New Hampshire Scholarships & Grants (2027–28): NH Promise, Governor’s Scholarship & UNIQUE Deadlines
Verified October 28, 2026 against the University System of New Hampshire (New Hampshire Promise) and the New Hampshire State Treasury (nh.gov/treasury), which runs the state scholarship programs.
New Hampshire has almost no state aid of its own, and that is why this page matters: the biggest money for New Hampshire families comes from the colleges, and the biggest of those programs changed a month ago. Starting with students who enter in fall 2027, the state’s public universities cover tuition for families earning up to $100,000. This page explains how it works, what it leaves on your bill, and the small state programs that still exist. It is written for seniors in the Class of 2027 who start college next fall.
Under $100,000 in family income and a 2.7 GPA means no tuition at UNH, Keene State, or Plymouth State, starting fall 2027.
This is the New Hampshire Promise, and it replaces the Granite Guarantee. Families are still being told the old rules: that free tuition is only for Pell Grant students, or (on handouts and older websites, including the previous version of this page) that the cutoff is $50,000. Neither is true for the Class of 2027. A family earning $85,000 now qualifies and probably does not know it. There is no separate application: get admitted and file the FAFSA (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
November 15, 2026 is the date. Not June 30, 2028.
June 30, 2028 is the last day the federal government will accept a 2027-28 FAFSA. It is not your deadline. Two dates run New Hampshire aid. November 15 is UNH’s Early Action deadline, and Early Action is the only door into UNH’s Hamel Scholars program, the university’s largest scholarship for New Hampshire residents. March 1, 2027 is the FAFSA priority date at UNH, Keene State, and Plymouth State. USNH has not published a separate Promise deadline, so treat March 1 as the Promise deadline. A priority date is the date by which a college promises to consider you for its full pool of money; after it, you get what is left.
⏰ Where we are in the cycle (as of October 28, 2026)
- Class of 2027 (seniors now): ✅ The 2027-28 FAFSA is open. ✅ UNH Early Action is open until November 15. ✅ You are the first class eligible for the New Hampshire Promise. ✅ Saint Anselm’s FAFSA priority date for its free tuition program is February 15, 2027. ✅ March 1, 2027 is the FAFSA priority date at all three USNH campuses.
- Granite Guarantee: ❌ Closed to new students. Current Granite Guarantee students keep it through graduation.
- NH Charitable Foundation, 2027-28 awards: ⏳ Not open yet. For the last cycle the application opened by late January and the bachelor’s degree deadline was April 10, 2026.
- Class of 2028 (juniors now): ⏳ The Promise is open to students who enter in fall 2027, and USNH describes it as an ongoing program. Build the 2.7 GPA now, and ask whether your school offers the New Hampshire Scholars course plan (it is the door to the larger Governor’s Scholarship).
This block goes stale first. We will update it after March 1, 2027.
- How New Hampshire aid actually works
- The New Hampshire Promise: every rule
- The fine print: free tuition is not a free year
- Major programs
- Pick the door: income line, GPA line, dorm rule
- Deadlines
- Free counselor cheat sheet (PDF)
- How aid stacks, with two worked examples
- Common ways aid gets lost
- Who benefits most
- Colleges and pathways
- Smaller programs worth checking
- FAQs
- ✅ Standing tip: file the FAFSA every year by March 1, even after the first year. Every program on this page is renewed off a new FAFSA.
📌 What to do right now
- Everyone: create FSA IDs for the student and one parent at studentaid.gov/fsa-id. Each person needs their own email and phone number.
- Seniors (Class of 2027): file the 2027-28 FAFSA now and list every New Hampshire college the student might attend, including ones not yet applied to. If UNH is on the list, submit the Common App by November 15 for Early Action. Ask the counselor whether the student is on track for the New Hampshire Scholar designation, because the school certifies it and it doubles the Governor’s Scholarship.
- Juniors (Class of 2028): protect the GPA (2.7 for the Promise, 3.0 or 3.25 at the private free tuition programs) and finish the New Hampshire Scholars course plan if your high school offers it.
