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UNE (Maine) scholarships and merit aid

Two prices: the posted one, and yours.

Posted price$71,640per year · 2026-2027 · cost of attendance
Yours?depends on the rules below

The short answer

UNE (Maine) awards automatic merit on admission. UNE (Maine) does not publish a GPA or test chart, so you cannot self-calculate the dollars.

Where does your student land?

Verified Jul 2026
3 school sources to explore

Published rules, with the school sources close at hand. Confirm the details before you count on an award.

The award collection

Published scholarships

These amounts and requirements come from the school’s own published pages. Open an award to see who qualifies and how to keep it.

Where does your student land?

  1. Merit Scholarship — Incoming First-Year Students$13,000-$28,000AutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Merit Scholarship — Incoming First-Year Students

    $13,000-$28,000

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Based on GPA and academic achievement before enrolling; the page does not publish a GPA-to-amount grid
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Merit Scholarship — Incoming First-Year Students

    Who qualifies

    Full-time enrollment (12+ credits) in an on-campus undergraduate program

    How to keep it

    Merit Scholarships renew for four years of undergraduate study at UNE as long as you maintain full-time enrollment (12+ credits) in eligible coursework with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above.

    Worth knowing

    All incoming full-time undergraduates receive one; awarded at time of admission with no separate application. No published table mapping a specific GPA to a specific dollar amount.

  2. Merit Scholarship — Incoming Transfer Students$9,000-$24,000AutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Merit Scholarship — Incoming Transfer Students

    $9,000-$24,000

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Based on academic achievement before enrolling; no published grid
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Merit Scholarship — Incoming Transfer Students

    Who qualifies

    Transfer student; full-time enrollment in an on-campus undergraduate program

    How to keep it

    Renewable Merit Scholarship for full-time enrollment in an on-campus undergraduate program; institutional renewal terms (12+ credits, 2.5 cumulative GPA) apply per the same page.

    Worth knowing

    Offered at time of admission; no separate application.

  3. Merit Scholarship — Incoming Accelerated B.S. in Nursing Students$10,000-$20,000Automatic
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Merit Scholarship — Incoming Accelerated B.S. in Nursing Students

    $10,000-$20,000

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Based on academic achievement before enrolling; no published grid
    Open award details for Merit Scholarship — Incoming Accelerated B.S. in Nursing Students

    Who qualifies

    Admission to the Accelerated B.S. in Nursing (A.B.S.N.) program; full-time enrollment

    Renewal terms

    Page does not state this award 'renews annually' the way the first-year and transfer tiers do; confirm renewal with SFS.

    Worth knowing

    Offered at time of admission; no separate application.

  4. Merit Scholarship — Incoming Pharmacy Students$13,000-$28,000 first two years | $7,000-$18,000 final four yearsAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Merit Scholarship — Incoming Pharmacy Students

    $13,000-$28,000 first two years | $7,000-$18,000 final four years

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Based on academic achievement before enrolling; no published grid
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Merit Scholarship — Incoming Pharmacy Students

    Who qualifies

    Admission to the Pre-Pharmacy 2+4 Pharm.D. or Pharmacy 0-6 Pharm.D. program; full-time enrollment

    How to keep it

    Renewable scholarships are awarded for the first two years of study and then for the final four years; the award range DROPS for the final four years.

    Worth knowing

    Two-phase award: the merit range falls from $13,000–$28,000 (years 1–2) to $7,000–$18,000 (final four years).

  5. UNE Tuition-Free Program (TFP)Full tuitionNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    UNE Tuition-Free Program (TFP)

    Full tuition

    Published coverage or packageNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.85 or greater unweighted high school GPA
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for UNE Tuition-Free Program (TFP)

    Who qualifies

    First-year, first-time students only; live on campus; file FAFSA; AGI under $100,000 (2023 tax year, per published 2025-26 terms); Student Aid Index (SAI) of 0; dependent student; accept all federal and state grant aid

    How to keep it

    Renewable up to four years of undergraduate study; students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5, full-time enrollment, and live on campus. Falling below 3.5, dropping below full-time, withdrawing, or extending beyond four years ends eligibility.

    Worth knowing

    No separate application (reviewed automatically from the admission application + FAFSA), but it is NOT a pure stats award — it has income (AGI/SAI), residency-hall, and dependency gates. Covers TUITION ONLY, not fees, housing, or dining. Page describes the fall 2025 / 2025-2026 launch cohort; 2026-2027 terms were not posted at retrieval (see Section C).

Lights up against UNE (Maine)'s published cutoffs. Not an award offer; confirm with the financial aid office. Award terms and residency rules change; some awards differ for in-state and out-of-state students. Always confirm at the school’s source page.

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  • “it told me what to ask and what the renewal GPA looked like, which I was not going to find on my own”Melissa

The fine print

Renewal ruleMerit Scholarship — Incoming First-Year Students: renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out

Merit Scholarships renew for four years of undergraduate study at UNE as long as you maintain full-time enrollment (12+ credits) in eligible coursework with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above. A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.

