State Delegate Scholarship

The Maryland Delegate Scholarship is offered to Maryland residents who plan to pursue a postsecondary credential full-time (12+ credits undergraduate or 9+ credits graduate per semester) or part-time (6-11 credits undergraduate or 6-8 credits graduate per semester) at a two-year or four-year Maryland college, university or private career school.

How do I apply?

Current or prospective students should contact their local delegates for instructions on how to apply. For a list and contact information of the student's local delegates, please visit http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Members/District or the Maryland State Board of Elections website.
Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1. If a student is eligible for in-state tuition, but ineligible to receive federal financial aid, the student must submit the Maryland Higher Education Commission One-App (MHEC One-APP) instead.

If the delegate requests that the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) will be responsible for identifying and awarding local students, OSFA will administer awards based on need, as demonstrated on the student's FAFSA.

Eligibility Requirements:

Current high school seniors;
Current or prospective full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students;
Current or prospective part-time degree-seeking undergraduate students;
Current or prospective full-time degree-seeking graduate students;
Current or prospective part-time degree-seeking graduate students; or
Current or prospective private career school enrollees.

Award Amount

2025-2026 Award Minimum: $200
2025-2026 Award Maximum: TBD

The student may hold the Delegate Scholarship with all state awards. The total dollar amount of all state scholarship awards may not exceed the student's cost of attendance (as determined by their Financial Aid Office), or $33,900, whichever is less. Funds may not be available to award all eligible students.

Eligible Majors

All in-state majors are eligible.

Award recipients who are currently enrolled, or were enrolled within the last two years, in a certificate or license program, course, or sequence of courses at a community college that leads to certification or licensure may use the scholarship to reimburse educational expenses

Out-of-State Exceptions

Award recipients may use this scholarship at an out-of-state school if their major is not available at any Maryland institution and if their legislator agrees. In order to verify your out-of-state major as unique, you must complete and submit the online application by the established deadline. The 2025-2026 Unique Major Application for out-of-state majors can be found here; it will open on March 15 and close on July 1.

Scholarships can be used at out-of-state institutions if the applicant is on active duty with the U.S Military and domiciled in the state.

The scholarship may be used out-of-state if the student is disabled and studying at an institution outside the state that makes special provisions for disabled students that are not available to the applicant at an institution in Maryland.

Note: Certain unique majors not offered at a Maryland public university may also be eligible for the Academic Common Market, a tuition savings program that allows students enrolled in approved programs at participating institutions to pay in-state tuition rates.

Renewing an Award

Delegate Condition of Award

Students must apply each year to their local delegates and, if required, complete the FAFSA by March 1.

The Delegate Scholarship regulations have been published online under the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR).