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 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.

Promise Program Details

  • Pell-eligible students are guaranteed to receive an annual tuition discount package which will cover the cost of tuition and fees for the academic year (30 credits plus standard fees).
  • The tuition guarantee is valid for eight consecutive traditional semesters (fall and spring terms). Students must maintain an accumulative GPA of 2.00 and earn a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester.
  • The guarantee is calculated based on the tuition and fee amounts reflected in the cost of attendance using an average credit hour load of 15 credits per semester and standard fees (Student Activity and Unified). The guarantee is not adjusted based on an increase in individual charges.
  • The amount of gift aid used to determine the guarantee will include all Federal, State, and University Resources (Grants, Merit Awards, Tuition Waivers, etc.). In addition, if a student receives outside assistance/scholarships above $2,000 annually, a portion of the total outside help may be considered part of the guarantee.
  • The total amount a student receives from The Promise Program and all other sources of financial support for the same purpose, whether from the institution or outside agencies, may not exceed the student’s cost of attendance.
  • In some cases, the receipt of other aid may reduce or eliminate the receipt of the Tuition Guarantee Award.

*Note: The guarantee will be permanently discontinued for students who do not maintain these standards, barring the approval of any extenuating circumstances.

**Note: Some Pell-eligible students may not have Tuition Guarantee assistance listed on their Award Letter. This omission may be due to:

  • gift aid (which includes the Federal Pell Grant, the Federal Supplemental Grant, the Maine State Grant, and the Bengal Scholarship) already covers their Tuition and Fees (standard fees); or
  • they did not qualify for the Promise Program.

If gift aid is covering a student’s Tuition and Fees this year and not next year, they can receive the Promise in the future if they meet eligibility requirements.

Admissions & Aid