The Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship is a last dollar scholarship that is available for the 2023-2024 academic year to students who enroll at a Maryland community college. Eligible students can receive up to $5,000 to cover any remaining tuition and mandatory fee expenses after Federal or State financial aid has been applied.
Who May Apply?
A Maryland high school graduate or GED recipient eligible for in-state tuition who is planning to enroll or is currently enrolled as a part-time (6 credits semester for credit-bearing courses) student at a Maryland community college in:
- A credit-bearing vocational certificate/certificate/associate degree program
- A sequence of credit or non-credit courses that leads to licensure of certification
- A registered apprenticeship program
How do I apply?
Submit either the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) OR Maryland State Financial Aid Application (MSFAA)
Application Filing Deadline for Academic Year 2023-2024 is April 15, 2024
The MSFAA should only be completed by undocumented individuals who are ineligible to receive federal financial aid.
Grade Point Average (GPA) & General Education Development (GED) Requirements for Initial Applicants
| High School GPA Requirements | High school seniors must have earned an unweighted cumulative 2.3 GPA at the end of the first semester of their senior year in high school or by the end of their senior year in high school. |
| Community College GPA requirements | Individuals currently enrolled at a community college must document that they earned a cumulative GPA of at least a 2.5 while previously or currently enrolled at a community college. |
| GED Requirements | GED applicants must submit a copy of their examination. |
Exceptions to submitting a high school transcript: An initial applicant who graduated from high school five or more years before applying for the scholarship is exempt from submitting a high school transcript to document the GPA requirement. Applicants must complete and submit the Promise Affidavit Form online through their MDCAPS account.
Income Requirements
Students must be within the required adjusted gross income limits based on the 2021 tax year:
- $100,000 if the applicant is single or resides in a single parent household; or
- $150,000 if the applicant is married or resides in a two parent household.
Required Documentation
After completing the FAFSA or MSFAA by April 15, 2024 eligible applicants must submit certain documentation for further consideration of the award.
MHEC may notify applicants by email of the required documentation to submit. A list of the required documents needed will display in the Maryland College Aid Processing System (MDCAPS) under the Check Application Status screen.
Below you will find a list of required tasks that may be displayed on your MDCAPS account and the type of information that must be uploaded by the established deadline:
GED Examination Transcript – A copy of the GED examination transcript.
High School Transcript must include 1st semester grades from Senior Year – A copy of the high school transcript must include all grades earned up to the first semester (quarter 1 & quarter 2) of senior year in high school. Report cards are not acceptable.
Final High School Transcript – A copy of the high school transcript must include all grades earned up to end of senior year in high school. Report cards are not acceptable.
Community College Transcript – A copy of a Maryland community college transcript that includes cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) and the name of the Maryland Community College.
Important Dates and Deadlines
October 1, 2023: 2023-2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) becomes available
June 1, 2023: AWARDING begins for renewal recipients
July 15, 2023: PRIORITY DEADLINE to submit all required documentation
August 1, 2023: AWARDING begins for initial applicants
April 15, 2024: FINAL DEADLINE to submit the FAFSA or MSFAA and/or all required documentation
Renewal Requirements
To remain eligible for the award, recipients must meet the following requirements:
- Continue to be eligible for in-state tuition
- Annually file the FAFSA or MSFAA by April 15
- Continue to meet the adjusted gross income requirements
- Enroll in and complete either:
- A sequence of credit or non-credit courses that leads to licensure of certification; or
- 6 credits at the end of the each semester in a credit bearing program.
- Maintain at least a 2.5 cumulative community college GPA if enrolled in a credit bearing program
- Make satisfactory academic progress toward a vocational certificate/certificate/associate degree
- Participate in a registered apprenticeship program
More information on the Condition of Award found here
What are the Enrollment Requirements?
- All eligible applicants must attend the community college located in their county, or in the case of a regional community college, the region in which they live. Regional community colleges are: Wor-Wic Community College; Chesapeake College; and College of Southern Maryland.
- If the community college located where the applicant lives does not offer the degree or program in which they enrolled, the applicant may attend any other Maryland community college that offers the program.
- Eligible applicants may use the scholarship to attend a community college that has on-campus residential facilities for students.
- Applicants who plan to enroll as candidates in credit-bearing vocational certificates, credit-bearing certificates, or associate degrees must enroll in at least 6 credits per semester at a community college.
- Applicants who plan to enroll in a sequence of credit or non-credit courses that leads to licensure or certification must enroll in the next available courses offered at the community college for their sequence.
Requirements for Non-Credit Applicants
Any applicant who plans to enroll at the community college as a non-credit “Continuing Education" applicant in a sequence of non-credit courses that leads to licensure or certification or a registered apprenticeship program must:
For Continuing Education applicants only, the deadline to complete the application is a rolling deadline for each academic year.
For more information concerning the Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship, view the Frequently Asked Questions Guide.
Community College Promise Scholarship
The Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship regulations have been published online under the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR).
