Husson Extends Free Tuition to Aroostook
Husson University will offer free tuition to qualifying Aroostook County students beginning with the fall 2027 term.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Financial Aid
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Husson University in Bangor will extend its Opportunity Scholarship to students from Aroostook County, making tuition free for qualifying applicants starting in fall 2027. The program already covers Penobscot and Piscataquis counties.
Why it matters
The expansion widens access to a private university for students in Maine's northernmost county, a region where cost can be a barrier to a four-year degree. The scholarship is funded privately by Bruce and Cynthia Grainger, both Husson alumni.
Qualifying students need a high school GPA of at least 3.0 and an adjusted gross family income under $80,000 and must live in Aroostook County. The number of awards and total program funding were not disclosed.
The players
Husson University
A private university based in Bangor, Maine, that offers undergraduate and graduate programs and operates the Opportunity Scholarship.
Bruce Grainger
Husson University alumnus and Vice Chair of the Husson Board of Trustees, whose family funds the scholarship with his wife Cynthia.
The details
Eligible students must attend full time in a four-year degree program at Husson's Bangor campus. The scholarship is funded by Bruce and Cynthia Grainger, who met at Husson in 1988 and graduated in 1990; Bruce Grainger serves as Vice Chair of the Husson Board of Trustees.
Timeline
1988: Bruce and Cynthia Grainger meet at Husson University.
1990: The Graingers graduate from Husson.
November 6, 2026: Husson announces the Aroostook County free tuition program.
Fall 2027: The Aroostook scholarship becomes available to students beginning classes.
Regional Pattern
The Aroostook expansion follows the Opportunity Scholarship's earlier rollout to Penobscot and Piscataquis counties, extending a county-by-county model to Maine's northernmost region. It marks the program's third covered county.
Aroostook County high school students with a 3.0 GPA and family income under $80,000 may be able to attend Husson full time without tuition costs. Families should confirm eligibility requirements directly with the university before applying.
The takeaway
Families weighing the cost of a four-year degree should check whether privately funded scholarships like this one fit their income and academic profile before ruling out a private university.
What happens next
Students planning to begin classes in fall 2027 can look ahead to the scholarship's availability for that term.
Further reading
Explore more on Financial Aid options available to Maine students.
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Should colleges offer free tuition to students in rural counties like Aroostook?
