Howard P. Rawlings
Guaranteed Access (GA) Grant
The Guaranteed Access (GA) Grant is a need- based grant that
provides financial assistance to eligible applicants
enrolled at postsecondary institutions. The amount of the GA Grant equals 100
percent of the student’s financial need and a student may receive an award
for up to $20,000.
Who May Apply?
An eligible
individual who meets the income requirement levels, is eligible for in-state
tuition, and plans to enroll at a two-year or four-year Maryland college or
university as a full-time (12 credits per semester) degree-seeking
undergraduate applicant. The applicant must be:
·
a current
high school senior who will complete a college preparatory program; or
·
an
individual who has obtained a General
Educational Development Diploma (GED) and is under the age of 26.
How do I Apply?
Submit either
the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) OR Maryland State Financial Aid Application (MSFAA) by March 1.
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
GPA Requirements
|
Current
high school seniors enrolled must have earned an
unweighted cumulative 2.5
GPA at the end of their first semester
of high school and be under the age of
22.
Rounding of GPAs is not allowed.
|
GED Requirements
|
GED
applicants must have scored a minimum of 165 per
module on the GED
examination and be under the age of 26 at
the time of receiving the award.
|
Income Requirements
To be
eligible for the GA Grant, initial and renewal applicants must meet the
following income requirements:
Household Size
|
130% of Poverty Level
(Initial Applicants)
|
150% of Poverty Level
(Renewal Recipients)
|
1
|
$16,588
|
$19,140
|
2
|
$22,412
|
$25,860
|
3
|
$28,236
|
$32,580
|
4
|
$34,060
|
$39,300
|
5
|
$39,884
|
$46,020
|
6
|
$45,708
|
$52,740
|
7
|
$51,532
|
$59,460
|
8
|
$57,356
|
$66,180
|
For
families/households with more than 8 persons, for each additional person add
|
$5,824
|
$6,720
|

Required Documentation
After completing the FAFSA or
MSFAA by March 1, eligible applicants
must submit certain documentation for further consideration of the award.
Renewal recipients who are
selected for verification are required to submit documentation for further
consideration of the GA Grant 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.
The
following required tasks may be displayed on your MDCAPS account along
with the information needed by the established deadline:
·
GED Examination Transcript– A copy of GED examination transcript must include the scores for each
module.
·
High School Transcript must
include 1st semester grades from Senior Year – A copy of high school transcript
must include all grades earned up to the first semester (quarter 1 & quarter 2) of senior year
in high school. Low Income Form - Download the form and complete the section that applies and include supporting documentation for all untaxed income. Report cards are not acceptable.
· Dependent or Independent Student Verification Worksheet - Download the respective verification worksheet from MDCAPS and complete all sections.
· Low Income Form - Download the form and complete the section that applies and include supporting documentation for all untaxed income.
·
2020 Parent/Student/Spouse IRS Tax
Transcript - Submit either a copy of the IRS Tax Return transcript or signed
copy of the 1040 tax return.
·
2020 Parent/Student/Spouse Maryland
State Tax Return - Submit either a copy of the Signed Maryland Tax Return, IRS Tax Return
Transcript, or 1040 Tax Return.
·
2020 Student/Spouse/Parent W2s, 1099,
or Schedule C - Submit the W2, 1099, Schedule C or the IRS Wage and Income Transcript,
and/or
· Verification of Non-filing - Letter for Parent/Student/Spouse - Submit
either the MHEC non-filing Form or the IRS Verification Non-Filing Letter.
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 March 1
·
Continue to
meet the annual income requirements (students must continue to live at or below
150 percent of the federal poverty level)
·
Enroll as a full-time
student at an eligible institution
·
Maintain the
satisfactory academic progress standards of your institution
Students who have received the award for at least
two years and thereafter must:
o
annually complete 30
credits in order to have their awards renewed for the full amount or;
o
annually complete
24-29 credits in order to have their awards renewed for a prorated amount.
For an overview on the
Credit Completion Requirements click here.
Click for more information on the conditions of
award.
What is the Guaranteed Access
Partnership Program (GAPP)?
The Guaranteed Access
Partnership Program (GAPP) provides a matching grant award to eligible Maryland
students who receive a GA Grant and enroll at a participating Maryland
independent college or university as a new undergraduate student.
The Maryland institutions that are participating include: Capitol Technology
University, Goucher College, Hood College, Johns Hopkins University, Loyola University
Maryland, Maryland Institute College of Art, McDaniel College, Mount St. Mary’s
University, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Stevenson University, St. John’s
College, Washington Adventist University, and Washington College.
For more information about GAPP, please contact your institution’s financial
aid office so that they may assist you in completing the process.
For more
information concerning the Guaranteed Access Grant Program, click on the Frequently
Asked Question (FAQ) Guide.