Top Scholarships in Maine to Apply to in 2025

About scholarships in Maine

There are about 1.37 million people living in Maine. Of the residents, there are 173,158 public school students in Maine's K-12 education. As for college students, there are 71,688 Maine students attending institutions for higher education. The financial impact of the pandemic has continued to impact students and their families. Coupling this with the rising college costs, the price of college can seem overwhelming to students. Financial assistance through scholarship opportunities helps high school students, undergraduate students, and graduate students lower both the cost and burden of attending college.

Maine students and student debt

Unfortunately, college costs have collectively risen throughout the country, putting up a significant financial barrier for attending college. The cost of attending college has gone up 16.1%, when adjusted for inflation, since the 21st century began. Rising education prices result in more students taking out student loans. The national student loan debt currently reaches a substantial $1.75 trillion. Students pursuing higher education have the opportunity to find financial aid, which is available for students of all backgrounds, education levels, and interests. It takes a lot of work to attend college, but Bold.org seeks to help current and future college students attend school with fewer financial concerns.

Maine student demographics

Of the 173,158 public school students in Maine's public education system, 37% come from economically disadvantaged homes. While high, this percentage has actually decreased by 9% in the past several years. And yet as more students became economically disadvantaged because of the pandemic, fewer students attended school in 2021, with the enrollment of students in Maine public education decreasing by over 7,800.

Of the students attending K-12 education in Maine, 52% of public education students are male and the other 48% are female students. The racial demographics in the Maine public education system are not very diverse, with only 13% of the students from ethnically diverse backgrounds. The majority of students are white.

Education opportunities in Maine

Maine is home to 39 universities and colleges. Of these schools, 18 are public universities and 21 are private. Colleges in Maine have a 71.38% acceptance rate. Whether you choose to pursue post-secondary education at a public university, private school, technical college, or other institution, Maine has options for you. The Maine Community College System, for example, provides eligible students with the opportunity to earn a degree at one of the over 300 locations. Graduating high school seniors have the chance to fulfill their passions at one of Maine's many great programs.

Notable colleges for graduating seniors to consider include the University of Maine and the University of New England in terms of national universities. Bowdoin College and Colby College are well-known liberal arts colleges in Maine. These schools, as well as any of the dozens of excellent options in Maine, are options for students planning on pursuing post-secondary education.

Cost of a college education in Maine

In Maine, the average cost for undergraduate in-state tuition is $7,731. For out-of-state students attending college in Maine, tuition costs $23,324. Both of these tuition prices cost more than the national average for tuition costs. Tuition in Maine averages more expensive than the national average, making it even more important for students studying in Maine to seek out scholarships.

It's important for incoming college students to acknowledge the costs of college beyond that of tuition. The cost of education at colleges is substantially higher than that of just tuition because the cost of education includes the cost of living, textbooks, and other classroom needs. A lot of factors play into getting a college education, so if you aren't prepared, the cost can seem surprisingly high. Make sure you are conscious of these additional costs when creating a financial plan.

Student debt in Maine

Borrowers in Maine owe a collective student loan debt total of $6.6 billion. The average student loan holder owes around $31,801 in federal and/or private loans. This average is significantly lower than the national student debt average, which totals $36,689 per person. Despite the fact that Maine's tuition costs average lower than the national tuition average, they still have less debt per person. This suggests that Maine students are finding ways to fund their college without having to take out as many loans.

Scholarship and grant opportunities help students in Maine lower the amount they have to take out in loans. Use these opportunities to your advantage, and get ahead on your financial planning for college.

The best scholarships for Maine students

Each individual student is in control of their own scholarship search. Whether you are a high school student without a planned career path or high school senior about to begin your college education or a current college student working toward your degree, there are scholarships available for you. It's not too early and not too late for you to start looking for scholarships to help fund your schooling. Bold.org's mission is to fight student debt, and these scholarships are a great way for you to fight the potential or current student debt you may be facing.

Take a look at some of the best scholarships for students attending school in Maine, and begin planning for the future of your education.

University of Southern Maine No-Essay Transfer Students Scholarship

Transferring often gives students another chance to establish themselves, find their crowd, and set themselves up for the best years of their lives. In such dynamic academic environments where burning out is common, it’s important to find stability and appreciation all around you. To support the endeavors of transfer students in New England, the USM Transfer Students of New England Scholarship will be awarded to one student in any field of study who is interested in transferring to the University of Southern Maine! 

Maine Catalyst Scholarship

In order to encourage low-income students to continue their education after high school, the Maine Catalyst Scholarship is providing scholarships to high school seniors or undergraduate students in Maine who are seeking higher education. Preference will be given to students from western and rural Maine and/or students majoring in the STEM field. 

Additional scholarships that students in Maine should consider

With so many scholarship opportunities out there, it can be hard to know where to begin. Scholarships perfect for you are out there, but how do you start that search? Bold.org offers scholarships that are open to students of any education as well as scholarships for students of specific majors, backgrounds, and experiences. However, it's useful to look on a local scale as well as on national sites, such as Bold.org. See what opportunities are available in your community or through your school so that you can make the most of the scholarships available to you.

Use the listed sections below to help get you started on some of the more specific scholarships. As for those open to many students, begin right here by exploring some of these broader scholarships.

Take a look at some scholarships available for you to apply for now:

1. 100 Bold Points No-Essay Scholarship
2. Stride Funding Affordable Tuition Scholarship
3. Carlynn’s Comic Scholarship
4. Rowing Scholarships

Scholarships for high school students in Maine

Maine high school students have plenty of opportunities for them, starting early in their high school career. College is a big expense, but education is important enough that the cost is worth it. High schoolers with goals of pursuing their dream career have opportunities to fund those ambitions through various high school scholarships. 

