Maine Children’s Scholarship Fund 2023 Application Form Portal – www.mecsf.org

Maine Children’s Scholarship Fund 2023 Application Form Portal – www.mecsf.org.

Apply for Maine Children’s Scholarship Fund 2022 for K–12 students. See the requirements and steps to apply. The application form is available on the Maine Children’s Scholarship Fund application portal – www.mecsf.org.

About Maine Children’s Scholarship Fund

The Maine Children’s Scholarship Fund has awarded scholarships totaling $134,427.50 to 184 Maine students in kindergarten through grade 12 for the 2022-23 academic year. Scholarships have been granted to students from 47 towns in 14 Maine counties, unfortunately, there are 152 students who still remain on our waiting list.

The Maine Children’s Scholarship Fund (MCSF) provides scholarships to Maine children in kindergarten through twelfth grade to help pay for part of public or private school tuition, or toward home-schooling expenses. MCSF pays up to 75 percent of tuition per child up to $1,400, with the family contributing 25 percent or $500 per child. Alternately, MCSF reimburses home schooling costs up to $500 per child. Scholarships are awarded to all students in a family, and in order to be eligible, Maine families must have income at or below the Federal Free or Reduced Lunch Program, approximately 185 percent of the poverty level.

Requirements

1. Residency

a. Awardees must be residents of Maine.

b. A child’s residence is the same as that of his or her legal guardian.

2. Income

a. The total household income of awardees must fall below the guidelines set each year by
The Maine’s Children’s Scholarship Fund.
b.“Income” includes:
• Adjusted gross income reported to the Federal Government
• Income reported to foreign governments (for legal alien residents)
• Child support and alimony
• Unemployment and disability benefits
• Pension payments
• Public assistance, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF),
Supplemental Security Income (SSI), food stamps, housing subsidies, and all other
benefits or subsidies paid by federal, state, or local governments to any members of
the household • Other miscellaneous cash income.
c. Income is measured by the most recent calendar year completed, not by the last 12
months. d. “household” includes all persons living at the same address and/or all persons for
whom the head of household claims financial responsibility.  e. The maximum income guidelines for the current academic year are available at www.mecsf.or

3. Age/Academic grade

a. Awardees must be entering kindergarten through 12th grade in the academic year for
which they are applying.
b. Recipients must be 5 years old by the beginning of the school year for which they have been
awarded a scholarship. Exceptions may be made for children who are at least 4 1/2 if the
school confirms that they have been accepted into the regular kindergarten class and are
expected to enter 1st grade the following academic year.

Maine Children’s Scholarship Fund Application

To apply for an MCSF grant for seventy-five percent (75%) of the school tuition (maximum of $1,400 per child, per year) follow these instructions:

• The application period begins in November and ends in March to determine if you qualify financially for the grant by referring to the Income Guidelines.
• Fill out a separate application for each child in grades K through 12.
• Complete, sign, and mail the Student Application Form to MCSF, or fill in the online application form. Scholarship selection is on a random basis. Scholarship winners will be notified by mid-June
• There is no need to re-apply every year. If you have applied in the past, call the MCSF office to check on the status of the file. Do not apply twice for the same child.
• It is strictly up to the school whether or not they accept the child for enrollment.
• After the MCSF offers you a scholarship once the school has accepted your child (or children) the school will complete and return the School Commitment Form Invoice to MCSF.
• Hand-delivered applications will not be accepted.

How to Apply

Please choose an application method.

Complete Online Application Form
Download and Mail For