- Applying to Dartmouth: Dartmouth also requires the CSS Profile. See our CSS Profile guide.
Looking beyond state aid? Browse every college on our College Scholarships hub, compare awards with the CRP Scholarship Search Tool, or see how aid works elsewhere on the State Scholarships & Grants hub. New to the FAFSA? Start with FAFSA 101 for Parents.
How New Hampshire Aid Actually Works
New Hampshire has no state aid application and no big state scholarship. The FAFSA is the only form, and the college’s financial aid office hands out the state money.
There are two front doors, and you need to walk through both:
- Door 1, the FAFSA. It produces the Student Aid Index (SAI), a number that measures what the government thinks your family can pay. Every need-based dollar on this page, federal, state, or college, is decided from it: the Pell Grant, the Governor’s Scholarship, UNIQUE grants, and the New Hampshire Promise.
- Door 2, the college. The state does not send you a check. The Governor’s Scholarship and UNIQUE grants are paid through the college you attend, and the Promise is a USNH program, not a state law. So the college’s admission deadline and FAFSA priority date decide what you get.
Set up the accounts so a parent can find them
- Use a personal email the student will still check after graduation, not a high school address that shuts off in June.
- Enter the student’s name exactly as it appears on the Social Security card, on the FAFSA and every college application. Mismatches stall aid offers.
- Write the FSA ID logins and each college portal login somewhere a parent can find them. You will log in again every year to renew.
Three myths that cost New Hampshire families real money
- “Free tuition at UNH is only for Pell Grant families.” That was the Granite Guarantee. For students entering in fall 2027, the line is $100,000 in total family income, which USNH says is close to the state’s median household income. More families talk themselves out of this program than are turned down for it.
- “Free tuition means college is free.” The Promise covers tuition only. Fees, housing, food, and books stay on your bill. See the fine print.
- “New Hampshire has no state scholarship.” It has a small one, the Governor’s Scholarship, worth $1,000 or $2,000 a year. Nobody applies for it, which is why families do not know they got it. It appears in the college aid offer.
- “The FAFSA is due June 30.” That is the federal cutoff. The date that decides your money in New Hampshire is March 1.
The New Hampshire Promise: Every Rule, in Plain English
The Promise has six doors, and the student has to walk through all of them. Here is each one, what it means at the kitchen table, and where families trip.
| Requirement | What it means | Where families trip |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire resident | Qualified for in-state tuition at a USNH campus. | Residency is decided by the college, not by where you went to high school. Ask early if the family moved recently. |
| Admitted to a USNH campus | UNH Durham, UNH Manchester, UNH College of Professional Studies Online, Keene State College, or Plymouth State University. | Not every UNH major admits at the same bar. Admission comes first; the money follows. |
| Total family income up to $100,000, with typical assets | Income from the FAFSA. USNH has not defined typical assets. | A family just over $100,000 gets nothing from the Promise. A family under it with large savings or property may be reviewed. Ask before you decide. |
| Demonstrated need on the FAFSA | Your cost of attendance (COA, the college’s full yearly price including housing and food) is higher than what your SAI says you can pay. | No FAFSA, no Promise. Merit students who skip the FAFSA because they assume they earn too much lose it. |
| Full-time, first-time student (or CCSNH graduate) | A first-year student, or a transfer who finished an associate degree at a New Hampshire community college. | A community college student who transfers before finishing the associate degree does not qualify on the transfer route. |
| 2.7 GPA from the prior school | High school GPA for seniors. No test score. | Ask your counselor which GPA the colleges will see: weighted or unweighted, and as of which semester. |
Source: USNH, New Hampshire Promise page and September 29, 2026 announcement. The Promise applies to normal course loads in fall and spring, and it carries over if the student transfers between USNH campuses.
