that first-time, full-time, Pell Grant-eligible students from Maine will receive an annual tuition discount package that covers the cost of tuition and fees for the academic year (30 credits plus standard fees).
The University has established several guidelines for students to participate in the program. Applicants must:
- Be in-state, first-time, full-time students who will start college at UMFK during the Fall 2022 semester and complete at least 12 credits each semester.
- Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and complete a financial aid application at UMFK for the appropriate award year.
- Be either U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens.
- Be residents of Maine who have lived in-state for 12 continuous months before acceptance at UMFK.
- Be graduates from a Maine high school (or earned a high school equivalency diploma).
- Meet all other general eligibility requirements of the Federal Title IV Financial Aid Programs, including Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements.
- Maintain an accumulative GPA of 2.0 while at UMFK.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant is a Federally funded program for undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need. To be considered for this type of aid, a student must: complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), list UMFK’s school code (002041) in the appropriate section, and submit the FAFSA to a central processor for review. FSEOG grant amounts depend on the extent of need and what funds are available in the program each year. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant funding is available for the time required to complete the first undergraduate bachelor’s degree, so long as the student is making Satisfactory Academic Progress.
- The Maine State Grant – any Maine resident, filing their FAFSA by May 1st is automatically considered for the Maine State Grant.
Maine State Grant
The Maine State Grant program is a need-based grant program for Maine residents. To apply, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by May 1. The Maine State Grant awarded to the student is based on Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and the number of credits in which the student is enrolled.
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