Overview

This scholarship is for Maine's nontraditional students who want to change their life for the better through education and training. The scholarship supports a range of training, including attending two- and four-year colleges and universities, completing a certificate and other non-degree programs, or attempting a self-directed learning experience with a clear goal.

Who is eligible?

You must be a Maine resident. To be defined as a “nontraditional student,” you must also meet ONLY ONE of the following criteria:

• be over the age of 25 or
• work full time (35 hours/week or more) while enrolled or
• have dependents other than a spouse or
• be financially independent from parents and/or considered independent for FAFSA purposes or
• have not received a standard high school diploma (completed with a GED, HiSET, or certificate of completion) or
• have delayed enrollment in college after high school for a reason other than a gap-year activity.

Applicants may be enrolled full time or part time.

We encourage all applicants to use some kind of college preparation course or advising before applying for the scholarship and entering school. Such programs could include but are not limited to:

• Attending Maine College Transitions through Adult Education
• Participating in Maine Educational Opportunity Center workshops and advising
• Completing New Ventures Maine’s My Next Career Move program
• Working with a Finance Authority of Maine College Access Counselor
• Working with a Maine Career Center advisor
• Participating in an educational program during incarceration, release, or reentry.

When they make decisions, the scholarship committee will be looking for financial need, appropriate preparation for the program of study, a solid goal and plan, and a commitment to stay in Maine. Applicants must have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) if they are eligible to do so.

Important:

• Unless the application is for a self-directed learning experience, all programs must be accredited by a nationally recognized accreditation agency
• If you plan to attend a for-profit institution, please explain in your application why this is the right choice for you.

Types of awards

MaineCF offers two types of adult learner scholarships, depending on the length of the program.

Short-term credential award

Applicants are eligible for a short-term award if the program meets the following criteria:

• The program lasts less than a full semester
• At the end of the program the applicant will have a certificate or workplace credential, not a degree
• The applicant will not need to renew the award to finish the program.

Additionally, please note the following details about the short-term credential award:

• The size of awards will depend on individual needs; most awards range between $200 to $1,200.
• The short-term award has a rolling deadline and application are considered as they are received. Decisions may take up to two weeks.
• Applications must be submitted by the individual requesting support, not the institution where they are studying.
• This award is not renewable.

Maine Community Foundation will not fund programs that have already started or will start before a decision is made. Please submit your application as early as possible. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Because applications are pre-screened, we encourage applicants to request assistance with preparing a quality application. View tips for preparing your scholarship application here, or contact us if you have additional questions.

Application Deadline: Rolling deadline

To Apply: Adult Learner Scholarship SHORT TERM application 2024  This application can only be used for complete programs that last less than a full semester, such as a CNA course. A course of a full semester or longer must use the “long-term award” application.

Contact: Maine Community Foundation

Important: In most cases, this award must be used within 30 days of notification. An exception may be made if course is canceled or rescheduled. Recipients cannot apply award to a different course. Applicants can apply more than once.

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Long-term scholarship award

Applicants are eligible for a long-term award if the program meets the following criteria:

• The program will last more than a full semester
• At the end of the program the applicant will have a one- or two-year certificate or a two- or four-year degree
• The applicant may need to renew the award to finish the program
• Graduate study is not supported by this scholarship.

Deadlines are June 15 and Nov. 15. Late applications will not be accepted. Decisions will be made within six weeks. Please allow ample time before your program begins when you apply.

Additionally, please review the following details about the long-term scholarship award:

• The size of the award will depend on the individual need, but most awards will be between $1,000-$2,500 per semester.
• The award size is based on whether an individual pursues full- or part-time study. Full-time awards will be reduced if a student changes to part-time study.
• Beginning in 2024, recipients may apply for renewal for a maximum of 5 years or 10 semesters of scholarship support. Current recipients who have already reached this maximum will be offered a grace period of one year (up to two semesters).
• The committee has a preference for applicants who have not previously attained a Bachelor’s degree.

Application Deadlines: June 15 and November 15

Instructions for applying online

Apply Online

For applicants who are incarcerated, please use the downloadable Adult Learner Long-Term Scholarship Alternative Application and Adult Learner Long-Term Scholarship Recommendation Form.

All awards are intended to cover one semester of study. Applicants will need to apply for renewal for each semester of attendance. Awards cannot be deferred.  

Other Adult Learner Scholarships

In addition to the Adult Learner Scholarship, the Maine Community Foundation has these funds available to nontraditional students. We would also encourage you to use the Finance Authority of Maine's online search to find more scholarships geared to Maine's adult learners. To apply for these scholarships, please contact the specified organization or guidance office. Some scholarships are managed by the Maine Community Foundation. Applications for these scholarships are available below.