What the Promise is worth at each campus
The Promise is worth whatever tuition is. The 2027-28 rates are not set yet; these are the 2026-27 in-state tuition figures reported when the program was announced.
| Campus | In-state tuition, 2026-27 (approximate) | What the Promise covers |
|---|---|---|
| University of New Hampshire (Durham, Manchester) | About $16,300 | All of it, for eligible students |
| Plymouth State University | About $15,400 | All of it, for eligible students |
| Keene State College | About $12,300 | All of it, for eligible students |
Source: Boston Globe, October 1, 2026, reporting USNH figures. UNH alone published $16,304 for 2026-27. Mandatory fees, housing, and food are extra at every campus.
The state supplement: the Governor’s Scholarship
The only statewide scholarship New Hampshire funds is small, and it has a ladder with two rungs.
| Who | Award | To keep it |
|---|---|---|
| Pell-eligible, full-time first-year student who earned the New Hampshire Scholar designation | $2,000 a year, up to 4 years | 2.5 cumulative college GPA, checked every year |
| Other eligible students | $1,000 a year, up to 4 years | 2.0 college GPA (state statute) |
Source: NH State Treasury, Governor’s Scholarship Program page; RSA 195-H:14; administrative rules Csp 400. Eligible students graduated from a New Hampshire high school or home education program no more than three years before the award, enroll full time, and attend continuously at a participating New Hampshire college. The New Hampshire Scholar designation comes from completing a set core course plan at participating high schools; the college can treat a student on track in the spring of senior year as having earned it. Only one Governor’s Scholarship per student. There is no separate application.
The Fine Print: Free Tuition Is Not a Free Year
The Promise pays tuition only, it pays last, and it stops at $100,000. Each of those three facts costs New Hampshire families money if they miss it.
- Tuition only. Mandatory fees at UNH Durham were $3,774 for a full-time student in 2025-26. Add housing and a meal plan and an on-campus UNH student still faces roughly $18,000 a year with full Promise coverage. Commuting changes the math more than any scholarship does.
- It pays last. The Promise is last-dollar: USNH first counts your Pell Grant, any state grant, and the college’s own grants and merit scholarships, then fills whatever tuition is left. So a Promise student with a merit scholarship may not pay less than a Promise student without one. The merit is spent covering tuition the Promise would have covered anyway. You are allowed to ask the financial aid office, in writing, whether any merit or state grant above tuition will be applied to fees.
- The $100,000 line is a cliff, not a slope. At $100,001, the Promise pays nothing. And because it is reviewed every year from a new FAFSA, a raise or a one-time bonus in a later year can end it. Ask how the college treats income that jumps for one year, such as a retirement withdrawal or a home sale.
- “Typical assets” is undefined. USNH has not published what counts. A family under $100,000 with significant savings, a second property, or a business should ask before choosing a school based on the Promise.
What we do not know yet, and why we are not guessing: USNH has not published how it measures “typical assets,” whether merit above tuition is ever applied to fees for Promise students, or whether the Promise has its own FAFSA deadline. We would rather leave those blank than publish a guess. Call UNH Financial Aid at 603-862-3600, Keene State Student Financial Services at 603-358-2280, or Plymouth State Student Financial Services at 603-535-2338, and ask each question by name.
Your move: before deciding on a campus, ask each financial aid office for the bill after aid, not the aid total. The bill is the number that tells you whether free tuition is affordable.
Major Programs for New Hampshire Students
Three colleges offer free tuition by income, the state adds two small grants, and one private foundation is the largest scholarship source in the state.
