Scholarships and Education Grants for Single Mothers in Maine

Where to start

What each kind of education aid means

Quick Maine education help table

Federal Pell Grants and the Maine State Grant

Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant is need-based aid for many undergraduate students. The official Pell Grant page lists a maximum award of $7,395 for the 2026–27 award year. Your amount depends on federal rules, your financial information, enrollment, school cost, and how much Pell eligibility you have already used.

A Pell Grant usually does not need to be repaid, but leaving school early or changing enrollment can cause an aid adjustment. The federal grants guide explains when part of a grant may have to be returned.

Maine State Grant

The Maine State Grant is need-based aid for Maine undergraduate students. For 2026–27, the maximum is $2,500 for full-time study. Students enrolled at least half-time may receive up to $1,250.

For the regular grant, a student generally must be a Maine resident, attend an eligible Maine school, be in an initial undergraduate certificate or degree program, enroll at least half-time, and have a Student Aid Index of 10,000 or less.

Important 2026 date: The regular FAFSA filing deadline for the 2026–27 Maine State Grant was May 1, 2026. File the FAFSA anyway. Maine also has a one-time Adult Learner State Grant path for certain late filers born before January 1, 2003, who meet the other rules and did not receive a Maine State Grant during the prior three award years. It is first-come, first-served while money remains, so ask your school or FAME to check your case.

HOPE help for Maine parents

The Higher Opportunity for Pathways to Employment program helps qualifying parents complete education beyond high school. The HOPE support page lists help with tuition, fees, old tuition balances that block reenrollment, books, supplies, tools, child care, transportation, car repair and required car costs, computers, and other school-related needs.

Who may qualify: You must be a parent or caretaker of a minor child living with you, be a Maine resident age 16 through 64, meet the income and asset rules, and attend an approved postsecondary program. The current income limit is generally 225% of the federal poverty level. Countable assets must usually be $10,000 or less, but HOPE does not count your main home or car.

You normally cannot receive HOPE while someone in your family unit receives monthly TANF or Parents as Scholars cash benefits. You also cannot already have a marketable bachelor’s degree.

How to apply: Use the HOPE application page, submit through My Maine Connection, ask a DHHS office, or call 207-624-4170. Sign the form and include a mailing address. A Student Navigator may help with class planning, financial aid, child care, and school bills.

Reality check: HOPE is not automatic and does not promise that every cost will be paid. Ask what must be approved before you buy a computer, repair a car, or pay a school balance.

Maine Free College Scholarship

The Maine Free College Scholarship is now a permanent path for recent Maine high school graduates and people with an equivalent credential such as the HiSET. If you earned the diploma or equivalent in 2024 or later, you may qualify.

For graduates in 2026 and later, the scholarship covers 100% of tuition after federal and state grants are applied. Students from the classes of 2024 and 2025 receive tuition and mandatory fee coverage under the earlier rules. There are no income or age limits.

You must live in Maine for the full year before admission and while enrolled, file the FAFSA, accept the federal and state aid for which you qualify, and attend a degree or certificate program at one of Maine’s seven community colleges.

Reality check: Tuition-free does not mean every school cost is free. Ask about fees, books, supplies, tools, transport, housing, food, and child care before choosing a program.

Child care while you study

The Child Care Affordability Program helps eligible families pay for approved care while a parent works, goes to school, or attends job training. Families with income up to 125% of Maine’s median income may qualify. Parents choose an approved provider and may pay part of the cost on a sliding scale.

Call 1-877-680-5866 or 207-624-7999 if you need help with the application. Ask whether the provider accepts CCAP and has space during class, commute, clinical, study, and work hours.

The ASMOM guide to Maine child care help lists other options. Families with younger children can also check Head Start support because program schedules and family services may help some student parents.

Career training and workforce support

Competitive Skills Scholarship Program

The Competitive Skills Scholarship Program helps eligible Maine residents pursue a two-year degree, four-year degree, or employer-recognized credential tied to a good-paying job in demand. It may cover approved training gaps and support costs.

Contact a Maine CareerCenter counselor before enrolling. Ask whether your program and job goal qualify, what other aid must be used first, and which support costs need advance approval.

SNAP Employment and Training

The Maine SNAP E&T program provides job search, adult education, certificate, degree, vocational training, and job-retention services at no cost to eligible participants. Maine says a person receiving SNAP but not TANF may qualify. Contact a listed provider if you already receive SNAP.

If you receive TANF instead, ask about your employment and education plan. The ASMOM guide to Maine TANF help explains the cash program and work-service steps.

Adult Education and WIOA

Maine Adult Education has more than 60 local programs. Services include reading and math, English classes, college preparation, career preparation, and high school completion. Maine uses the HiSET for high school equivalency. The Maine HiSET page explains this path.

CareerCenters may also screen jobseekers for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act services. Search Maine JobLink training with a counselor, but do not assume every listed school will be funded. Use the national ASMOM guide to job training help for more paths.

Maine scholarships worth checking

Start with the free FAME scholarship search. Search by location, school, and field. Also ask your school, town office, employer, union, hospital, credit union, and community group.

The MaineCF adult learner page lists awards for nontraditional students in college, certificates, trades, and some short programs. Applicants must be Maine residents. Reviewers look at financial need, readiness, a clear plan, and commitment to Maine. Complete the FAFSA when you are eligible to do so.

MaineCF’s online deadline page lists the Adult Learner Long-Term Scholarship deadlines as June 15 and November 15. Other MaineCF scholarships often use May 1 or a different date. Check the current scholarship deadlines before working on an essay.

Some people may also qualify for a Maine public college tuition waiver because of foster care, subsidized adoption, or the death of a parent or spouse who served as an eligible public safety worker. FAME accepts annual applications starting on the first business day of March. Read the tuition waiver rules before applying.

Documents and information to gather

Each program asks for different proof. Keep clear copies in a safe folder. The ASMOM application documents checklist can help you organize them.

A simple application order

1. Choose a school or training program tied to a clear job goal.
2. Check the total cost, schedule, license result, and refund rules.
3. File the FAFSA for the correct school year.
4. Ask the school to explain every grant, scholarship, loan, and work-study item.
5. Ask about the regular Maine State Grant or the late Adult Learner grant.
6. Apply for HOPE, CSSP, SNAP E&T, or Adult Education when they fit.
7. Apply early for CCAP and ask whether your provider is approved.
8. Search FAME, MaineCF, your school, town, and employer for scholarships.
9. Use Maine transportation help and phone and internet help when those costs could stop attendance.