• College Board Scholarship Search

• FAME Scholarship Search

• Fastweb

• Going Merry

• iGrad

• Peterson's

• SallieMae

• Scholarships.com

• Unigo

• Your high school's Naviance scholarship search

• Your church and community organizations that you are involved in

• In March, ask your school's counseling office for a local scholarship application, if available

• Before the fall of your senior year, look at the schools you're applying to, and check to see if they have any specific scholarships that you need to apply to directly. Often these are related to a specific major, program, or interest. Please ask your advisor if you would like help with this!

• Be sure to also check to see if your or your parents' employer offers scholarships

The Mitchell Scholarship

• Open to Maine students planning to attend two- or four-year colleges in or out of Maine, additional requirements apply

• $10,000 scholarship divided over four years, receive additional network resources

• Due April 1 (check site to confirm)

Maine Legislative Memorial Scholarship Fund

• Open Maine students planning to attend two- or four-year colleges in or out of Maine, additional requirements apply

• $1,000

• Due May 1 (check site to confirm)

Dell Scholars

• Open to students planning to attend four-year colleges, additional requirements apply

• $20,000 scholarship, a laptop, textbook credits, receive additional network resources

• Due December 1 (check site to confirm)

Horatio Alger Scholarships

• Open to students planning to attend four-year colleges, additional requirements apply

• $6,000-$25,000

• Due in early fall (check site to confirm)

Quest Bridge National College Match

• Open to students interested in attending schools on the Quest Bridge's college partner list. Students who are selected as finalists are matched with a selective college. Finalists typically have very high GPA and test scores. Here are the average stats for finalists.

• Full four-year scholarship to the college the student was matched to ("The QuestBridge National College Match is a college and scholarship application process that helps outstanding low-income high school seniors gain admission and full four-year scholarships to the nation's most selective colleges.")

• Due September 26, 2019 (check site to confirm)

Opportunity Scholarships (through College Board)

• Open to high school juniors and seniors (beginning with the class of 2020). Students complete steps such as creating a college list, studying for the SAT, and filing the FAFSA to earn entries to the drawings.

• $500-$40,000

• Drawings occur throughout the year

American Indian Graduate Center

• AIGC provides financial support for American Indians and Alaska Natives seeking higher education.

• $ amounts vary

• Due dates vary

APIA Scholarships

• APIA is the nation's largest 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides college scholarships to Asian and Pacific Islander Americans (APIA) with financial need.

• $ amounts vary

• Due dates vary

Atlantic Credit Union

• The Atlantic Credit Union scholarship is open to graduating high school students who are members of the credit union.

• $1,000-$10,000

• Due in March (check site to confirm)

Hispanic Scholarship Fund

• The HSF Scholarship is designed to assist students of Hispanic heritage obtain a university degree.

• $500-$5,000

• Due dates vary

Joseph A. DiPietro Memorial Scholarship

• Students must live in a Portland Water District member community (Portland, South Portland, Westbrook, Windham, Gorham, Raymond, Cumberland, Falmouth, Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth); Students must have a declared major that is related to PWD’s mission to protect public health and the environment (e.g., environmental studies, sciences, engineering, medical, dental, trades, public administration).

• $1,500

• Due March 15 (check site to confirm)

Dearborn Foundation

• Open to students majoring in physics or chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering

• Due February 15 (check site to confirm)

Native American Waiver and Education Program

• Open to students who are tribal members or are direct decedents of tribal members.

• Tuition waivers and room and board grants are available.

UNCF Scholarships

• UNCF is the nation’s largest private scholarship provider to minority group members.

• $ amounts vary

• Due dates vary

The Promise Scholarship (USM)

• Open to Maine students planning to attend the University of Southern Maine, additional requirements apply

• Financial assistance varies, receive additional network resources

• Due March 1 (check site to confirm)

University of Maine at Augusta, Scholarship Application

• Open to students planning to attend University of Maine at Augusta

• Due March 1 (check site to confirm)

University of Maine at Fort Kent, Scholarship Application

• Open to students planning to attend University of Maine at Fort Kent

• Due March 1 (check site to confirm)

University of Maine (Orono), Selective Scholarships

• Open to students planning to attend UMaine.

