FARMINGTON — In recognition of the hard work and commitment many students invest in their high school careers and to help make a college education more accessible, the University of Maine at Farmington recently announced a new merit-based scholarship program available for first-year, first-time students.

Designed to assist as many academically-distinguished students as possible realize their higher education goals, this new, broad-based scholarship program is available to both in-state and out-of-state students, including students who qualify for the New England Regional tuition rate. UMF will add an additional $400,000 to its total institutional financial aid of $2.5 million.

Three tiers of scholarships will be awarded to first-time, first-year students with a class rank in the top 30 percent of their high school graduating class while pursuing a rigorous, college-prep curriculum. These tiers include: the Academic Excellence Scholarship, for students graduating in the top 10 percent of their class; the Academic Distinction Scholarship, for students graduating in the top 20 percent of their class; and the Academic Achievement Scholarship, for students graduating in the top 30 percent of their class.

Students whose high schools do not report rank will be considered for these scholarships on the basis of their high school courses and their grades in academic courses.

More information on specific award amounts of UMF’s new merit-based scholarship program can be found at farmington.edu/merit.scholarships.