Maryland Maryland Higher Education Commission

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Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program & Jean B. Cryor Memorial Scholarship Program

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Important Updates: 
The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) understands how critical financial aid is for your education, and we want to share some importan​t updates regarding the Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy and Jean B. Cryor Memorial Scholarship Programs for the 2026–2027 academic year.

To make sure we support as many students as possible within our state-budgeted $7 million allocation, MHEC is changing how these resources are distributed. Instead of attempting to reimburse campuses based on their individual awards, MHEC will now provide funding allocations directly to participating colleges and universities prior to awards. As a result, each participating institution may be required to implement their own institution-based adjustments to ensure available funding is administered in a manner that best supports eligible students. 

Students are encouraged to c​ommunicate directly with the financial aid office at their institution regarding questions about eligib​ility, award amounts, or how these changes may impact their financial aid package for the 2026–2027 Academic Year. MHEC remains committed to administering state financial aid programs in an equitable and fiscally responsible manner while continuing to support eligible Maryland students and families.​​


The Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program provides student financial assistance to certain Maryland residents due to their eligible military or public safety service or due to their eligible family or marital relationship to such an individual.

The Jean B. Cryor Memorial Scholarship Program provides financial assistance to eligible children and surviving spouses of school employees who, either died or sustained an injury that rendered the school employee 100 percent disabled, as a victim in an act of violence occurring in the line of duty.​​


Application Timeline:
  • Applicants should apply to their institution by July 15 of each year. ​
Eligibility Requirements:

  • Applicants may be eligible if they:

    • ​ Are enrolled in a regular undergraduate, graduate, or professional program at an eligible institution at full time or part time enrollment
    •  Are enrolled in a 2-year terminal certificate program in which the course work is acceptable for transfer credit for an accredited baccalaureate program in an eligible institution
    • Are enrolled in a private career school
    • Are at least 16 years old
    • You must also qualify under at least one of the following conditions:
    • The son, daughter, or stepchild of a member of the United States Armed Forces who died as a result of military service or who suffered a service-connected 100% permanent disability as result of military service.
    • The surviving spouse (who has not remarried) of a member of the United States Armed Forces who suffered a service-connected 100% permanent disability as result of military service.
    • A veteran, as defined under § 9–901 of the State Government Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, who either suffers a service connected disability of 25% or greater and has exhausted or is no longer eligible for federal veterans' educational benefits.
    • The son, daughter, stepchild, or surviving spouse of a victim of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks who died as a result of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the attack on the Pentagon in Virginia, or the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.
    • A POW/MIA of the Vietnam Conflict or his/her son, daughter, or stepchild and was a resident of this State at the time the person was declared to be a prisoner of war or missing in action.
    • The son, daughter, stepchild, or surviving spouse (who has not remarried) of a State or local public safety employee (a career or volunteer member of a fire department, ambulance, or rescue squad or company; a law enforcement officer; correctional officer; or member of the Maryland National Guard) who died in the line of duty or who was 100 percent disabled in the line of duty.
    • A State or local public safety employee or volunteer who was 100 percent disabled in the line of duty.  
    • The son, daughter, stepchild, or surviving spouse (who has not remarried) of a school employee who, as a result of an act of violence either died in the line of duty or sustained an injury in the line of duty that rendered the school employee 100% disabled.

Applicants must be a Maryland resident at the time of application with the exception of the following individuals:  

  • A Son, Daughter, Stepson, or Stepdaughter of any State or Local Public Safety Employee killed in the line of duty; or
  • The Surviving spouse of any State or Local Public Safety Employee killed in the line of duty; or 
  • A Disabled Public Safety Employee; or
  • A Son, Daughter, Stepson, Stepdaughter of a disabled Public Safety Employee who sustains an injury in the line of duty that renders the Public Safety Employee 100% disabled; or
  • The Surviving Spouse of a Disabled Public Safety Employee who sustains an injury in the line of duty that renders the Public Safety Employee 100% disabled.  ​

Application Process & Requirements:
  • New and renewal applicants should contact their institution financial aid office for application instructions. Student should not submit any applications or supplemental documentation to the Maryland Higher Education Commission.​

Required Documentation:
  • All required documentation should be submitted directly to the institution. Student should not submit any documentation to MHEC.

Award Amount:

An award applicant is eligible to receive an award contingent on the availability of funds.

  • The max award for 2026-2027 is $14,086.
  • The amount of your award may not exceed the equivalent annual tuition and mandatory fees, of a resident undergraduate at a 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.
  • Awards to the dependents or spouses of victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks may not exceed the amount specified above when combined with any other scholarships received by a student based on the student's status as a child or spouse of a victim of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.​


Renewal Requirements:
  • Initial awards will be automatically renewed by the finanical aid office at the institution you are attending for the next academic year. For questions concerning your renewal award, please contact your institution's financial aid office. 
  • Awards may be held for five (5) years of full-time study ( 12+ credits per semester) or eight (8) years of part-time study ( 6-11 credits per semester) or  a combination of both. Audited courses cannot be used to reach the minimum credits hours required for full-time or part-time  status.