What makes UNE (Maine) different

DRAFT: UNE gives every admitted full-time undergrad an automatic GPA-based Merit Scholarship of $13,000–$28,000 (no application), and layers on a Tuition-Free Program for high-GPA (3.85+), lower-income (AGI under $100K, SAI 0) first-year students who live on campus.

Merit tiers54 based on grades or scores
Research checkedJul 2026By our research team

More than one award path

Separate the two paths.

Some awards use published academic thresholds. Others have different selection criteria. A score chart does not describe every award at this school.

  1. Match the published criteria

    Use all requirements together, including residency and the entering class.

  2. Check the application dates

    Confirm the current admission and scholarship deadlines directly with the school.

  3. Know what happens next year

    Check renewal, credit requirements and how other aid affects the award.

The fine print / Three questions to carry forward

Before you count on it.

Does it apply to us? Confirm the entering year, residency and every eligibility condition.

Can we keep it? Check renewal GPA, credits and how long the award lasts.

Can we combine it? Ask how outside scholarships and other school awards change the offer.

Take UNE (Maine)'s decision sheet

A printable research summary, source links and room for your questions.

See what could change an award

Straight from the aid office

What UNE (Maine)'s aid office says

Per the Student Financial Services, University of New England, August 2026. How we verify

Who determines merit scholarships

Who decides undergraduate merit scholarship amounts?

Undergraduate merit scholarships are determined solely by the Admissions Office during the admission process.

“Undergraduate merit scholarships are determined solely by the Admissions Office during the admission process.”
GPA used for merit scholarships

What GPA is used to determine merit scholarship awards?

Merit awards are based on the student's unweighted high school GPA through their junior year.

“These awards are based on the student’s unweighted high school GPA through their junior year.”
Political science page validity

Does the political science page's scholarship range still apply?

The political science page referenced is no longer active and shows merit scholarship ranges from a prior academic year.

“it appears that your search led you to a page that is no longer active and references merit scholarship ranges from a prior academic year.”
Major-based scholarships

Does UNE offer extra scholarships based on a student's major?

UNE does not offer additional scholarships based on a student's specific major.

“UNE does not offer additional scholarships based on a student’s specific major.”
Nor'easter Scholarship basis

How is the Nor'easter Scholarship amount determined?

The Nor'easter Scholarship is a need-based institutional grant, with the amount determined using internally approved guidelines and the student's SAI from the FAFSA.

“The amount awarded is determined by the University using internally approved guidelines, along with the student’s Student Aid Index (SAI), as calculated by the Department of Education based on the FAFSA.”
Blue Beacon Grant amount

How much is the Blue Beacon Grant worth?

The Blue Beacon Grant may range from $1,000 to $4,000 and its availability may vary from year to year.

“The award may range from $1,000 to $4,000 and availability may vary from year to year.”
Legacy and Student Sibling Grant amount

How much is the Legacy and Student Sibling Grant?

The Legacy and Student Sibling Grant is $1,500 annually, split between fall and spring semesters once eligibility is confirmed.

“The Legacy and Student Sibling Grant is $1,500 annually, divided between the fall and spring semesters, once eligibility has been confirmed.”
City of Biddeford Employee award amount

How much is the award for students whose parent works for the City of Biddeford, and how is eligibility confirmed?

Students with a parent employed full-time by the City of Biddeford may get a $1,000 annual award ($500/semester), requiring documentation like pay stubs or an employer letter, and it is renewable annually with continued documentation.

“undergraduate students whose parent(s) are currently employed full-time by the City of Biddeford may be eligible for a $1,000 annual award ($500 per semester). To establish eligibility, the student and parent must provide documentation confirming current full-time employment.”

What families often miss

  1. The TFP covers tuition only. UNE's own FAQ says additional educational-related costs 'include, but are not limited to, required fees, residence hall, and dining charges' — and TFP students are REQUIRED to live on campus, so a family still pays roughly $19,400 room and board plus $2,080 fees (2026-27 figures) out of pocket or via other aid.

  2. The TFP also requires AGI under $100,000, a Student Aid Index of 0, dependent status, first-time first-year status (no transfers or international students), living on campus, filing the FAFSA, and accepting all federal/state grant aid. High-income high-GPA students do not qualify — they get the regular merit scholarship instead.

  3. The regular Merit Scholarship requires a 2.5 cumulative GPA to renew, but the Tuition-Free Program has a much higher 3.5 cumulative GPA cliff — fall below 3.5 even once (e.g., after failing a course) and 'they will not be eligible for the TFP.'

  4. The page states: 'full-time enrollment (defined as 12 or more credits) must be maintained to be eligible for all institutional funds, including merit scholarships.' Part-time students are not eligible for UNE gift aid at all, and a TFP student who drops below full-time permanently loses the TFP.

  5. TFP eligibility is capped at four years of undergraduate study; extending enrollment beyond four years, withdrawing, or taking a leave of absence ends it. It also excludes summer terms and course overloads above the published full-time tuition.