New Hampshire Promise (USNH)
- Award: 100% of standard in-state tuition, reached through federal, state, and institutional grants
- Who it’s for: NH residents, full time, total family income up to $100,000 with typical assets, 2.7 GPA, first-year students or CCSNH associate degree graduates entering fall 2027 or later
- Deadline: No separate application. Be admitted and file the FAFSA; March 1 is the FAFSA priority date at all three campuses
- Trap: Tuition only. Fees, housing, food, and books are not covered
Governor’s Scholarship (State of NH)
- Award: $2,000 a year with the New Hampshire Scholar designation, $1,000 a year otherwise, up to 4 years
- Who it’s for: Pell-eligible New Hampshire high school graduates, full time, within three years of graduation, at a participating NH college
- Deadline: None of its own. Awarded through the college from the FAFSA
- Trap: Continuous full-time enrollment. A gap semester or a transfer between four-year colleges can end it
UNIQUE Annual Allocation Grant (State of NH)
- Award: $1,500 for full-time students in 2023-24, the latest amount the Treasury has published; prorated for part time
- Who it’s for: Pell-eligible New Hampshire residents at participating New Hampshire public and private colleges
- Deadline: None of its own. The college picks recipients from FAFSA filers, so file by the college’s priority date
- Trap: Funded from college savings plan fees and split among colleges each July. Not every eligible student gets one
Anselmian Community Commitment (Saint Anselm College)
- Award: Full tuition at a private college
- Who it’s for: First-year students from NH, ME, or VT (student and parents resident at least one year), total family income $100,000 or less, 3.25 high school GPA, living on campus
- Deadline: FAFSA by the February 15, 2027 priority deadline
- Trap: Housing and meals are not covered, transfers are not eligible, and renewal needs a 2.5 GPA with income staying under $100,000
Pierce Promise (Franklin Pierce University)
- Award: Tuition and fees, through a mix of federal, state, and college aid
- Who it’s for: First-time, full-time students entering fall 2027 from NH, MA, or VT, household gross income under $80,000, 3.0 high school GPA, living on the Rindge campus
- Deadline: FAFSA each year by the college’s published deadline
- Trap: Commuters get only a prorated discount. Its own page names both the 2026-27 and the 2027-28 FAFSA; file the 2027-28 form and confirm with the college at 877-372-7347
Dartmouth College Need-Based Aid
- Award: Meets full demonstrated need with no loans. No parent contribution under $125,000 with typical assets; free tuition from $125,000 to $175,000
- Who it’s for: Any admitted student who files the CSS Profile and FAFSA. Admission is highly selective
- Deadline: November 1 for Early Decision; February 1 for Regular Decision
- Trap: Requires the CSS Profile, which counts assets the FAFSA ignores
NH Charitable Foundation Student Aid
- Award: $250 to $5,000; the foundation reports an average award of $3,500
- Who it’s for: New Hampshire students with financial need, through one application that matches students to hundreds of funds
- Deadline: Bachelor’s degree students: April 10 for 2026-27 (2027-28 date not posted). Two-year students: rolling
- Trap: Asks for the FAFSA Submission Summary and a recommendation. File the FAFSA first
NEBHE Tuition Break
- Award: Discounted out-of-state tuition at public colleges in the other five New England states. NEBHE reports average savings of about $8,500 a year
- Who it’s for: New Hampshire residents, in an approved major or at a flexible campus that discounts every major
- Deadline: None separate. List the eligible program on the admission application
- Trap: Changing to a major that is not approved can end the discount
More on the regional discount in our plain-English NEBHE Tuition Break guide.
Closed or not yet law: read before you plan around community college
- Granite Guarantee (closed to new students). Free UNH, Keene, and Plymouth tuition for Pell-eligible students, 2017 through fall 2026 entrants. Replaced by the Promise. Current recipients keep it.
- CCSNH Promise Program (pilot, not currently funded as far as we can find). Covered the gap to full tuition and fees for Pell-eligible community college students starting in 2023, funded by the state for a limited time. The CCSNH page still describes it as offered for fall 2024. CCSNH Promise page.
- Proposed Community College Promise (proposal only). On October 14, 2026, Governor Kelly Ayotte proposed free community college tuition for New Hampshire residents with total family income up to $100,000 who file the FAFSA, to be requested in the next state budget. It is not law. NHPR report. We will update this page when a budget decides it.
