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.

Federal Pell Grants usually do not need repayment. But if you withdraw or change classes, the school may need to adjust your award. See the federal grants guide. Some students can get additional summer Pell if they meet the rules.

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 2026–27, you generally need Maine residency, an eligible Maine college, a first undergraduate degree or certificate, at least half-time study, and a Student Aid Index of 10,000 or less. A student in the New England Tuition Break program at an out-of-state school may be an exception. Ask FAME before ruling out your school.

Deadline: The 2026–27 Maine State Grant priority date was May 1, 2026. File the 2026–27 FAFSA even if you missed it. Maine rules also allow a limited adult-learner exception for certain late filers. A qualifying adult learner is generally 24 or older on January 1 of the year school starts and has not received the State Grant in the prior three school years. Do not assume late funding is available: Ask your college aid office or FAME to confirm whether the exception is funded for you. Check the coming year’s state deadline before filing the 2027–28 FAFSA.

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 care for a minor child living with you, live in Maine, be age 16–64, and have citizenship or an eligible immigration status. You usually need at least half-time enrollment in an approved program; HOPE may approve less. Gross family income is generally at or below 225% of the federal poverty level. Countable assets must be $10,000 or less, but your main home and car do not count. HOPE may exclude some income.

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

Maine’s Child Care Affordability Program (CCAP) may pay part of approved child care while you work, study, or train. Family income can be up to 125% of Maine’s median income. The child must meet program citizenship rules. Families may owe a weekly copay; it is waived when family income is under 30% of state median income.

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.

New 2026 rules: CSSP now offers broader access to monthly stipends, a partial stipend for qualifying part-time students, and more support for some travel and car-repair costs. If you already receive CSSP, ask your case manager to check whether the new rules increase your help. Training providers may also seek separate cohort funding; that is not an individual cash grant.

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.

August 30, 2026 rule: Maine clarified how tuition can be paid or repaid under SNAP E&T. The training must fit your individual employment plan. Ask your provider to approve the program, tuition amount, and payment method before you enroll or pay.

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 Adult Learner Long-Term Scholarship has June 15 and November 15 deadlines. Late applications are not accepted. Short-term awards have a rolling application window, but MaineCF says decisions may take three or more weeks due to high demand. It will not fund a short course that starts before a decision. Review current scholarship deadlines before you apply. Other MaineCF awards often use May 1 or different dates.

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 right school year (2026–27 or 2027–28).
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.