Husson Offers Free Tuition to Aroostook Students

Aroostook County high schoolers with a 3.0 GPA and family income under $80,000 can apply for tuition-free entry in fall 2027.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Financial Aid

Brick academic building with tall windows at the end of a tree-lined stone walkway in autumn woodland. — Husson University will offer free tuition to qualifying Aroostook County students beginning with its fall 2027 class, extending its Opportunity Scholarship. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Husson University will offer free tuition to students from Aroostook County beginning with the fall 2027 class. The program extends its existing Opportunity Scholarship, which already covers students from Penobscot and Piscataquis counties.

Why it matters

For Maine families in Aroostook County, the scholarship removes tuition as a barrier to a full-time four-year degree at Husson's Bangor campus, provided students meet the GPA and income thresholds. The expansion makes Husson's Opportunity Scholarship a three-county program.

Eligible students must have at least a 3.0 high school GPA, an adjusted gross family income below $80,000, and live in Aroostook County. The scholarship covers students beginning classes in fall 2027 and requires full-time enrollment in a four-year degree at the Bangor campus.

The players

Husson University

A private university in Bangor, Maine, that offers four-year degrees and runs the Opportunity Scholarship.

Bruce Grainger

Husson University alumnus and Vice Chair of the Husson University Board of Trustees, who co-funds the scholarship with his wife.

The details

The Opportunity Scholarship is funded by Bruce and Cynthia Grainger, both Husson graduates. Students who meet the GPA, income, and residency requirements and apply to begin classes in fall 2027 can receive free tuition, as long as they attend full time in a four-year degree program on the Bangor campus. The same program is already available to students from Penobscot and Piscataquis counties.

November 6, 2026: Husson announced the Aroostook County free tuition program.
Fall 2027: The scholarship becomes available to students beginning classes.

Education Landscape

The expansion extends an existing Husson program that already covers two Maine counties, making tuition-free access a regional strategy rather than a one-off award. Scholarships funded by alumni donors are one way private colleges in Maine try to widen access for students who might otherwise not consider a four-year degree.

Families in Aroostook County whose students have at least a 3.0 GPA and family income under $80,000 should ask Husson's financial-aid office how to apply for fall 2027 entry. Students should confirm the full-time, Bangor-campus enrollment requirement fits their degree plans before applying.

The takeaway

Tuition-free programs like this one depend on specific GPA, income, and residency rules, so reviewing the criteria early is the practical first step. Families considering the fall 2027 class can contact Husson's financial-aid office to confirm eligibility before the application cycle.