Pick the Door: Income Line, GPA Line, Dorm Rule
Four New Hampshire colleges now promise free tuition, and each one draws its line in a different place. The right door depends on three numbers: your income, your GPA, and whether the student will live on campus.
| Program | Income line | GPA line | Must live on campus? | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NH Promise (UNH, Keene, Plymouth) | Up to $100,000, typical assets | 2.7 | No | Tuition |
| Saint Anselm Community Commitment | $100,000 or less, total income | 3.25 | Yes | Tuition |
| Pierce Promise (Franklin Pierce) | Under $80,000, household gross | 3.0 | Yes (commuters prorated) | Tuition and fees |
| Dartmouth | No parent contribution under $125,000; free tuition to $175,000, typical assets | Admission only | No rule | Full need, no loans |
- Under $80,000 with a 3.0 and willing to live on campus: Franklin Pierce is the only one of the four that covers fees as well as tuition. Compare the full bill, because housing is not covered anywhere.
- $80,000 to $100,000 with a 3.25: both Saint Anselm and the USNH campuses cover tuition. The Promise lets the student commute, which can be the single biggest saving available.
- 2.7 to 3.24: the USNH campuses are the only free-tuition door. The 2.7 bar is the lowest in the state.
- Over $100,000: none of the income programs apply except Dartmouth, so merit decides your bill. Read the college finding below before you assume the in-state flagship pays the most.
Your move: run each college’s net price calculator with the same income numbers, then ask each one: “Does this estimate include your free tuition program, and what is our bill after housing?”
New Hampshire Aid Deadlines
New Hampshire has no state deadline, so the college deadlines are the state deadlines. These are the dates that repeat every year.
| Date | What happens | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Fall (opened September 2026 for 2027-28) | FAFSA opens | Everyone |
| November 1 | Early Decision deadline and CSS Profile due | Dartmouth |
| November 15 | Early Action deadline (supporting documents by December 12); only route into Hamel Scholars | UNH |
| February 1 | Regular Decision deadline | UNH Durham; Dartmouth aid documents |
| February 15, 2027 | FAFSA priority deadline for the Anselmian Community Commitment | Saint Anselm |
| March 1 | FAFSA priority date; treat as the NH Promise deadline | UNH, Keene State, Plymouth State |
| Spring (April 10 in 2026) | Bachelor’s degree scholarship deadline; 2027 date not yet posted | NH Charitable Foundation |
| May 1 | Enrollment deposit deadline | UNH and most colleges |
| June 30, 2028 | Federal FAFSA cutoff for 2027-28. Not a real deadline for New Hampshire aid | Federal aid only |
Once the money is running: the dates inside each year
| When | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Every fall | File the next year’s FAFSA | The Promise, Governor’s Scholarship, and UNIQUE grants are all renewed from it |
| By March 1 each year | FAFSA in for returning students at Keene State and Plymouth State | Their priority date applies to continuing students too |
| By April 15 each year | FAFSA in for Saint Anselm Commitment renewal | Saint Anselm’s financial aid renewal deadline |
| Every fall and spring | Stay full time at a normal course load | The Promise and Governor’s Scholarship require it; summer is not covered |
| End of each year | Check the college GPA | Governor’s Scholarship: 2.5 for the $2,000 award, 2.0 for $1,000. Saint Anselm: 2.5. Franklin Pierce: 2.0 |
📄 Free download: New Hampshire State Aid Cheat Sheet (PDF)
Everything on this page in two printable pages: the programs, the deadline wall, the NH Promise checklist, and a counselor calendar. Built for school counselors to copy and hand out. No email, no signup, no data collection.
Download the cheat sheet (PDF) →Free to print and share · Verified October 2026
Spot something wrong? Email leo@collegereadyparent.org and we will fix it.
How New Hampshire Aid Stacks
At a USNH campus, everything stacks into tuition first, and the Promise fills the rest. Anything that reaches past tuition is what lowers your bill.
- New Hampshire has no stacking law of its own. Each college applies its own rules, and federal rules cap total aid at the cost of attendance.
- The Governor’s Scholarship can pay tuition, fees, and direct costs. At a Promise campus it usually lands inside tuition. Ask whether it can be applied to fees.
- Outside scholarships, such as NH Charitable Foundation awards, are applied after the college’s aid. At Saint Anselm and Franklin Pierce, the colleges say outside scholarships can go to housing and meals.