• Use the navigation on the UMaine selective scholarship page to find scholarships you qualify for, including for the following programs: College of Education and Human Development, College of Engineering Technology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture, Maine Business School, Student Accessibility Services, and more! Here are a few students have applied to in the past: Visual and Performing Arts scholarships, Engineering Scholarships

• Due dates and requirements vary. Check in the fall for information.

University of Southern Maine, Scholarships (including some that require an application)

• Open to students planning to attend USM.

• Use this website to search for scholarships that require an application.

• Due dates and requirements vary. Check in the fall for information.

University Credit Union Scholarship (University of Maine System Campuses and Maine Maritime)

• Open to students who have a University Credit Union (UCU) account and are planning to attend University of Maine, University of Maine at Augusta, University of Maine at Farmington, University of Maine at Fort Kent, University of Maine at Machias, University of Maine at Presque Isle, University of Southern Maine, or Maine Maritime Academy

• $1,000 one-time scholarship

• Due May 1 (check site to confirm)

Carole J. Collins Memorial Scholarship (USM)

• Open to matriculated, degree-seeking students at USM who are former participants of TRIO Upward Bound at USM. This means you need to be attending USM already to apply

• $500-$1,000 one-time scholarship

• Due December 1 (check site to confirm)

Maine Public Relations Council

• Open to students already attending a Maine college or university and majoring in a public relations related field, additional requirements apply.

• $1,000

• Deadline Dec 1 (check site to confirm)

Maine Sea Grant Undergraduate Scholarship

• Open to students in their second or third year pursuing a degree in a marine science program at College of the Atlantic, Maine Maritime Academy, University of Maine, University of Maine at Machias, University of Southern Maine, or University of New England .

• $1,000

• Deadline April (check site to confirm)

Maine State Society Of Washington, DC & Foundation

• Open to students who have completed at least one year of college. Must be attending a 4-year institution in Maine. Have been born in or have been a legal resident of the State of Maine for at least four years; or have at least one parent who was born in or has been a legal resident of the State of Maine for at least four years, additional requirements apply.

• $2,500

• March 15 (check site to confirm)

We typically don't encourage any loans in addition to the Federal Direct Subsizidized and Unsubsidized Loans included in your financial aid package. If small loans are needed to help cover the costs, talk to your advisor to learn more. Here are some of the options:

Differences between federal and private loans

• • Chart

  • Video

General information on loans

• • Federal Student Loan Information - Federal loan resources, produced by the federal government

  • The Loan for Me - Maine loan resources, produced by FAME (Finance Authority of Maine)

  • Student Loan Hero - A general guide about private student loans

  • FinAid! Private Student Loans - A general guide about private student loans

Types of Loans

• • PLUS Loan - A type of federal loan, borrower is parent, needs credit approval

    • • • If the parent is denied the loan, the student may become eligible for an increased Federal Direct Unsubsidized loan.

  • Maine Loan - Borrower is student, will need co-borrower, needs credit approval

    • • • Here is a chart comparing the PLUS Loan and the Maine Loan. It is based on 2019 numbers, so rates have changed, but it is likely similar.

  • Private Loan through your bank - Need to make appointment with your bank to see how much you would be eligible for

  • Student Loan Hero's list of their favorite private student loans

FinAid Calculator

• This loan payment calculator can help you determine what your monthly payments will be based on different variables such as loan amount, interest rate, and the loan term.

FAME Student Loan/Salary Calculator

• This calculator helps you determine:

  • • How much salary is needed to make the payments on current and future student loan debt.

    • How much can be borrowed based on future expected earnings.

Federal Loan Repayment Overview

• StudentAid.gov explains how to pay back your loans

Opportunity Maine Tax Credit

• Student loan payment reimbursement for college graduates who live and work in Maine

Alfond Leaders

• This student debt reduction program provides student loan repayment assistance to people who live and work in Maine in a STEM- (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) designated occupation at a Maine-based employer.

• Selective, application required