Free College Financial Aid FAQ’s
For more detailed information about Free College and Financial Aid at SMCC, please review the frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) below.
Q: What does the Free College Scholarship pay for?
A: The Free College Scholarship pays for tuition and mandatory fees that are not covered by federal and state grants. The Free College Scholarship does not pay for: books, supplies, transportation, housing, food, etc.
Q: If I am eligible for a tuition waiver (such as an employee waiver, a foster care waiver, or a veteran dependent waiver) can I still receive a Free College Scholarship?
A: You can receive a Free College Scholarship OR a tuition waiver, but not both.
Q: Can I receive other scholarships in addition to the Free College Scholarship?
A: Yes, only Pell Grants and state grants are taken into consideration when determining the amount of the Free College Scholarship. Any other scholarships that you receive can be used for other educational expenses such as books, housing, or transportation costs.
Q: Does the Free College Scholarship cover room and board?
A: No, the Free College Scholarship only covers tuition and mandatory fees that are not covered by a Pell Grant or state grant, it does not cover room and board. If your Pell Grant and state grant exceed your tuition and fees, the excess will be applied to room and board charges if you live on campus or refunded if you live off campus.
Q: What if I need help completing the FAFSA?
A: There are several ways to get help completing the FAFSA:
- Contact the SMCC Financial Aid Office at 207-741-5518 or finaid@smccME.edu
- Stop by the Financial Aid Office in the Captain’s House before 4pm Monday through Friday.
- Participate in a FAFSA Help Session sponsored by the Financial Authority of Maine (FAME). Visit the FAME website to sign up.
- Use the help features found on the Federal Student Aid website.
Q: I am not able to complete the FAFSA - what do I do?
A: Contact the SMCC Financial Aid Office at 207-741-5518 or finaid@smccME.edu
Q: How is the amount of my Free College Scholarship determined?
A: The amount of the Free College scholarship is determined by subtracting your Pell grant and state grant from your tuition and mandatory fees.
Examples:
Tuition & Fees: $1,500
Pell Grant: $0
State Grant: $0
Free College Total: $1,500
Tuition & Fees: $1,500
Pell Grant: $0
State Grant: $1,250
Free College Total: $250
Tuition & Fees: $1,500
Pell Grant: $1,000
State Grant: $1,250
Free College Total: $0
Q: Can I choose to apply my Pell Grant and State of Maine grant to my housing charges and receive the Free College Scholarship for my tuition and fees?
A: No, Pell Grant and state grant are first applied to tuition and fees. If your Pell Grant and state grant exceed your tuition and fees, the excess will be applied to room and board charges.
Q: If my Pell grant and state grant covers my tuition and fees, will a Free College Scholarship be applied to my student account?
A: No, if your Pell grant and state grant cover your tuition and mandatory fees, you will not see a Free College Scholarship applied to your student account.
Q: Once I have completed the FAFSA, what is the next step?
A: As long as you have listed SMCC’s school code (005525) on your FAFSA, SMCC should receive your FAFSA approximately a week after you have electronically submitted it. The SMCC Financial Aid Office will be in touch with you through your SMCC email account with an aid offer or to let you know that additional documents are required.
Q: I just realized that I submitted my FAFSA without SMCC’s school code, what do I do?
A: You can log back into studentaid.gov/FAFSA and click “Update Schools” to add SMCC’s school code: 005525. After entering our school code on your FAFSA, make sure that you go all the way to the end of the application, sign electronically, and resubmit your FAFSA to submit the correction.
Q: If I decide to borrow a federal student loan, will that reduce the amount of my Free College Scholarship?
A: No, student loans will not impact your eligibility for a Free College Scholarship. Only Pell grants and state grants need to be taken into consideration when determining the amount of your Free College Scholarship.
Q: Does the Free College Scholarship pay for my books?
A: No, books are not covered by the Free College Scholarship program. If you have other financial aid, grants, loans or scholarships, those may be used to assist with book costs, otherwise, you will need to purchase your books out of pocket.
Q: Does the Free College Scholarship program cover supplies(tools, uniforms, etc)?
A: No, supplies are not covered by the Free College Scholarship program.
Q: Does the Free College Scholarship pay for parking fines or other fines?
A: No, the Free College Scholarship only covers tuition and mandatory fees not covered by Pell Grant and Maine State Grant.