Any person who was in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services and resided in foster care or subsidized adoptive care or was a minor ward of a subsidized permanency guardian as provided in Title 22, section 4038‑D at the time that person graduated from high school or successfully completed a general educational development examination or its equivalent under section 257 may attend, as provided in this section, any state postsecondary educational institution free of tuition charges. [PL 2005, c. 471, §2 (AMD).]
1. Eligibility of person. A person is eligible for a tuition waiver under this chapter if the person is:
A. A Maine resident; [PL 1999, c. 216, §1 (NEW).]
B. A high school graduate or has attained a high school equivalency diploma as described under section 257; and [PL 1999, c. 216, §1 (NEW).]
C. Accepted for admission to a state postsecondary educational institution. [PL 1999, c. 216, §1 (NEW).]
2. Limitation. The tuition waiver provided by this chapter is limited to:
A. Persons participating in undergraduate degree programs or certificate programs of at least one year; [PL 1999, c. 216, §1 (NEW).]
B. Persons who have not been enrolled full time for more than 5 years or the equivalent; and [PL 1999, c. 774, §2 (AMD).]
C. Persons who have completed an application for federal student financial aid programs for which they may be eligible. [PL 1999, c. 774, §2 (AMD).]
D. [PL 1999, c. 774, §2 (RP).]
3. Continuation. The tuition waiver provided by this chapter is awarded on a yearly basis and continues to be available, if the person is otherwise eligible under this section, as long as the person remains in good academic standing at a state postsecondary educational institution.
4. Revenue reduction. A state postsecondary educational institution shall absorb the reduction in tuition revenues that results from providing a tuition waiver to an eligible person under this chapter. The institution may not request additional General Fund appropriations from the Legislature to offset the reduction in tuition revenues.