 

Al Blackadar EMS Scholarship Fund

In 2017, his Waldo County Emergency Services colleagues established the Al Blackadar EMS Scholarship Fund in his memory to provide scholarship assistance to support the further education and training of Waldo County residents who are EMT personnel seeking to become paramedics.  The application process is through EMCC. Eligible applicants will be enrolled at Eastern Maine Community College and will be licensed EMTs seeking further training to become paramedics.  It is the donors' hope, though not a requirement, that recipients will return to Waldo County to pursue their profession in this county.

Contact: Eastern Maine Community College

 

Alan Ferguson Educational Fund

Martha E. Ferguson established the Alan Ferguson Educational Fund at the Maine Community Foundation in memory of her husband and with grateful appreciation to the Northern Bay Residential Living Center. This fund provides scholarship assistance to students pursuing training or education in healthcare at the University College of Ellsworth.

Contact: University College of Ellsworth

 

Andrew Mitchell Memorial Scholarship

The Andrew Mitchell Scholarship Fund was established by his friends and family to support Maine residents seeking post-secondary study at a vocational or technical school, or in a community college’s trade or technical program. There is a preference to support United States Veterans who are interested in pursuing a career in areas such as wildlife management, mechanics, welding, electrician certification, plumbing and other trades, or medical fields such as mental health and suicide intervention. Andrew was a graduate of Old Town High School and United Technologies Center.  He went on to Motorcycle Mechanics Institute in Orlando, Florida, and became a Polaris Gold Certified Master Technician. Andrew was an avid outdoorsman, loved people, his career and family.

Application to the Mitchell Scholarship is handled through the Adult Learner Scholarship

Apply Online

 

Beth Eisen Scholarship

Beth Eisen was a hugely original Waterville artist and writer whose worked spanned fabric, paint, found objects and other media, screenplays, novels, short stories, poetry, and essays. Sharing the love of all things creative extended to her work at Shadow Distribution and the Maine International Film Festival. This scholarship created in her honor supports a student at the University of Maine at Farmington who takes classes in the Creative Writing program who has demonstrated a passion for creativity and great promise as a writer through submitted samples; this student need not be a creative writing major. Preference is given to nontraditional students.

Contact: University of Maine at Farmington financial aid office or Creative Writing program

 

Bettie H. MacRae Scholarship

The Bettie H. MacRae Scholarship supports year-round residents of Islesboro, preferably female, age 23 and over who are pursuing career-related post-secondary education. This may include online coursework, professional training and /or certification, college classes, continuing education credits, licensing programs, or any other type of study to enhance and maintain employment. This scholarship is not limited to graduates of Islesboro Central School and is for those students for whom a scholarship would make a significant difference in their ability to attend the program of their choice. Bettie was raised in Florida and California and lived for many years in Pennsylvania. Later in her life, she found her way to Islesboro and lived on the island for 35 years, initially during the summer and later as a year-round resident. Her life was characterized by a deep interest in arts and culture. She befriended and provided for many. Bettie nurtured a deep love of nature, loved living near the ocean and cultivating a lifelong knowledge and appreciation for trees, plants and flowers. This memorial scholarship fund is created by Bettie’s three children, Pamela, Charlotte, and Christopher, and is directed to the year-round community of Islesboro in appreciation for the many quiet kindnesses of friendship offered to Bettie over the years.

Contact: Islesboro Community Fund

Application Deadline: Rolling

To Apply: Download application

 

Brooksville Education Foundation Funds

The Maine Community Foundation partners with the Brooksville Education Foundation to make a number of scholarships available to residents of Brooksville, Maine. Please contact the Brooksville Education Foundation for information concerning these opportunities and an application.

Contact: Brooksville Education Foundation, P.O. Box 277, Brooksville, ME 04617

 

Friends of PAE Beata Vest Scholarship Fund

The Maine Community Foundation partners with the Friends of Portland Adult Education to provide scholarship support to an immigrant, refugee, or asylum-seeking student who shows perseverance and integrity in perusing their college aspirations.

Contact: Friends of Portland Adult Education, friendsofpae@gmail.com

 

Friends of the Ellsworth Center Scholarship

The purpose of the scholarship is to provide financial assistance to adult learners registered through the Hancock County Higher Education Center.