Example 1 (illustrative): four years on campus at UNH Durham
Family income $85,000, no Pell Grant, recalculated GPA 3.4, so UNH’s entry merit tier for residents (up to $2,000). Figures use UNH’s 2026-27 tuition and 2025-26 fees; 2027-28 rates are not set.
- Tuition: $16,304. Merit covers $2,000; the Promise covers the other $14,304.
- Mandatory fees: about $3,800. Not covered.
- Housing and meal plan: about $14,300. Not covered.
Bill before loans or outside scholarships: about $18,100 a year. The merit scholarship did not lower it; it was absorbed into tuition the Promise would have covered.
Example 2 (illustrative): two years commuting at a community college, then Keene State
Family income $48,000, Pell-eligible. Community college tuition is $238 per credit for 2026-27, so $7,140 for 30 credits.
- Years 1 and 2: an illustrative Pell Grant of $5,000 plus the $1,000 Governor’s Scholarship leaves about $1,140 in tuition plus fees. A two-year NH Charitable Foundation award (rolling deadline) can close that gap.
- Finish the associate degree with at least a 2.7 GPA and transfer to Keene State, Plymouth State, or UNH: the Promise covers tuition for the remaining years. The Governor’s Scholarship transfers too, if there is no break between schools.
The catch: the transfer route requires a finished associate degree from a New Hampshire community college. Transferring early skips the Promise door.
To compare real offers side by side, use our guide to comparing aid offers like a pro.
Common Ways Aid Gets Lost
Almost every lost dollar in New Hampshire is a paperwork or calendar problem, not a student problem.
The FAFSA after March 1
The Promise, UNIQUE grants, and college need-based aid are awarded from the FAFSA. After the priority date, colleges award what is left.
Skipping the FAFSA because “we earn too much”
The Promise reaches $100,000, and some colleges require the FAFSA for merit too. Filing costs nothing.
Dropping below full time
One withdrawn class can take a student under full time and end the Promise or Governor’s Scholarship for that term.
A gap semester
The Governor’s Scholarship requires continuous attendance. Ask before taking time off.
Transferring before the associate degree is finished
The Promise transfer route is for CCSNH graduates only.
Moving off campus at Saint Anselm or Franklin Pierce
Both free-tuition programs require living on campus. Commuting at Franklin Pierce drops the award to a prorated discount.
Income crossing the line in a later year
Every program here is reviewed from a new FAFSA each year. A one-time income spike can end an award. Ask the aid office about a special circumstances review.
Missing UNH Early Action
Hamel Scholars is offered only to Early Action applicants. Applying on February 1 closes that door.
Who Benefits Most
Low-income families
Pell, the Governor’s Scholarship, UNIQUE grants, and the Promise all stack at a USNH campus, and Pell can reach past tuition toward fees and housing. Franklin Pierce adds fees for families under $80,000 who live on campus.
Middle-income families
The biggest change in the state. Families between roughly $60,000 and $100,000, who were too well off for the Granite Guarantee, now qualify for free tuition at all three public universities.
Families above $100,000
Merit decides the bill. UNH’s resident merit is smaller than its nonresident merit (see the finding below). Dartmouth still offers free tuition up to $175,000 for admitted students, and NEBHE Tuition Break can help at public colleges in other New England states.
High-achieving students
Apply Early Action to UNH for a shot at Hamel Scholars. Dartmouth and QuestBridge are the full-need routes.
Students who test poorly
No program on this page requires a test score. The Promise, Saint Anselm, and Franklin Pierce all use GPA, and UNH is test-optional and recalculates its own GPA.
Adult and returning students
The Promise is for first-time or transferring CCSNH graduates attending full time. The Governor’s Scholarship ends three years after high school. The NH Charitable Foundation’s two-year program and Granite Edvance scholarships are the better fit.
First-generation families
The rules are the same; the risk is the calendar. Granite Edvance offers free one-on-one FAFSA and college planning help in New Hampshire. See also our First-Gen Parent Guide and grade-level checklists.
