Deciding to pursue graduate education is an important decision. That’s why the Graduate School is committed to assisting prospective and current students with finding ways to fund their education. While the top three ways to receive funding support are through assistantships, fellowships, or scholarships, there are alternative ways to find support whether through loans or other third party sources. 

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Scholarships

Learn more about scholarships at UMaine

Other Options

Learn more about other financial options at the Financial Aid Office

Assistantships

Learn more about assistantships at UMaine and see if you qualify for a federal work-study position

Fellowships

Learn more about fellowships at UMaine

What is included in university funding

Stipend

The minimum award for an academic year position, based on 2024-2025 figures is:

  • $17,000 USD for master’s students
  • $20,000 USD for doctoral students

Tuition

Most university funding provides a tuition waiver for 6-9 credit hours per semester. 

Students are responsible for covering the fees associated with tuition costs. 

Health Insurance

UMaine covers up to half of the university health insurance benefit for eligible students (GA/RA/TA and fellows).

How to fund your graduate degree

Eligibility for university funding

Several types of awards and assistance are available for new and continuing graduate students at the University of Maine. 

All new applicants who wish to be reviewed for awards or other UMaine financial assistance must have submitted and completed a graduate degree application by January 15. Most awards are based on academic performance, requiring at least a 3.0 graduate GPA, rather than financial need. 

Please note that graduate assistants are not normally allowed to be employed outside the University of Maine without permission from their graduate program and the Graduate School.

For more information, please contact the Graduate School or the graduate coordinator in your department of interest.

Tuition costs

The University of Maine graduate tuition costs are visible on the Bursar’s Office website. Note: tuition costs are subject to change each academic year.

Fall 2023 through Summer 2024 tuition & mandatory fees

For new students, we have created an Estimated Graduate Tuition and Fees Calculator to aid in budgeting potential costs. Keep in mind, this is purely an estimate and actual costs will depend on program, residency, and credit load. 

How to find open positions & funding opportunities

Open Positions

Open assistantship positions can be found through the following avenues:

  1. CareerLink: instructions on how to use CareerLink.
  2. Academic programs: check with the graduate coordinator for your program for available financial support.
  3. Offices on campus (work-study and non-work-study).
    • Common offices with work-study positions include, but are not limited to: Office of Admissions, Graduate School, Bodwell Volunteer Center, Student Affairs, International Programs, Student Financial Aid, and Student Employment
  4. Asking other faculty, staff, and students in areas of interest to you.
  5. Completing the Graduate Assistant Position Interest Form. This form is for students who have been admitted to a UMaine graduate program and are interested in employment as a graduate assistant. Completing the form does not guarantee that you will be offered a position, but it allows your information to be shared with many different departments that are looking to hire a graduate student.

Funding Opportunities

Note: the following list does not reflect all potential open positions or opportunities.

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Federal Work-Study (FWS) FAQs

What is Federal Work Study (FWS)?

Federal Work-Study provides funds for part-time jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. It is a form of financial aid that is provided to eligible students through the FAFSA.

Who is eligible?

Students must complete the FAFSA before March 1 to have maximum eligibility for FWS. Only United States citizens are eligible for FWS funds. Eligible students will also need to have what is called financial need as determined by the FAFSA. This is calculated by the total cost of attendance of the university (COA) minus the estimated family contribution (EFC), calculated by the financial information entered on the FAFSA. All students applying for a federal work-study position must complete the FAFSA and demonstrate a financial need according to the equation above. For more information about eligibility please reach out to the Student Financial Aid Office at 207.581.1324

I was not eligible during my undergraduate, am I eligible now?

Maybe, but you have to complete the FAFSA to be certain! Most students are considered dependents of their parents or guardians during their undergraduate career. However, once a student begins pursuing an advanced degree, the FAFSA considers them an independent student. This can significantly change the way the FAFSA looks at your finances. This means that even if you were not eligible for FWS in your undergraduate years, you may be eligible now!

I was not awarded FWS this year, what do I do now?

The FAFSA looks at financial data from 2 years before the application year. Sometimes this data does not accurately reflect the student’s current situation. If this is the case and you have supporting financial data, backing documentation, and a job that requires FWS you may be eligible to file an appeal through the Student Financial Aid Office. Not everyone is eligible for an appeal and it can take up to 30 days for a decision to be made. Before making this decision you will want to contact the Student Financial Aid Office to determine the best course of action. Additionally, here is a link to the Student Financial Aid Office’s page about appeals.

Bottom Line?

Complete the FAFSA each year, as soon as possible. Each new FAFSA application window opens on October 1 and the priority deadline for a maximum award is March 1. You may be eligible now even if you were not eligible in previous years. Contact the Student Financial Aid Office for any aid-specific questions (207.581.1324 or umfinaid@maine.edu).