Learn about scholarships at UMGC and find out if you qualify.
At University of Maryland Global Campus, we understand that funding your education is one of the most important factors in your educational journey. Our goal is to help as many students as possible make the dream of earning their degree a reality. To that end, we provide you with resources and guidance for navigating the world of scholarship offerings at UMGC.
Check out the scholarship categories below to see what you might qualify for and to learn about the different scholarship awarding processes. These categories have unique eligibility requirements and application processes, so reviewing all the information on this page can help you stay as informed as possible about the different opportunities available to you.
Please note: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required for most scholarships offered by UMGC. UMGC encourages all students to complete the FAFSA early each year.
Most scholarships require students to be enrolled in a minimum number of program-applicable credits in each semester they receive an award.
UMGC Institutional Scholarships & Grants
Institutional scholarships and grants are funds that are provided to eligible students directly by UMGC. We provided more than $15 million to our students in these types of scholarship awards last year. Each of these funds has a different process by which students may become eligible, but many don’t require an application other than the FAFSA.
More Institutional Scholarships & Grants
- Maryland Resident Success Grant: Maryland residents may be eligible to earn a need-based grant of $1,500 from UMGC.
- President's Grant: Find out how you can earn a need-based grant of $1,400 from UMGC.
- President's Scholarship: Learn how you can earn a merit-based scholarship of up to $2,000.
- Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship: Eligible Phi Theta Kappa members can earn a scholarship of up to $3,000.
- Student Aid Fund for Emergency Relief (SAFER): This fund is designed to assist students experiencing financial hardship due to an emergency.
Maryland State Scholarship & Grant Programs
The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) offers standard and need-based scholarship and grant programs to eligible Maryland residents. Most of these state-funded programs require students to submit a FAFSA each year prior to a March 1 deadline. We strongly encourage all students to submit their FAFSA as soon as it becomes available each year.
For the upcoming 2024–2025 aid year, MHEC's priority FAFSA submission deadline has been extended to May 15. The final deadline has been extended to June 1.
Visit MHEC's state scholarship application webpage for eligibility criteria and application instructions or view the individual MHEC scholarship and grant program pages below for more details:
- Howard P. Rawlings Guaranteed Access (GA) Grant
- Howard P. Rawlings Educational Assistance (EA) Grant
- Howard P. Rawlings Campus-Based Educational Assistance Grant
- 2+2 Transfer Scholarship
- Charles W. Riley Firefighter and Ambulance and Rescue Squad Member Scholarship Program
- Cybersecurity Public Service Scholarship Program
- Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program & Jean B. Cryor Memorial Scholarship Program
More Scholarship Information
At UMGC, we strive to present you with the latest information about scholarships, including state scholarship and grant programs, third-party programs, and other unique programs we offer at the university. Please check back frequently for the latest information.
State scholarship and grant programs are funding opportunities provided by the education departments within each state. Because UMGC is based in Maryland, the Maryland Higher Education Commission scholarship and grant programs are the most common state funds used by UMGC students. However, there are other states/districts which have funding options available for UMGC students.
Each state’s department of education determines what types of funding are available for students, how students can apply for the funds, eligibility criteria, and award recipients (with some exceptions).
The following awards fall into this category. This is not an exhaustive list; more scholarship opportunities may be available in your state:
- D.C. College Access Program (DC-CAP): This school program helps eligible students supplement the cost of a college degree. This scholarship may be used for tuition and fees, room and board, and other expenses, including books, supplies, and travel. DC-CAP students may receive $4,000 per year for college (up to $20,000 over 5 years).
- D.C. Mayor's Scholars Undergraduate Program: This program provides need-based funding for eligible D.C. residents earning their first undergraduate degree. The award can be used to fill the gap between a student’s financial aid offer and the cost of attendance. Mayor’s Scholars funding will cover up to $4,000 total per year for tuition and fees.
- D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG): The DCTAG program was created to expand the higher education choices for college-bound residents of Washington, D.C. The program is set up to help cover the difference between a student’s in-state and out-of-state tuition, and allows students to be awarded up to $10,000 per academic year for public colleges and universities in the United States, Guam, and Puerto Rico, or up to $2,500 for participating four-year private institutions nationwide and private not-for-profit colleges and universities in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
- D.C. Tuition Assistance Program Initiative for TANF (TAPIT): This program offers scholarships to D.C. residents participating in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Eligible students may receive a need-based scholarship of up to $4,000 per academic year toward an undergraduate degree program. For inquiries and application details, please contact Alisa Armstrong at alisa.armstrong@dc.gov or 202-531-1892.
Vermont
Third-party (or private) scholarships and grants are funds offered by agencies outside of UMGC. Many organizations like private foundations, clubs, places of worship, professional organizations, non-profits, and Greek organizations have scholarships opportunities they make available to their members or the community.
UMGC does not have any influence over the application or selection process for these types of awards, but we do work with the UMGC students who have received these types of awards (and with the agencies themselves as needed) to receive and apply the scholarship funds you earn from them to your student account here at UMGC according to the agencies’ guidelines.
Examples of agencies that are in this category include Army Emergency Relief, AmeriCorps, and UNCF.
Please review applicable third-party program descriptions below:
- Generation Hope: Available to parents aged 25 and younger, this program is designed to support young parents with mentoring, tuition assistance, a peer community, and other vital, wrap-around services to help them earn their degree. Students admitted into this program who have children younger than 6 years old are also eligible for their combined college support and early childhood program, Next Generation Academy. The deadline for priority consideration is February 1 and the final deadline is April 1 each year.
Members of the UMGC community have access to a limited number of scholarships. To view these scholarship descriptions, you must be an employee of the university and be logged into the university's employee portal, Engage:
If you are a junior, senior, or master's student at UMGC, you may be eligible to apply for a full scholarship opportunity thanks to the U.S. Department of Defense's Cyber Scholarship Program.