Colleges That Stack Best With New Hampshire Aid
New Hampshire’s state aid is small and the same everywhere, so the college decides your bill. The question is which college adds the most, and for which family.
The finding: at UNH, the same transcript earns a New Hampshire resident about half the merit it earns a student from out of state, and at the entry tier, about a quarter.
| UNH merit tier (recalculated GPA) | NH resident, up to | Nonresident, up to |
|---|---|---|
| Trustee’s (4.01+) | $11,000 | $20,000 |
| Chancellor’s (3.90+) | $9,000 | $15,000 |
| Presidential (3.70+) | $7,000 | $12,000 |
| Dean’s (3.50+) | $5,000 | $10,000 |
| Director’s (3.00+) | $2,000 | $7,500 |
For a New Hampshire family under $100,000, this barely matters, because the Promise covers tuition anyway. For a family over $100,000, it is the whole story: in-state tuition is lower, but in-state merit is too. Compare the bill after aid, not the sticker price. Source: UNH’s published merit grid as recorded in our database, verified October 12, 2026; awards are automatic with admission, renew with a 3.2 college GPA, and use UNH’s own recalculated GPA on core courses.
Free tuition by income, no dorm rule
- University of New Hampshire (Durham and Manchester): Promise campus, automatic merit with admission, Early Action November 15, FAFSA priority March 1.
- Keene State College: Promise campus, FAFSA priority March 1. Not yet in our database.
- Plymouth State University: Promise campus, FAFSA priority March 1. Not yet in our database.
Free tuition at a private college, with a GPA bar and a dorm
- Saint Anselm College (Manchester): Anselmian Community Commitment, FAFSA by February 15, 2027. Not yet in our database.
- Franklin Pierce University (Rindge): Pierce Promise, tuition and fees, FAFSA by the college’s deadline. Not yet in our database.
A different model entirely: meets full need
- Dartmouth College: no automatic merit, meets full need with no loans, CSS Profile required. Aid deadlines November 1 (Early Decision) and February 1 (Regular Decision).
Not yet in our database: Keene State College, Plymouth State University, Saint Anselm College, Franklin Pierce University, Southern New Hampshire University, New England College, Colby-Sawyer College, Rivier University, Thomas More College of Liberal Arts, Magdalen College, and the seven community colleges (Great Bay, Lakes Region, Manchester, Nashua, NHTI, River Valley, and White Mountains). We would rather leave them without merit numbers than publish a guess. The free tuition programs above come from each college’s own page; check each college’s scholarship page for merit.
The two-year and transfer pathway
A New Hampshire community college associate degree is a second door into the Promise. CCSNH graduates who transfer to UNH, Keene State, or Plymouth State qualify on the same income, need, and 2.7 GPA rules. Three cautions: the degree must be finished before the transfer; the Promise requires full time after transfer; and the Governor’s Scholarship transfers only from a community college to a four-year college with no break in attendance.
Living just across the line?
Students from Maine and Vermont qualify for Saint Anselm’s free tuition program on the same terms as New Hampshire students, and students from Massachusetts and Vermont qualify for Franklin Pierce’s. At UNH, nonresidents receive the larger merit amounts in the table above, and New England residents can receive a regional tuition rate through NEBHE in approved majors.
Smaller Programs Worth Checking
| Program | What to know |
|---|---|
| Granite Edvance scholarships | New Hampshire nonprofit (formerly NHHEAF). Scholarships for residents at two- and four-year colleges and trade schools, reported at $1,000 to $3,000. 2027 dates not yet posted. Also free FAFSA and planning help. |
| NH Charitable Foundation, two-year program | Rolling deadline for associate degree, certificate, and license programs (December 11, 2026 for 2026-27). |
| UNIQUE Endowment Allocation Program | State money placed in college endowments, which award their own scholarships from the earnings. Ask the aid office if it has a UNIQUE endowment scholarship. |
| UVM Regional Tuition Break | From fall 2027, New Hampshire residents in 31 selected majors at the University of Vermont pay a reduced regional tuition rate. |
| New Hampshire Scholars designation | Not money by itself, but it doubles the Governor’s Scholarship to $2,000. Ask the high school counselor whether the school participates. |
| Army and Air Force ROTC at UNH | Scholarships can cover tuition and fees plus a stipend. National deadlines fall in senior year. |
Searching by grades? Try scholarships by GPA.