Contact: UMA Ellsworth Center

 

George H. and Charlotte B. Cressy Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship was established in 2021 to provide scholarship and financial aid to adults residing in Greater Portland, to pursue post-secondary training or a degree in an accredited program. This may include, but is not limited to, two- and four- year colleges as well as trade schools

Application to the Cressy Scholarship is handled through the Adult Learner Scholarship

Apply Online

 

Henry L.P. Schmelzer College Transitions Scholarship Fund

Throughout his tenure as president and CEO of the Maine Community Foundation, Hank Schmelzer was a consistent advocate for the importance of higher education in Maine and helped launch the Maine Compact for Higher Education in 2003. At his retirement in December 2008, generous donors recognized Hank’s leadership by establishing the Henry L.P. Schmelzer College Transitions Scholarship Fund to support the post-secondary aspirations of Maine adults returning to school, with a preference for residents of Hancock County, and statewide who have financial need.

Application to the Schmelzer Scholarship is handled through the Adult Learner Scholarship

Apply Online

 

Hugh and Elizabeth Montgomery Scholarship

Both Elizabeth (Betty) and Hugh Montgomery had their roots in Phillips, Maine. Betty was born in Phillips and attended schools there and Hugh summered there in the old farmhouse that belonged in his family. They both went to college, Betty to Simmons and Hugh to Harvard, and pursued careers as librarians. Their wish was that this fund would provide the opportunity for deserving students of Franklin County to receive financial assistance toward furthering their education.

This renewable scholarship supports residents of Franklin County who are adult learners (students who are beyond high-school age) returning to school to continue their education at the post-secondary level. Preference is given to students for whom a scholarship would make a significant difference in their ability to attend school. First-time applicants need not be enrolled in a degree-granting program but are encouraged to make that commitment before applying for renewal consideration.

Contact: Tania Dawson, Franklin County Community College Liaison, 207-779-2554

Deadlines: May 24, 2024, and October 18, 2024

To Apply: Download application

 

James and Marilyn Rockefeller Scholarship

The James and Marilyn Rockefeller Scholarship Fund supports Maine residents over the age of 18 who, by circumstance or design, are on a “road less traveled” and are seeking educational experiences that will change their life and the lives of people around them. Adult Learners who demonstrate a determination to succeed, are serious about learning and have a plan (academic and financial) to achieve their goal are eligible to apply.

Application to the Rockefeller Scholarship is handled through the Adult Learner Scholarship

Apply Online

 

Jeannette Martin Webb Memorial Scholarship

The family and friends of Jeanette Martin Webb established this scholarship in memory of her strong work ethic and determination which were the driving forces in raising her family. As a motivated single mother, she worked full time while taking courses to advance her skills. From her childhood on the Martin Farm in Old Town to her retirement at H.E. Sargent, she was always ready to lend a hand and help others in need.

This scholarship honors her in hopes of making a significant difference to deserving single-parent students in Penobscot County who would like to further their education. This may include continuing education certificates, licensing programs, or community and vocational colleges.

Contact: Bangor Adult and Community Education

 

Joseph & Dorothy Headley Scholarship

The Joseph and Dorothy Headley Scholarship provides financial assistance for students who have been residents of Vinalhaven for at least three years who are pursuing post-secondary education at a college, university, community college, or vocational school. The following criteria will be used in the selection: good character, good citizenship, financial need, and ambition. Any resident of Vinalhaven who is 35 or younger is eligible to apply.

Application Deadline: May 13

Apply Online

 

Joseph W. Mayo ALS Scholarship

In 2000, while serving as Clerk of the House, Mr. Mayo was stricken with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Friends of Joe Mayo have established this scholarship to recognize his contributions as a father, friend and public servant. This scholarship was established to assist men and women who are children, stepchildren, grandchildren, spouses, domestic partners, or primary caregivers of people with ALS. The Joseph W. Mayo ALS Scholarship is awarded annually to students who are attending a post-secondary educational institutions, including both four-year colleges and two-year associate programs. Applicants must be graduates of Maine high schools or GED programs.

Contact: Rebecca Wyke

Application deadline: May 1

To Apply: Download application

 

Keepers Preservation Education Fund

The Keepers Preservation Education Fund was established to support aspiring or established historic preservation professionals who wish to increase their professional knowledge or career potential. Scholarships may be used for tuition, professional meeting attendance, special book or other types of media purchases, domestic and foreign study travel, and other purposes as deemed appropriate. Eligibility is not limited to Maine residents. Applicants may be from anywhere in the United States. Awards are not retroactive.
For more detailed guidelines and application instructions, visit this page.

