Scholarships are a great way for students to help pay for their higher education. Below are scholarships that may be available to new Mainers with various citizenship statuses. Additional Maine-based scholarships can be found via our Maine Scholarship Search tool. Use FAME’s scholarship tracking spreadsheet (.xlsx format) to help stay organized.
We regularly review the scholarships we share to make sure they are up to date. However, scholarship criteria, deadlines, and availability can change without our knowledge. If you find a scholarship that is out of date, please let us know.
| Scholarship | Amount | Deadline | Eligibility | Course of Study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Federation of Ramallah Palestine | $8,000 | May 31 | Palestinian and Palestinian American students | Any |
| American Legion Children and Youth Scholarship | $500 | May 1 | Must be a Maine resident | Any |
| Asian Pacific Fund | $1,000–$20,000 | See website | Must plan to be enrolled full-time in the fall. Minimum GPA of 3.0. Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident unless otherwise stated. | Any |
| Avesta Housing Scholarship | $1,000 | May 9 | Avesta residents who are enrolling in a post-secondary program. Eligible programs include college, trade school, and certificate programs. | Any |
| Ayn Rand Essay Contests | Varies | See website | Offers three different worldwide essay contests: Anthem (for 8th–12th grade students); Fountainhead (for 11th & 12th grade students), and Atlas Shrugged (for 12th grade, college, and graduate students). | Any |
| Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund | up to $10,000 | April 1 | Available to applicants who demonstrate activism in the struggle to achieve civil rights, economic justice, international solidarity, and/or other progressive causes. | Any |
| Fedpoint Nursing Scholarship | $5,000 | See website | Awards four (4) $5,000 scholarships annually: three to graduating high school seniors, and one nontraditional scholarship. | Nursing |
| Golden Door Scholars | Varies | See website | Four-year college scholarships with professional development and internship support for high-performing undocumented high school graduates. | Any |
| Hispanic Scholarship Fund | Varies | February 15 | Must be of Hispanic heritage; a U.S. citizen, permanent legal resident, or DACA; have a minimum 3.0 GPA on a scale of 4.0 (or equivalent) for high school students or minimum 2.5 GPA on a scale of 4.0 (or equivalent) for college and graduate students; plan to enroll full-time in an accredited public or not-for-profit, four-year university or graduate school in the US for the 2023-2024 academic year; submit the FAFSA or state-based financial aid forms (if applicable) | Any |
| Iranian Scholarship Foundation | Varies | See website | Undergraduate and graduate scholarships for students of Iranian descent based on financial need, community involvement, and/or academic achievement | Any |
| Maine-African Partnership for Social Justice Scholarship | Full scholarships | See website | For African immigrants graduating from Portland High School in Portland | Any |
| Maine Community Foundation | up to $10,000 | See website | Maine-based scholarships available to Maine high school students and adult learners. | Any |
| Mainely Character | $5,000 | March 1 | Awarded solely on the basis of four aspects of applicant’s character: courage, integrity, responsibility, and concern. Must be a Maine resident graduating from a Maine high school in the year of application and planning to attend an accredited post-secondary institution after graduation. | Any |
| Momeni Foundation Scholarships | $1,000 | June 30 | Must be of Iranian descent. Financial Assistance Scholarship is available to all graduating high school students and current college students regardless of citizenship or country of residency. Scholastic Achievement Scholarship is available to students that are graduating from high school and are citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. | Any |
| Organization of Maine Nursing Leadership (OMNL) Scholarship | $500 | May 1 | Any Maine individual enrolled in a Maine accredited BSN or MSN degree program. | Accredited BSN or MSN |
| Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans | Varies | See website | Please see eligibility requirements here. | Any |
| Portland Housing Authority Scholarship | Various | See website | Applicants must be current residents on the lease for Portland Housing Authority Public Housing / HCV Section8 / Low Income / Subsidized Housing; must be pursuing higher education through an accredited college, university, trade school, or program during the upcoming academic year; can demonstrate financial need in order to attend such an institution; can demonstrate community engagement through volunteer work or involvement at school or in the community. | Any |
| University of Southern Maine Promise Scholarship | Varies | March 15 | Potential USM students; can be asylum-seekers | Any |
| Prosperity Maine Scholarship | Up to $5,0000 | March 1 | Full-tuition scholarships—including books—toward two-year associate degrees. Candidates must not be eligible for federal financial aid; must be living in Maine; maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 or higher; plan to enroll in a Maine college or university; and demonstrate financial need. | Any |
| QuestBridge Quest for Excellence New Americans Award | Up to $1,000 | See website | For high-achieving, low-income high school juniors who immigrated to the United States, or whose parents immigrated to the United States. | Any |
| Roothbert Fund | Grants average $5,000-$7,000 per year | See website | Must be a Maine resident pursuing graduate or undergraduate study at an accredited U.S.-based college or university. Note: Preference is shown to those who have completed at least one year of undergraduate study or beyond. | Any, but preference is reserved for applicants of strong scholastic achievement considering careers in education. |
| Scholarships for Black and African American Students | Varies | See website | List of general scholarships for Black and African American students. | See website |
| Scholarships for Maine Immigrants (previously Portland ESL Scholarship Fund) | Varies | See website | Applicants must be legally able to work in the U.S.; have at least a high school diploma or HiSET (GED); live in York, Cumberland, or Androscoggin County; have demonstrated financial need and qualify only for private financial aid, not public funds; are seeking additional English language skills, professional skills, and/or qualifying exams necessary to achieve post-secondary educational or career goals; and have sufficient English language proficiency to succeed in the course, program, or exam. | Any |
| Stephen Phillips Memorial Scholarship | $3,000–$17,000 | Varies; see website | Must be a permanent resident of New England but may attend college anywhere in the U.S. High school seniors entering college and returning college students attending accredited U.S. colleges or universities full-time are eligible to apply for the scholarship. Awards are limited to students in undergraduate study and to those seeking their first bachelor’s degree. | Any |
| TheDream.US Scholarships | Full scholarships | See website | Must be Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival, and Temporary Protected Status or certify that you meet the following immigration eligibility criteria: Must be a high school graduate at least 16 years of age who came to the US before November 1, 2015. | Any |
