Governor Mills: Make Maine Free College Scholarship Permanent

AUGUSTA, ME —Governor Janet Mills’ supplemental budget released Wednesday includes a plan to make the Maine Free College Scholarship permanent, starting with this year’s graduating seniors.

“It’s critical this scholarship remains available for the thousands of grateful students and families who benefit from continuing their education at a Maine community college,” said David Daigler, president of the Maine Community College System (MCCS). “We thank the governor for making this life-changing program a priority.”

The previously funded Maine Free College Scholarship, in place since 2022, was a last-dollar scholarship that paid 100% of tuition and fees for recent high school graduates headed to a community college in qualifying years. Currently, graduates (or equivalent) from the high school classes of 2023, 2024, and 2025 qualify for the scholarship. Qualifying students must pursue a degree or certificate and accept any state or federal aid before Maine Free College Scholarship funds are applied.

“This scholarship is wildly popular not just with students and families who save money on tuition, but with employers and industry leaders,” Daigler said. “They recognize that it’s attracting more hard-working people to get the education and technical skills they need for high-demand jobs. It’s a powerful tool that is growing Maine’s skilled workforce faster, with people carrying less or no college debt into their working lives.

Since fall 2022, when the scholarship began, 22,327 Free College Scholarship-eligible students have enrolled. After state and federal aid is applied, the average annual Maine Free College Scholarship amount is $1,600 per student.