Parent Resource Guide

FERPA

The UMFK team is happy to assist parents and students, and we encourage you to reach out whenever you have questions or concerns. Please be aware, however, that the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) guidelines prevent us from providing any detailed information about students’ accounts, enrollment, billing, etc., to anyone other than the student.

We understand that, in many cases, your student is a minor, and you are responsible for their care, education, transportation, and other bills. FERPA is a federal law, regardless of the student’s age; without a student’s FERPA consent, we can only provide you with general information about the program and nothing specific about any student.

Your student will receive a series of emails that explain where to find everything they need for their course(s). If you would like to speak to us about their course(s), their bill, their grade, or anything else related to their account, the student will need to submit a FERPA consent form. There is a FERPA consent linked to the student’s ExplorEC account that they can fill out any time they go in and register for a course.

As part of the application process, students and parents must sign a consent form before a student is registered for a course at UMFK. This assures that both parties understand these courses are real college courses that create a permanent transcript for the student. It also confirms that both parties understand the potential costs involved should the student not qualify or go over their allotted 12 credit hours per academic year per Maine Aspirations.

Maine Aspirations & Cost

Maine Aspirations provides up to 12 free credit hours per academic year, beginning with the summer term and ending with the spring term (i.e., Summer 2022-Spring 2024 counts as one academic year). This total includes courses taken at Maine’s Public Universities and Maine’s Community Colleges.

Who qualifies for Maine Aspirations?

• Publicly funded high school students
• Students who attend a high school or academy classified as a Private School Approved for the Receipt of Public Funds and who are not private pay tuition (taxpayer dollars pay the tuition for public students to attend these schools such as Fryeburg Academy or Thornton Academy).
• Homeschool students who have registered with their local school district and the Maine Department of Education.
• International students who are living with a host family, attending school per a Superintendents agreement, and are not paying tuition to that school (for example exchange program students).

Which students do not qualify for Maine Aspirations?

• Students who attend private school and pay tuition.
• International students who are paying tuition to a public or private high school.
• Any Maine student who is paying tuition to attend a public or private high school.
• Any out-of-state student.
• Homeschooled students who do not register with the Department of Education.
• Graduating seniors will no longer be eligible to participate in the Aspirations Program for the summer session at the end of their senior year, regardless of course start date.

This is per Maine State statute, not per University of Maine System policy.

How Much Do Students Pay If They Go Over The Limit Or Don’t Qualify for Maine Aspirations?

• All students will still be eligible for the UMFK Early College Tuition Rate, which is $145.00 per credit hour ($435.00 per 3-credit course); please note this total is subject to change when tuition rates change.
• High school students will not pay any fees other than course-specific materials or travel/housing fees, even if they do not qualify for Aspirations funding.
• Students are responsible for their own textbooks, when applicable (i.e., online courses), E-texts, access codes, etc.
• If a student takes more than 12 credits in an academic year between the University System and the Community College System, the student will be billed the UMFK Early College Tuition Rate for each credit they are over. Credit count is established by registration timestamp.

1098-T Form

The University of Maine System, including UMFK, is required under IRS regulation to provide a 1098-T Form to each student enrolled in a course that offers college credit. This includes high school students enrolled through their high school, such as concurrent enrollment courses.

A few weeks into the semester, students will receive an email from UMFK with a copy of the 1098-T form requesting they complete it promptly. In most cases, the 1098-T will provide no tax benefit or burden to the family. More information about the 1098-T form is available in IRS Publication 970. Students can also call the UMFK Business Office with any questions or concerns. Parents/guardians with concerns will need to make sure a FERPA Consent Form is filed before calling.

UMFK Business Office
Monday-Friday
8:00 AM-4:30 PM
(207) 834-8650
umfkbus@maine.edu

Transcripts

A complete compilation of a student’s Concurrent Enrollment and Early College coursework and grades are reflected on their UMFK academic transcript. A student may request an official copy of their transcript be sent to a third party through the National Clearing House. UMFK does not print and mail official transcripts anymore. All transcript requests are completed electronically through the National Clearing House. Official copies will not be released if the student has an outstanding balance or other Financial Hold on their account.

Students can always download unofficial copies of their transcripts from their MaineStreet account. They can find directions here.

What’s the difference between drop and withdrawal?

A dropped course means the student will have no record of the course on their transcript. Additionally, they will have no financial record (if they are above the Aspirations limit), and the course won’t count toward their Aspirations limit. A withdrawn course means the student will have a “W” in place of a final grade on their transcript. “W”s are not factored into the student’s GPA and won’t harm them academically, but they are factored into their Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), which is one of the things Financial Aid uses to determine eligibility. Students can always reach out to the UMFK Office of Early College for more information about SAP. Additionally, with a withdrawal, students may incur a bill if they are above their allotted 12 Aspirations credits. A withdrawal also counts towards their Aspirations total.

Drop/withdrawal deadlines will be communicated to the student via email regularly. Other important dates specific to UMFK can be found on the UMFK Academic Calendar.