Maine’s community college reports an 18% increase in early enrollment, according to the Maine Community College System.

The increase can be attributed to “new scholarship for recent high school graduates, expanded programs and an easing of pandemic-related restrictions,” a news release states.

“The Free College Scholarship is unleashing a new generation of skilled college graduates who are fast-tracked to join the workforce — which Maine businesses desperately need right now — or transfer seamlessly to a four-year college,” David Daigler, president of the Maine Community College System, said in the release. “People want to learn new skills and pursue their dreams, but money can hold them back. This shows what investing in people hungry for an education can do.”

Maine residents who graduated high school or earned the equivalent of a high school diploma between 2020-2023 can receive free tuition to a Maine community college under the state’s Free College Scholarship program. 

Community college enrollment nationwide dipped 17% in 2020 due to the pandemic, the release stated, citing National Student Clearinghouse data.

The Free College Scholarship, which started last fall, was intended re-engage those whose learning was disrupted by COVID.

The release also cited “a surge of interest in short-term workforce programs that take less than a year to complete”as another factor in increased enrollment.

“Fall enrollment was also boosted by adding more than 200 seats to the colleges’ nursing programs statewide,” the release states. “The colleges also lifted pandemic-related restrictions, including the student COVID-19 vaccination requirement and limiting residence halls to one student per room.” 

The Free College Scholarship program was enacted in 2022.

“The scholarship has been very successful in attracting people who didn’t go right off to college in 2020 and 2021,” Janet Sortor, vice president and chief academic officer for the system, said in the release. “We’ve also seen a big increase in adult learners who earned their Hi-SET during the qualifying years.”