Community college graduates guaranteed admission to Maine’s public universities

Maine’s public universities, including the University of Maine and its regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias, will guarantee admission to graduates of the state’s community colleges starting this fall.

Under the terms of a new, historic Transfer ME agreement signed Wednesday, July 31, by Maine Community College System (MCCS) President David Daigler and University of Maine System (UMS) Chancellor Dannel Malloy, the state’s community colleges will proactively notify their students about the opportunities to continue their postsecondary education through public universities statewide. Today’s Transfer ME signing ceremony took place at the Spring Point Children’s Center at Southern Maine Community College, South Portland.  

Interested students will receive coordinated advising from the two systems and be directly admitted to UMS universities that offer an aligned program. After completing their associate degree, MCCS graduates can seamlessly transfer to a Maine public university of their choice without filling out an application, paying application fees, or providing essays, recommendation letters and transcripts. 

“This partnership will make it easier than ever for Maine community college graduates to continue pursuing their education at one of Maine’s public universities, building upon my Free Community College initiative, which has enabled thousands of students to attend community college at little or no cost to them,” said Gov. Janet Mills, who participated in the announcement. “I thank the Maine Community College System and University of Maine System for heeding my calls to make it even easier for Maine students to get a great education at an affordable price with a good-paying job waiting for them in the end.” 

Transfer ME builds on more than 180 existing articulation agreements, including UMaine’s Black Bear Program authorized in April, that allow MCCS graduates to transfer to Maine’s public universities and have all their Maine community college credits count, with further pathways being formalized.

Read the full story about Transfer ME on the UMS website. 

Contact: Samanthan Warren, 207.632.0389; samantha.warren@maine.edu