AUGUSTA — As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, the University of Maine at Augusta will offer 100 scholarships to incoming students for the fall 2015 semester.

“By offering these scholarships we hope to give students that extra boost they need to help them to pursue their academic goals,” said Sheri Fraser, dean of enrollment services at UMA. “Paying for college is not easy, and we want to offer as much support as we can.”

All applicants for admission will automatically be considered for the following scholarships:

· 15 Presidential Scholarships for half tuition (6 credits per year) for up to five years. Presidential Scholarships are for students with a strong academic background intending to attend full time in a baccalaureate program.

· 20 Fresh Start Scholarships for students who are re-admitting to UMA. The money from this scholarship can be used to pay off debt to UMA.

· 10 scholarships in the amount of $1,000 for students who are transferring to UMA from a community college. Applicants must complete a brief form, including a personal statement about how they hope to transform their life by attending UMA.

· 50 scholarships are being awarded in the amount of $500 each. Based on academic achievement and leadership, five of these recipients will be chosen to receive an extra $500 each, bringing their total to $1,000.

To qualify for the 50th anniversary scholarships, applicants must have a UMA admissions application that is in process or completed, have filed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and be eligible for a financial aid award (even if only loan eligible).

For more information and to download an application visit www.uma.edu/finaidscholarships, contact UMA by email at [email protected], or call 1-877-UMA-1234.