An outline of the state of º£½ÇÉçÇø with the words "Downeast Promise"

Downeast Promise Scholarship

The University of º£½ÇÉçÇø at Machias is committed to making an education at º£½ÇÉçÇø’s Flagship University affordable and accessible to º£½ÇÉçÇø students.

The Downeast Promise guarantees grant and/or scholarship funding to qualifying º£½ÇÉçÇø residents to cover 100% of tuition and mandatory fees (up to 30 credits per year) at Uº£½ÇÉçÇø for up to 8 semesters over 4 years, or 120 credits, whichever comes first. Students must enroll in at least 12 credits per semester (fall and spring).

Eligibility Criteria:

  • º£½ÇÉçÇø resident based on Admissions information
  • Accepted to Uº£½ÇÉçÇø for Summer or Fall to pursue a first bachelor’s degree
  • First-time, first-year students and new transfer students
  • Complete the FAFSA by March 1st. If you are selected for verification, submit all requested information by May 1st.
  • Be eligible for Federal Pell Grant and an SAI (Student Aid Index) of less than 6,655 (SAI criteria is subject to change each year based on federal Pell Grant amounts)
  • Maintain full-time enrollment (minimum of 12 credits) during the Fall and Spring semesters.

To be eligible to continue receiving the INSPIRE º£½ÇÉçÇø Pathways Scholarship, the following criteria must be met each year:

  • Complete the FAFSA by March 1st.
  • If you are selected for verification, submit all requested information by May 1st.
  • Continue to be eligible for Federal Pell Grant and an SAI (Student Aid Index) of less than 6,655 (SAI criteria is subject to change each year based on federal Pell Grant amounts)
  • Maintain full-time enrollment (minimum of 12 credits) during the Fall and Spring semesters.
  • Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher each academic year (reviewed at the end of each spring semester). Students will be sent an official notification via the º£½ÇÉçÇøStreet Message Center if they are no longer meeting GPA criteria.
  • Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress. Visit umaine.edu/stuaid/sap for more information.

DownEast Promise Faqs

Pell Grant Eligibility

When you submit your FAFSA, you will receive a FAFSA Submission Summary.  This summary will indicate your Student Aid Index (SAI) and if you are potentially eligible for Federal Pell Grant.

If you are selected for a federal review process called Verification, you will be required to submit additional information to our office by May 1st. In some cases, SAI and eligibility for the Downeast Promise may change after the verification process.

The Downeast Promise Scholarship covers 100% of undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees for eligible students, and can be renewed for up to 8 semesters over 4 years, or 120 credits, whichever comes first.

Tuition is the per-credit charge that the student will be billed for each of their courses during a given semester. Covered fees are mandatory university fees as defined by the Office of Student Financial Services. Additional details about tuition and mandatory fees can be found at umaine.edu/sfs/tuition-and-fees.

The amount of your Downeast Promise Scholarship is based on a maximum enrollment of 30 credits for the academic year, and you must take at least 12 credits per semester (fall and spring). 

Uº£½ÇÉçÇø considers all sources of grant and/or scholarship funding when determining the amount of the Downeast Promise Scholarship. All sources of gift aid (including Merit Scholarships, Federal Pell Grant, State of º£½ÇÉçÇø Grant, Federal Supplemental Grant, and any other institutional grants or scholarships) will be totaled first, and the Downeast Promise makes up the difference to cover up to 100% of tuition and mandatory fees.

The amount of the Downeast Promise is evaluated each year and is based on the current year’s FAFSA information. Therefore, scholarship amounts are subject to change in subsequent academic years for students who continue to meet the renewal criteria.