Free College at YCCC

Have a high school diploma or equivalent from 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. This includes homeschooled students, and students earning a GED or Hi-SET during those years.

All applicants MUST file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be eligible to receive a FREE COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP.
Learn more about filing your FAFSA HERE.

PLEASE NOTE: If you aren’t eligible to file the FAFSA or can’t complete it for any reason, you must contact the YCCC Financial Aid Office. After completing your FAFSA, you will need to accept all federal and state grants and scholarships that you are awarded. This is a LAST DOLLAR Scholarship.

Live in Maine while enrolled in courses throughout the semester 
(i.e. home, rental, residence hall) 

• You cannot earn more than one associate degree under the Maine Free College program.
• You can use the Maine Free College program to get two one-year certificates or a certificate and an associate degree in the following scenarios: 
• If the two certificates are stackable. (Example: Small Business Certificate and Veterinary Assistant Certificate) 
• If the certificate leads to the associate degree (Example: Financial Planning certificate + Finance degree)  

Apply online and complete and submit the application.

Enroll in a certificate or an associate degree program during the following timeframes:

• 2022 Grads – No later than Fall 24/Spring 25 or Summer 25 
• 2023 Grads – No later than Fall 25, Spring 26, or Summer 26 
• 2024 Grads – No later than Fall 26, Spring 27,  or Summer 27 
• 2025 Grads – No later than Fall 27, Spring 28,  or Summer 28 

You can access the scholarship for up to 200% of the program completion time (i.e. if your program completion time is 2 years, you can take up to 4 years to complete it).