You qualify if:
You are Maine resident for the tax year.
You either work in Maine during the tax year, regardless of where your employer is located (includes self-employment), are deployed for military service, or are employed (at least part-time) on a vessel at sea.
You did not work outside of Maine for more than three months of the tax year. (i.e., on temporary transfer, as a digital nomad, on excursions, etc.)
You earned a Bachelors or Associates degree after 2007 and before 2016 from a Maine school,
OR
You earned a Bachelors or Associates degree after 2015 from any accredited school in the United States,
OR
You earned a Graduate Degree from a Maine school after 2015
You get:
For associates degrees, a refundable tax credit, regardless of your declared major. Meaning, after being applied to your income tax, you'll get a check in the mail from the State of Maine for the remaining credit.
For Bachelors degrees considered to be in STEM (science, technology, engineering or math) fields by Maine Revenue Services, a refundable tax credit – meaning, after being applied to your income tax, you'll get a check in the mail from the State of Maine for the remaining credit. For non-STEM fields, tax credits are not refundable.
For Bachelors degrees NOT considered to be in STEM (science, technology, engineering or math) fields by Maine Revenue Services, tax credits may offset any individual income taxes you owe the State of Maine (non-refundable). If the tax credit is worth more than what you owe the State of Maine in individual income taxes, you may use the balance over the following 10 tax years.
For graduate degrees earned at Maine schools, tax credits may offset any individual income taxes you owe the State of Maine (non-refundable). If the tax credit is worth more than what you owe the State of Maine in individual income taxes, you may use the balance over the following 10 tax years.