  6. UNE requires all outside awards to be reported. The good news: UNE's published policy is to let outside scholarships fill unmet need and, if an adjustment is needed, to reduce loans/work-study first — so reporting usually doesn't cost you grant money.

  7. The Pharm.D. merit award drops from $13,000–$28,000 in the first two years to $7,000–$18,000 in the final four years — a built-in decrease the page states explicitly.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

DRAFT: Strong fit for solid-GPA students who want guaranteed merit money without extra applications, and especially for high-achieving (3.85+ unweighted GPA) students from families earning under $100,000 who can live on campus — that profile may attend tuition-free.

Published yearly cost: Approximately $71,640 for 2026-2027. Source

Cost and graduation facts

Federal reporting on who actually enrolls at UNE (Maine), what they paid after aid, and what happened next — independent of anything the school markets.

Average annual net price by family income at UNE (Maine), academic year 2021-22
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$31,371
$30,001–$48,000$32,046
$48,001–$75,000$32,348
$75,001–$110,000$36,237
$110,001+$41,991
All income levels (average)$38,107

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees, AY 2022-23
$44,210
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$38,107

That works out to roughly a 40% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $63,245 (College Scorecard — a separate, federally reported figure, not the published cost of attendance shown above).

Outcomes for students who enrolled here

Graduation rate (150% of normal time), 2016 cohort
68%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
79%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$25,250 (~$268/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$55,921
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
21%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
75%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

UNE lets outside scholarships fill unmet financial need first; if an aid adjustment is required, UNE reduces loans and/or work-study before touching grants or merit aid (loan-first displacement). All outside awards must be reported to Student Financial Services. For the Tuition-Free Program, UNE states outside scholarships in most instances will not affect eligibility.

From the Applying for Aid page: outside scholarships fill unmet need; when adjustments are necessary UNE first attempts to reduce loans and/or work-study. Federal rules require students to report all outside assistance. TFP FAQ separately states receipt of outside scholarships in most instances will not impact TFP eligibility but must be reported.

Source

Other UNE (Maine) scholarships worth checking

These awards can be harder to find. Each one has its own rules.

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityDemonstrated financial need

"If you demonstrate financial need, we may award this funding to further supplement the cost of your UNE education."

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityGift-based funding recognizing "talent, dedication, and promising future at UNE"

No published amount or criteria grid.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityStudent and sibling concurrently enrolled full-time in on-campus UNE programs

Requires submitting the Request for UNE Sibling, Legacy, or Lifetime Partnership Awards form.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityParent earned a degree from UNE, Westbrook College, or Saint Francis College; student enrolled full-time on campus

Requires submitting the Request for UNE Sibling, Legacy, or Lifetime Partnership Awards form.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityParent currently employed full-time by the City of Biddeford (proof required)

Contact Student Financial Services to apply.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityReturning undergraduate students; criteria vary by donor, mostly merit + need

SFS contacts students in late spring about the application process — these are for RETURNING students, not incoming freshmen.

Source

UNE (Maine) merit aid FAQ

  • Is there a separate scholarship application or deadline at UNE?

    No separate application or deadline for the Merit Scholarship — it is awarded automatically at the time of admission based on your GPA and academic record. The Tuition-Free Program also has no application ('There is no application or request process... regardless of when you apply') but requires a FAFSA on file. The Maine State Grant (Maine residents) has a May 1 priority deadline.

  • How much merit money will I get?

    Every incoming full-time first-year student gets $13,000–$28,000 per year; transfers get $9,000–$24,000. UNE does not publish a grid mapping a specific GPA to a specific amount — the exact figure comes with your admission offer.

  • What GPA do I need to keep my scholarship?

    A 2.5 cumulative GPA plus full-time enrollment (12+ credits) renews the Merit Scholarship for four years. The Tuition-Free Program requires a 3.5 cumulative GPA.

  • Does the Tuition-Free Program cover housing and food?

    No. It covers full tuition only (including future tuition increases). Required fees, residence hall, and dining charges are not covered, and TFP students must live on campus.

  • Will outside scholarships reduce my UNE aid?

    UNE's policy is to let outside scholarships fill unmet financial need; if adjustments are necessary, UNE first reduces loans and/or work-study. All outside scholarships must be reported to Student Financial Services.

  • What does UNE cost for 2026-2027?

    Estimated total cost of attendance is $71,640: tuition $45,960, room and board $19,400 (Featherman triple rate), general service fee $2,080 (direct costs $67,440), plus about $4,200 estimated indirect costs. UNE notes it typically implements a 2-4% increase each year.

See sources and other schools

How UNE (Maine) compares

  • 145 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use loan-first displacement.

    UNE (Maine) is in a recognizable cluster (145 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.

  • 665 of 749 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.

    UNE (Maine) is one of them. The cohort minority (84 schools) only awards one-year scholarships, which means the four-year value families assume on a brochure quote isn't guaranteed at every school.

Sources used on this page

Every claim is checked against UNE (Maine)’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.

Compare with similar schools

Keep exploring UNE (Maine) merit aid

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