Financial Aid Resources
The University of Maine at Farmington offers a wide range of financial aid resources designed to make higher education accessible and affordable. Students can explore scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study opportunities, as well as receive personalized guidance from UMF’s Financial Aid Office. Whether you’re planning for your first year or managing ongoing costs, UMF provides the support needed to navigate the financial aid process with confidence.
Finance Authority of Maine (Fame) Scholarships
Scholarships are basically free money—you don’t have to pay them back. Most come from places outside your college, so it’s up to you to find and apply for them. Start your search with FAME’s Maine Scholarship Search tool found on their website and see what’s out there for you.
The Educators for Maine Program is a competitive, merit-based, forgivable loan for Maine students enrolling in or pursuing undergraduate or graduate education degrees. Applicants must demonstrate an interest in careers in education or childcare and are planning to work in Maine after graduation.
Worthington scholarships are awarded annually to graduates of partner high schools who plan to enroll full-time at one of the partner colleges or universities. They award scholarships based on both merit and financial need. Unlike many traditional scholarship programs, each applicant is considered holistically, providing scholarships to candidates whose grit and determination reflect the very spirit of Maine.
In addition to offering the financial support of the scholarship, the Mitchell Institute offers a wide array of free personal, academic, and professional support programs, as well as a career network of more than 3,600 Mitchell Scholars, alumni, and partners.
There are also numerous external scholarships offered by private organizations, and UMF encourages students to apply widely. If you receive any outside awards, the Financial Aid Office will assist you in coordinating them with your overall aid package.
Out-of-State Resources
Granite Edvance is a New Hampshire–based nonprofit (formerly NHHEAF) that provides free college and career planning services, scholarships, and affordable student loans to state residents.
The Rhode Island Foundation is the state’s only community foundation, mobilizing philanthropy through grantmaking, scholarships, and strategic investments to address Rhode Island’s most pressing needs and build lasting community impact.
The Vermont-National Education Association (VT-NEA) is a union representing about 13,000 Vermont educators — including teachers and education support professionals — that advocates for quality public education, fair working conditions, collective bargaining rights, and social justice in schools.
The Connecticut Education Foundation is a nonprofit arm of the Connecticut Education Association that provides financial assistance to students and educators through scholarships, hardship grants, and programs to support aspiring teachers and children facing extraordinary needs.
The Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) is a quasi-public, not-for-profit state authority that helps Massachusetts students and families plan, save, and pay for college through free guidance, tax-advantaged savings plans, and fixed-rate education loans.
Fastweb is a free U.S.-based online platform that helps students find and apply for scholarships, internships, and other financial-aid opportunities by matching them to hundreds of thousands of vetted awards using their personal profile.
The College Board is a not-for-profit, mission-driven membership organization that connects millions of students, educators, and institutions through programs like the SAT, Advanced Placement (AP), and BigFuture, supporting college readiness, admissions, financial aid, and advocacy.
Niche is an online platform that provides insights into schools and neighborhoods in the U.S., offering data-driven reviews, rankings, and analysis on colleges, K–12 schools, and places to help students and families make informed education decisions.
The ScholarshipOwl platform is a scholarship-matching service that uses AI to connect students with vetted scholarship opportunities, lets users apply directly through the site, and provides tools for tracking applications and writing essays.
The Scholarships360 platform is a free, student-first service that uses data-driven matching and expert-curated resources to connect students with verified, high-quality scholarship opportunities and help them build a personalized plan to fund their education.
The Red Kite platform (also known as myRedKite.com) is a scholarship-search engine and financial-aid management tool that matches students to over $20 billion in scholarships, grants, and loans based on their background and goals, helps them apply, and lets them track aid all in one place.
The Sallie Mae company (SLM Corporation) is a U.S.-based education-solutions firm that provides private student loans, college-savings accounts, and free tools to help students and families plan, save, and pay for higher education responsibly.
