Smcc

(Effective Fall 2009)
 
Southern Maine Community College waives all or a portion of tuition charges for matriculated students who are Maine residents and document their membership or ancestry in a Maine-based Native American tribe.  
 
Waiver Eligibility:  To qualify for an SMCC Native American tuition waiver, the student must meet the following eligibility criteria:

1. Tribal Membership or Ancestry:  The student must be included on the current tribal census or have at least one parent or grandparent included on the current tribal census of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the
2. Penobscot Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseet or Aroostook Band of Micmac.
3. Maine Residency:  The student must meet SMCC's criteria to qualify for in-state tuition charge.
4. Enrollment:  The student must be accepted into a degree or certificate program and enrolled in credit-bearing courses at SMCC.  The student must remain in good academic standing as defined by the college and maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress as defined by Title IV Federal financial aid regulations.
5. SMCC Native American Waiver Application:  The student must complete and submit a "SMCC Native American Tuition Waiver Application" to the SMCC Financial Aid Office.  Once eligibility is established, re-application is not necessary.
6. Financial Aid Application:  Applicants for the Native American Waiver must complete the Free
7. Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually as soon as possible after January 1 and provide the documents required for determining aid eligibility.  Applicants must meet the general eligibility requirements for receiving Federal student aid.
8. Programs taught at other campuses: Students enrolled in the Fire Science program taking classes at Eastern Maine Community College or the Criminal Justice program taking classes at Washington County Community College must apply for the Native American Waiver at those respective colleges and are subject to their waiver policies. 

Waiver Amount: The waiver is equal to in-state tuition charged to the student in a semester less any Federal or state need-based grants or scholarships for which the student qualifies. Other restrictions apply:

• Charges other than tuition are not waived.
• Tuition is not waived for courses with a grade of NS (no show).
• Summer session tuition is waived only for students in majors which require summer attendance: 
  
  • Automotive Technology - AAS
  • Cardiovascular Technology - AS
  • EMS/Paramedicine - AS
  • Radiation Therapy - AS
  • Respiratory Therapy - AS
  • Radiography - AS

Duration of Eligibility:  Eligibility for the waiver ends after the student has earned one degree or one certificate or after the student has attempted 90 credits at SMCC, regardless of whether or not the student has earned a credential.

Download Native American Tuition Waiver Application [PDF file].