Opportunities for Funding
To make a proper judgment as to the amount and types of assistance each student can receive, students are required to apply for financial aid. The University of Maine requires only one financial aid application: the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Priority consideration is given to the earliest complete applications for financial aid, especially for any Federal Work-Study or Federal Perkins Loan. Applications will be accepted by the Federal processing center no earlier than January 1 prior to the Fall semester for which the student wishes to receive financial assistance. After applying, the student will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) from the Federal processing center. As long as the University of Maine is listed on the SAR in the school section, the Student Financial Aid Office will receive the application data at approximately the same time. The application will be reviewed and the student will be notified if any additional documentation (such as tax returns, verification forms, or other information) is required.
Once the student’s file is considered complete, an Award Letter will be mailed to the student, as notification of financial aid eligibility. The student accepts (or rejects) each type of aid offered, and follows all instructions included with the Award Letter to ensure continued processing and disbursement of funds to the student’s account at the University of Maine Bursar’s Office.
For more information on the process, access to forms and additional information on financial aid, visit the University of Maine Office of Student Financial Aid website.
Graduate Assistantships, Scholarships and Financial Aid
The MFA in Intermedia awards over 240,000 dollars in support to Intermedia MFA students each year. The Program has several Graduate Assistantships available each year. These include both Teaching Assistantships and Research Assistantships. These are awarded to MFA students only. Awards are given based on the quality of the applicant’s portfolio and departmental needs. Graduate Assistants are obligated for up to 20 hours a week to assist faculty or to teach a class with faculty supervision. Under normal circumstances Graduate Assistantships are awarded for a maximum of two years.
Since assistantships are based primarily on ability as opposed to need, you do not need to send financial statements. Students awarded assistantships will be assigned a particular job by the program head. Additionally, there are many assistantships in multiple departments and offices around campus and information about some of these can be found through the office of Student Employment on UMaine CareerLink or listed on the Association of Graduate Students office. As part of the assistantships of all students are variable awards (minimum of $12,500 a year), 18 credits a year of tuition waiver (the program has a full time requirement of 9 credits per semester) and half of health insurance costs.
In addition to RAs and TAs the Intermedia MFA Program has up to 10 Tuition Scholarships for selected Intermedia MFA students. These awards cover the full cost of tuition for 18 credits for the year. These scholarships are given based on the quality of the applicant’s portfolio, departmental needs, and student needs. Scholarship recipients are obligated for up to 15 hours a week to assist with program work and/or to work in the IMRC Center in a variety of capacities.
For more information on Graduate stipends please contact the Program Director, Dr. Owen F. Smith. For other non-program based graduate financial aid (other GAs, graduate work-study and general financial aid), please contact the Financial Aid Office (207-581-1324) for complete information on financial aid and student loan opportunities.
Intermedia MFA Research and Project Grant
The Director and Chair of the Intermedia MFA Program will announce this grant at the start of each semester.
Description and objectives: The Intermedia MFA Research and Project Grant is intended to help fund research, travel and creative endeavors relevant to professional and creative development for all students within the University of Maine MFA program.
Review Criteria:
Applications will be prioritized by:
- The impact of the funds on the student’s creative development
- The significance of the proposed project
- The possibility for professional presentation outside of the University
- The number of requests received
- Available funding
Award Amount: Each student can submit requests for a total of $500 dollars per funding period. Most awards range from $100 – $300. Collaborative groups can submit joint requests but the total can still not be more than $500 for any one proposal.
Award Period: One award per year maximum. Award may be used for any projects between September 1, and August 30.
Eligibility: All MFA students currently enrolled in the Intermedia MFA program may apply for funding. In most cases, funds requested for class assignments will not be awarded.
Funding Requests can be made in relation to:
- Degree related travel expenses
- Exhibition expenses
- Materials and related expenses
- Tools and equipment
Materials Required:
- Completed Application form/cover sheet.
- A description of intent. Not to exceed two pages, double-spaced in 12-point, Times New Roman font. Should include a brief description of the intended use of funds and a description of the importance of the project/travel/materials in relation to professional and personal creative development.
- Budget. Not to exceed one page, should include an itemized list of estimated or incurred expenses and total amount requested. If listing previously incurred expenses for reimbursement, receipts should be submitted at the end of the materials package.
- Budget explanation. Not to exceed one page.
University of Maine Grants and Fellowships
The following grants and fellowships are available for University of Maine graduate students to apply for.
The (GSG) Graduate Student Government Individual Grant
The GSG Individual Grant is available twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring. Graduate students in good standing may apply for up to $850 per semester. The link here provides application information as well a information on successful grant writing.
The (GSG) Graduate Student Government GradExpo
The GSG Grad Expo is not a grant program, however it does offer more than $10,000 in awards and prizes. This event is held each spring and showcases graduate research through poster, oral, and art presentations. Students are encouraged to apply to participate and to compete for the awards and prizes. Details can be found at the attached link.
The Intermedia MFA department proudly supports student projects through a competitive grant cycle held each semester. Students may apply for up to $500 for project based works. For those who have never written a grant before this is a good introduction into the process of grant writing for two reasons. First, you are competing in a small pool of applicants. Secondly, the department has many students familiar with this particular grant and you are encouraged to learn from them first hand.
The Intermedia Student Organization (ISO)
The Chase Distinguished Research Assistantship
External Grants and Funding
In addition to those opportunities for graduates support through the University of Maine there are many fellowships and awards that can help in funding your graduate study. Some of these are as follows:
Maine Arts Commission Opportunities Page
NYFA: Miscellaneous Opportunities