Contact: Maine Community Foundation

Application Deadline: Rolling

 

Larry Blouin Scholarship

This fund was established in 1999 in Larry’s memory to encourage and support those who embody his interests and spirit. Larry was an active participant in his community, particularly with the Gorham Fire Department and hoped to become a firefighter one day. The fund supports the Gorham Fire Department with preference for the College-Live-In Program; and current employees of Fresh Samantha who were with the company as of May 29, 1999, when the fund was established, and who are residents of Maine.

Contact: Gorham Fire Department

 

Maine Vietnam Veterans Scholarship

The Maine Vietnam Veterans Scholarship Fund, founded in 1985, provides scholarship support to Maine veterans of the United States Armed Services who served in the Vietnam Theater and their descendants. As a second priority, the scholarship may be awarded to children of veterans of the United States Armed Services.

Application Deadline: May 1
Apply Online

 

Margaret's Fund

Margaret’s Fund was established at the University of Maine at Augusta to provide scholarship assistance to adult learners.

Contact: University of Maine at Augusta

 

Marion F. & Peter Plouff Scholarship

The Marion F. and Peter Plouff Scholarship provides renewable support to residents of Dexter to pursue their education at a post-secondary institution. Preference is given to adult learners returning to school to continue their education and to students who have previously received a Plouff scholarship.

Application Deadline: May 1

Apply Online

 

Merrymeeting Adult Education Scholarship Fund

The Merrymeeting Adult Education Scholarship Fund was established to provide financial assistance to Merrymeeting students in a variety of programs including but not limited to: college, vocational education, and a variety of Merrymeeting Adult Education classes.

Contact:  Merrymeeting Adult Education

 

Ober-Hubbard Blue Sky Fund

Diane Ober grew up on Islesboro and graduated from the Islesboro Central School. An adventurous individual, she was a gifted guitarist and singer. Kevin Hubbard, the husband of a longtime friend of Diane, often visited the island. A guitarist, he was also a graphic artist and sportswriter who became a college graduate in his 40s. This fund was established to honor the “blue sky thinking” that both practiced in their lives and activities.

The Diane Ober and Kevin Hubbard Memorial Blue Sky Fund supports students 23 years of age or older who reside on Islesboro or are graduates of Islesboro Central School (ICS) and who are pursuing projects or courses of study intended to help them focus on and further a life passion. Preference will be given to applicants who have overcome personal adversity, embody humanity with kindness and humor, and are keen to master something new.

Contact: Islesboro Community Fund

To Apply: Download application

Application Deadline: Rolling

 

PIIE - Partners in Island Education Ogden/Chaffey Scholarship Fund

The PIIE - Partners in Island Education Ogden /Chaffey Scholarship Fund was established in 2009 to award a Vinalhaven School graduate a scholarship for furthering either their academic or vocational education.

Contact: Sarah Crossman, Partners in Island Education

 

Spurling Scholarship

The Spurling Scholarship was established in 1984 to provide renewable support to residents of the Cranberry Isles; Frenchboro, Long Island; Swans Island; and Mount Desert Island pursuing post-secondary education at a college, community college, or vocational training program. Preference is given to applicants from unbridged islands with the greatest financial need.

Application Deadline: May 15

Apply Online

 

Swans Island Resident Adult Learner Scholarship

The new Swans Island Resident Adult Learner Scholarship provides an opportunity for year-round residents of Swans Island to continue their education through vocational training, lessons, college courses, etc.

Enrollment can be full or part time, and program does not have to lead to a degree.  Rolling deadline, quick turn around on decisions.

Contact: Swans Island town office

To Apply: Download application

 

Thomas Musgrave and Beulah Long Musgrave Scholarship

The Musgrave scholarship supports adult learners who have financial need and have lived in Maine for the 5 years prior to submitting an application.

Application to the Musgrave scholarship is handled through the Adult Learner Scholarship.

Apply Online

 

William Bingham 2nd Scholarship for Adult Learners Fund

William Bingham was a self-effacing philanthropist who lived in Bethel, Maine. During his lifetime, Mr. Bingham provided funds for many Maine students to pay for their education, including Edmund Muskie and Dr. Daniel Hanley. At Mr. Bingham’s death, his will created the Betterment Fund, a private foundation dedicated to residents of the state of Maine. This scholarship was opened in 2017 in honor of William B. Winship, who retired as a trustee of the Betterment Fund after 40 years of service.

This renewable scholarship supports residents of Oxford, Franklin, and Somerset counties who are adult learners (students who are beyond high-school age) returning to school to continue their education at the post-secondary level. The fund supports post-secondary education in its broadest interpretation, which includes enrollment in traditional two- and four-year colleges and universities, but could also apply to certificate programs and other professional or technical training opportunities

Application to the Bingham fund is handled through the Adult Learner Scholarship.

Apply Online