These scholarships span a wide range: from general scholarships for all students to scholarships for high school seniors to sports scholarships to scholarships for students planning to pursue a specific major, and so on. Check out the groups Bold.org has compiled to help make scholarships for each high school grade level easily accessible.

1. Scholarships for high school students
2. Scholarships for high school freshmen
3. Scholarships for high school sophomores
4. Scholarships for high school juniors
5. Scholarships for high school seniors

These groups of scholarships are a good starting point, but they don't represent all of the scholarships available for high school students. So many opportunities are available if you utilize features on the scholarship search page and other resources. Now is the perfect time to prepare for the next step in your educational journey!

1. Bold Helping Others Scholarship
2. “$$$ Isn’t Everything” Scholarship
3. BJB Scholarship

Maine scholarships for high school seniors

Since high school seniors are only months away from making the big transition to college, many scholarships are geared toward seniors getting ready for college. High school seniors in Maine can visit the scholarships for high school seniors page to help get them started. At the same time, keep in mind that donors want to support seniors as they prepare for such a big transition. This means that all sorts of opportunities for financial assistance are available if you know where to look.

1. Bold Financial Freedom Scholarship
2. Endeavor Design Scholarship
3. Ben Bonner Memorial Scholarship

Scholarships for Maine college students

Scholarships don't stop after high school. Even if you are completely new to the scholarship experience, you can still find financial assistance right for you. Some scholarships are open to students of every college education level, many of which are listed under the options on the education filter of the scholarship search page. 

On top of opportunities for all college students, there are undergraduate and graduate scholarships unique to that degree level. Bold.org has scholarships for undergraduate students specifically and also scholarships for students in graduate school. These provide college students of any degree program to seek sufficient financial assistance.

Undergraduate students in their first couple years of college have a lot on their plate, exploring the world of higher education, getting involved in school activities, and preparing for a future in the real world. However, this is an excellent time for students to get on top of their financial situation by seeking out scholarships for college freshmen as well as scholarships for college sophomores. These individual groups of scholarships focus on students enrolled in the first couple years of their undergraduate degree.

1. Military Student Debt Grant
2. Lost Dreams Awaken Scholarship
3. College Showdown Scholarship

Scholarships for Maine immigrants

Bold.org seeks to promote diversity and inclusion, offering scholarships for students of all backgrounds. Whether you are a student who has immigrated to the United States and now attends school in Maine or an international student studying in Maine, there are scholarships for you. Depending on their country of origin, immigrants can look into opportunities listed on the page for scholarships for minorities. For students from other countries who are attending school in the United States but don't live here permanently, there are scholarships for international students to help them succeed in their international studies.

1. WiseGeek Recent Immigrants Scholarship
2. Expand Your Horizons Scholarship
3. Across Cultures No-Essay Scholarship

Frequently asked questions about scholarships in Maine

Whether you are brand new to the process of applying for scholarships or have been doing it for years, questions are bound to come up here and there. We've compiled some of the questions asked most often by students attending college in Maine.

Are there scholarships in Maine for single mothers?

Being a single mom is difficult as it is, but add schooling on top of it and it adds a lot of stress. It's not easy to raise a child on your own while also earning your education, so Bold.org has specific scholarships geared toward single mothers. The scholarships for single moms help to support single mothers earning higher educational degrees, giving them a chance to lower the financial burden of attending college and raising kids at the same time.

How to apply for scholarships in Maine

In order to gain access to Bold.org's exclusive scholarships, start by creating your free profile. Click on any of the scholarships listed above, and you will be directed to a page that guides you through setting up your account. Fill in your profile details as specific as possible. The more you include about your education, experiences, background, and interests, the more scholarships you will be eligible to apply for.

Once you have made a profile that best reflects where you are at, start looking for scholarships to apply to. You can start broad by using the education filter on the scholarship search page, which will then show all of the scholarships available for students at your educational level. More specific searches can be done by filtering by category, giving scholarship options for specific groups of students. As you go along, you can use the bookmark feature to save scholarships you are interested in coming back to later.

When you have picked out some scholarships you'd like to apply for, begin the application process. Different applications have different requirements. No-essay scholarships require only a few simple clicks in order to apply, while other scholarships may ask for essays, videos, art, etc. Many scholarships have an accompanying essay prompt. If you are struggling with how to put your best foot forward on essays, take a look at our list of tips on how to write a scholarship essay.

When can I start applying?

Scholarships on Bold.org are open all year, with new scholarships being released every week. The best time for you to apply for scholarships is therefore whatever time is best for you. Students age 14 and older can create a profile and begin applying for scholarships. Use your early years to get used to the scholarship process so that when you pursue opportunities more vigorously, you understand the process.

How do I know if I'm eligible for a scholarship?

In order to increase your chances of winning scholarships, choose opportunities to apply for that have more eligibility requirements that you fit. The more requirements, the fewer students will be able to apply for the scholarship, giving you a higher chance of winning. To know if you are eligible, click on the scholarship you are interested in and look at the list of eligibility requirements. Make sure you fit all of the listed requirements so that you don't work on an application only to find out later that you cannot submit it.

Are scholarships considered taxable income?

If you are selected as a scholarship winner, your scholarship money will be sent directly to the school you are enrolled in. If you are not yet enrolled in a school or are in high school and have yet to graduate, your winnings will be held in an account for you until you attend college. Because the scholarship money goes directly to the institutions, it cannot be considered as income.