Financial Aid

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Opens October 1st annually. Federal financial aid can come in the form of grants, federal work-study jobs, and/or student loans.

The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which is administered by the Office of Federal Student Aid. Completing this form is absolutely critical, as it is the only way to qualify for federal financial assistance of any type, and you must have submitted it, in order to apply for many scholarships! 

To apply, visit fafsa.gov. www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUis5lityCQ

Important Links

• FSA ID- An FSA ID is a username and password that you must use to log in to certain U.S. Department of Education (ED) websites. Your FSA ID identifies you as someone who has the right to access your own personal information on ED websites such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA®) site at fafsa.gov. (The username and password you use on federal student aid websites.)  https://youtube.com/watch?v=RcDs0ugsZzI

• Types of Federal Financial Aid

MDCAPS is a comprehensive financial aid system that allows us to process State of Maryland scholarship applications and allocate funds more efficiently using today's technology. To use MDCAPS, you must first create a student login profile. The profile creation process will request an email address. An activation link will be sent to the email address provided. To get started with a profile, click the MDCAPS logo or use this link, https://mdcaps.mhec.state.md.us. Next, click "Create a Student Login" located below the yellow [Login] button.

The Maryland State Department of Education’s (MSDE) Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) receives 2021-2022 FAFSA or MSFAA information from Maryland applicants who list at least one Maryland institution on their application. Students who meet the required criteria will have their FAFSA imported into the Maryland College Aid Processing System (MDCAPS). Students identified as potentially eligible for the Guaranteed Access Grant or Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship, will be notified by email based on the contact information reported on their FAFSA or MSFAA. OSFA will request the student to submit all required documentation needed to complete the verification process and confirm the students eligibility.

For more information, please see visit this website

The following grants and scholarships are based on your MHEC financial and academic eligibility:

NEED-BASED GRANTS

• Howard P. Rawlings Program of Educational Excellence Awards

• Guaranteed Access Grant Online Application Available

• Educational Assistance Grant

• Part-Time Grant

• Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program

LEGISLATIVE SCHOLARSHIPS

• Delegate Scholarship

• Senatorial Scholarship

CAREER-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS

• Charles W. Riley Fire and Emergency Medical Services Tuition Reimbursement Program

• Janet L. Hoffman Loan Assistance Repayment Program (LARP)

• John R. Justice Grant Program

• Loan Assistance Repayment Program - Primary Care Services (LARP-PCS)

• Maryland Dent-Care Loan Assistance Repayment Program (MDC-LARP)

• Nurse Support Program II - Graduate Nursing Faculty Scholarship and Living Expenses Grant

• Tuition Reduction for Non-Resident Nursing Students

• Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant Program

For undocumented residents: The Maryland State Financial Aid Application (MSFAA) is now open for you to register for financial aid for college. Undocumented students are school-age immigrants who live in the United States after entering the country without inspection or after overstaying their visas. They face unique challenges in accessing and paying for higher education. Across the country, these students and their allies are working to increase their opportunities to attend college. Click here to register and apply!

The MSFAA is the required application for the following State financial aid programs:

• Educational Assistance Grant

• Guaranteed Access Grant

• Campus-Based Educational Assistance Grant

• Part-Time Grant

• Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship

• Richard W. Collins III Leadership with Honor Scholarship

Undocumented students may also apply for the Cybersecurity Public Service Scholarship Program, by completing that specific application, but the MSFAA is not required as part of the application. It is important to note that most scholarship and grant programs have additional requirements and/or steps to apply.

For Unaccompanied Homeless Youth: The Maryland Tuition Waiver for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth is available to unaccompanied homeless youth who are enrolled as a candidate for an associate, bachelor’s degree or vocational certificate at a Maryland Public institution of higher education. The purpose of the Tuition Waiver for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth is to provide financial assistance to unaccompanied homeless youth. Click here for full information.

IMMIGRANTS RISING

Please CLICK HERE for a list of scholarships that do not require proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency. HAGA CLIC AQUÍ para obtener una lista de becas que no requieren prueba de ciudadanía estadounidense o residencia legal.

The College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS Profile)

The CSS Profile, which stands for College Scholarship Service Profile, is a form administered by the College Board, in order to facilitate applications for non-federal financial aid. This document is required by almost 300 private colleges and scholarship programs, and is used to collect wealth-related information (assets, trust funds, etc.) that is not collected by the FAFSA. To access and complete the CSS Profile, please visit the College Board website.