The 2021-2022 Charles W. Riley Firefighter and Ambulance and Rescue Squad Member Scholarship Program application is now closed.
The Charles W. Riley Firefighter and Ambulance and Rescue Squad Member Scholarship Program encourages members of the fire-fighting, ambulance, and rescue organizations serving Maryland communities to pursue credited courses that lead to a degree in fire service technology, emergency medical technology, fire service management, or public safety administration with a minor or concentration in fire service technology or fire service management.
APPLICATION
Who may apply: Actively engaged career or volunteer firefighters, ambulance or rescue squad members. Actively engaged is defined as either:
- a volunteer member within a county or municipality that operates Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP), who has recorded at least 50 LOSAP points as part of a fire, ambulance, or rescue squad in the tax year prior to the award year, and the points have been earned in at least two different categories; or within a county or municipality that does not operate LOSAP, has recorded at least 50 points under the point system established by the county or municipality to identify active members as part of a fire, ambulance, or rescue squad in the tax year prior to the award year, and the points have been earned in at least two different categories OR
- a career member who has worked a minimum of 1,000 hours as part of a fire, ambulance, or rescue squad in the tax year prior to the award year
How to apply: Complete the Charles W. Riley Firefighter and Ambulance and Rescue Squad Member Scholarship application online at https://mdcaps.mhec.state.md.us, provide proof of official acceptance in a program of fire service technology, emergency medical technology, fire service management, or public safety administration with a minor or concentration in fire service technology or fire service management; and submit a completed notarized statement from an eligible employer confirming active employment or volunteer service by May 1.
Note: Completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid is no longer required to apply for the Charles W. Riley Firefighter and Ambulance and Rescue Squad Scholarship.
When to apply: Complete the Charles W. Riley Firefighter and Ambulance and Rescue Squad Member Scholarship application online and submit all supplemental documents by May 1.
Eligible majors: Fire service technology, emergency medical technology, fire service management, or public safety administration with a minor or concentration in fire service technology or fire service management.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
You must be an active career firefighter, ambulance or rescue squad member in an organized fire department or ambulance or rescue squad in the State. You must be an active volunteer firefighter, ambulance or rescue squad member in an organized fire department or ambulance or rescue squad in the State and meet the minimum qualifications for the Maryland Income Tax Subtraction Modification Law. You must be accepted for admission or enrolled in a regular undergraduate program at an eligible institution or 2-year terminal certificate program in which the course work is acceptable for transfer credit for an accredited baccalaureate degree program in an eligible institution. You must Maintain a grade point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. You must be a Maryland resident to apply for this program.
Each applicant or recipient must agree to provide any information or documentation requested by OSFA for the purpose of administering this program and, if requested, to sign an authorization for the release of information to OFSA for the purpose of administering this program. The applicant’s or recipient’s failure or refusal to provide requested information or a signed release may result in a determination of ineligibility, the cancellation of an award, and the denial of a request for the deferment or waiver of a service obligation.
AWARD AMOUNT
The annual award shall be at least 50% of the student’s actual annual tuition and mandatory fees at an eligible institution, but may not exceed the annual tuition and mandatory fees of a resident undergraduate student at the four-year public institution of higher education within the University System of Maryland, other than the University of Maryland University College and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, with the highest annual expenses for a full-time resident undergraduate for courses credited toward a degree in fire service technology, emergency medical technology, fire service management, or public safety administration with a minor or concentration in fire service technology or fire service management.
AWARD SELECTION
Eligible applicants who are renewals will be given priority over initial applicants. Within these groups, applicants will be ranked and awarded according to the submission date of their completed online application form.
Applicants who are not selected will be placed on the waitlist pending the availability of funding. Applicants not selected in an academic year must reapply for consideration in a subsequent academic year, and will be ranked according to the submission date of their completed online application form.
RENEWING AN AWARD
Awards are automatically renewed on an annual basis, up to a maximum of 5 years of full-time study or 8 years of part-time study as long as the student continues to meet all of the eligibility requirements, maintains satisfactory academic progress at the institution attend, and maintains a grade point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, and sufficient funding is available.
The award will be cancelled if the recipient fails to meet and maintain each eligibility requirement. A recipient who is academically ineligible will forfeit the award, and must reapply as an initial applicant in a subsequent award year and meet and maintain each eligibility requirement. A student transferring from one institution to another may continue to receive the award as long as the student meets all of the scholarship eligibility requirements.
SERVICE OBLIGATION
A recipient is required to serve for 1 year as a volunteer or career firefighter or ambulance or rescue squad member, in a full-time or part-time capacity, of an organized fire department or ambulance or rescue squad in the State after completion of an eligible program.
Each applicant offered an award must sign and return a promissory note agreeing to begin fulfillment of the service obligation as a career or volunteer firefighter or ambulance or rescue squad member for which the award was received within one year of completing the degree for which they received assistance. The service obligation begins after completion of the degree program and cannot be fulfilled prior to completion.
If a recipient holds this scholarship with any other State award requiring a service obligation, the obligations must be served in consecutive years.
The Charles W. Riley Firefighter and Ambulance and Rescue Squad Member Scholarship program regulations have
been published online under the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR). The program regulations are currently being revised to eliminate the required FAFSA submission. These regulations will be updated to reflect the changes in the near future. http://www.dsd.state.md.us/COMAR/subtitle_chapters/13B_Chapters.aspx
CONDITIONS OF AWARDS
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