New Hampshire State Aid FAQs
What is the income limit for the New Hampshire Promise?
Total family income of up to $100,000 with typical assets. The University System of New Hampshire (USNH) has not published a definition of typical assets, so a family near the line or with significant savings should ask the financial aid office before counting on it. Families above $100,000 do not qualify for the Promise but can still receive merit scholarships.
What GPA do you need for the New Hampshire Promise?
A 2.7 GPA from the student’s prior school. For a high school senior that is the high school GPA; for a community college transfer it is the college GPA. There is no test score requirement.
Does the New Hampshire Promise cover housing and fees?
No. The New Hampshire Promise covers standard tuition only. USNH says it does not cover housing, food, books, or fees, so a student living on campus at UNH still has a five-figure bill each year. Federal loans, outside scholarships, and work can be used toward those costs.
What is the New Hampshire Promise deadline for fall 2027?
USNH has not published a separate Promise deadline, and there is no separate application. The student must be admitted and file the FAFSA. UNH, Keene State, and Plymouth State all use March 1 as their FAFSA priority date, so treat March 1, 2027 as the deadline.
Can you lose the New Hampshire Promise?
Yes. USNH reviews the FAFSA, academic standing, and full-time status every year, so a student who drops below full time, falls out of good academic standing, or no longer shows financial need on the FAFSA can lose it. It covers fall and spring at a normal course load only, not summer.
How much is the New Hampshire Governor’s Scholarship?
$2,000 a year for up to four years for a Pell-eligible, full-time first-year student who earned the New Hampshire Scholar designation in high school, and $1,000 a year for other eligible students. The student must graduate from a New Hampshire high school or home education program and attend a participating New Hampshire college. There is no separate application; ask the college financial aid office.
Can you get both the New Hampshire Promise and the Governor’s Scholarship?
Yes, but at a USNH campus the Governor’s Scholarship usually counts toward the tuition the Promise guarantees, because the Promise is reached using federal, state, and institutional grant aid together. That means it often lowers what USNH pays rather than what the family pays. Ask the financial aid office whether any state grant left over can be applied to fees.
Is community college free in New Hampshire?
Not as a standing program for fall 2027. A state-funded Promise Program covered tuition and fees for Pell-eligible community college students starting in 2023 as a pilot, and we found no evidence it is funded now. Governor Kelly Ayotte proposed a free community college tuition program on October 14, 2026, but it is a proposal and would need funding in a future state budget.
Prefer a printable version? Download the two-page New Hampshire cheat sheet (PDF), free to copy and share.
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Sources and verification
Verified October 28, 2026. State programs: New Hampshire State Treasury, Governor’s Scholarship Program · UNIQUE Scholarship Programs · UNIQUE program overview (PDF); RSA 195-H and administrative rules Csp 400 and Csp 600. University System of New Hampshire: New Hampshire Promise · USNH announcement, September 29, 2026 · UNH application deadlines · UNH senior checklist (FAFSA March 1) · UNH tuition and fees · Keene State FAFSA · Plymouth State FAFSA. Colleges: Saint Anselm · Franklin Pierce · Dartmouth. Other: NH Charitable Foundation · NHCF FAQ · Granite Edvance · NEBHE Tuition Break · UVM Regional Tuition Break · CCSNH Promise Program · NHPR on the proposed Community College Promise · StudentAid.gov. Campus tuition comparison: Boston Globe, October 1, 2026.
College merit figures come from our database; see our data methodology. Program rules change, and the Promise is weeks old. Confirm current details on the official pages before making a decision.
Looking beyond New Hampshire? Visit the State Scholarships & Grants hub or the College Scholarships hub.
If you feel late, you’re not. A senior who files the FAFSA and applies by March 1 is on time for every program on this page.