As of the 2021-2022 award year, the qualified children of undocumented immigrants who are eligible for in-state tuition under §15–106.8.of the MD Education Article also are now eligible to apply for various State financial aid grants and scholarships.
Q5. As an undocumented student, am I eligible for State financial aid?
If you attend an eligible Maryland public or private institution, you may be eligible for
various Maryland State financial aid programs. Those programs are the: Educational Assistance Grant, the Guaranteed Access Grant, the Campus Based Educational Assistance Grant, the Part Time Grant, the Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship, the Near Completer Grant, the Cybersecurity Public Service Scholarship Award, the Legislative Scholarship Program, and the Richard W. Collins III Leadership with Honor Scholarship.
Q1. As an undocumented student, how do I apply for financial aid through the State of
Maryland?
The new MHEC One App allows qualified children of undocumented immigrants to be considered for various
State financial aid programs. Eligible applicants will complete the application online through the Maryland College Aid Processing Portal (MDCAPS).Note: U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens such as permanent residents should complete the
FAFSA. They may be eligible for federal student aid as well financial aid through the State of Maryland.
Q2. What is the difference between the FAFSA and the MHEC One App?
- U.S. Citizen
- Permanent Resident
- Eligible non-citizen
- T Visa holder
2. You are eligible to complete the undocumented student section of the
MHEC One App if you are:
Q3. What are the requirements for qualified children of undocumented immigrants to be exempt from paying the out-of-state tuition rate at an in-state institution?
Q6. What should I do if I’ve already submitted a FAFSA before learning that I'm not eligible?
Q7. Can I fill out the MHEC One App if I don’t have a Social Security Number?
Yes. Students are not required to have a Social Security Number. However,
students will need to meet the non-resident exemption requirements as described under §15–106.8. of the MD Education Article to qualify for aid.
Q3. Will any of my information on the application be shared?
The personally identifiable information provided on the Maryland State Financial Aid Application is confidential and used solely to determine eligibility for state financial aid. The personally identifiable information will be disclosed only as required by law.
Application Process
Q9. When can I apply?
The application is available each year at the same time the FAFSA opens through the
MDCAPS portal.
Q10. Am I required to register for Selective Service?
If you are a male between the ages of 18 and 25, in most cases you are required to register with the Selective Service System (SSS) and show proof of registration to MHEC before receiving state financial aid.
You do not need to have a Social Security Number (SSN) to register for Selective Service. If you do
not have a SSN, or have been issued a SSN through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, you can register for Selective Service by completing a paper Selective Service Registration form
, which can be picked up at any U.S. Post Office or can be downloaded for print.
Q11. Do I have to wait until my parents or I file taxes?
Yes. Under §15–106.8. of the MD Education Article, the qualified children of undocumented immigrants must file taxes. The prior-prior-year tax information is used as noted below:
Example of Prior-Prior Tax Year:
| IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND COLLEGE FROM |
YOU WILL SUBMIT THIS MSFAA |
YOU CAN SUBMIT THE MSFAA FORM | USING INCOME AND
TAX FORM |
July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023 |
2022-2023 |
October 1, 2021 - June 30, 2023 |
2020 |
June 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024 |
2023 - 2024 |
October 1, 2022 - June 30, 2024 |
2021 |
July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025 |
2024 - 2025 | January 2024 - June 30, 2025 |
2022 |
Q12. When is the deadline to submit the MHEC One App?
The MHEC One App must be completed by the established deadline for the scholarship or grant program the
Q13. What if my parents live in another country and I do not live with them?
Students who are under the age of 24 as of December 31 of the award year and do not meet any other very limited criteria, are considered “Dependent” for financial aid purposes and therefore, must provide parental information.
One parent must sign your application, even if you do not live with your legal parents (your biological and/or adoptive parents). Widowed stepparents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, foster parents, siblings or legal guardians are not considered your parent(s) for financial aid purposes, unless they have legally adopted you.
If you are unable to get your parent information, complete the application as much as you can and contact your college’s financial aid office (FAO) as soon as possible. The FAO will evaluate your situation and inform you if they can override the need for parent information. MHEC does not have the authority to override dependency information.
Q14. I submitted the MHEC One App. What’s next?
After completing the application, you will be considered for the various State of Maryland’s financial aid grant and scholarship programs.
MHEC will notify applicants in late April if they are awarded an Educational Assistance Grant or Guaranteed Access Grant for the 2024-2025 award year. Awarding for the other state grant/scholarship programs will occur in the summer and eligible
applicants will be notified by email if they are awarded. Your institution will notify you if you have been awarded the Part-Time Grant and Campus Based Educational Assistance Grant award.
Students are encouraged to monitor the "Check Your Application Status" page in their MDCAPS account to verify no additional information is required for any of the grant or scholarship programs you may have applied for. If additional information is needed, be sure to submit all required documents by the deadline.
Note: MHEC communicates with all applicants by email therefore students are encouraged to provide email address that they frequently check on all applications.
Q15. I was notified by email that I was awarded a State grant/scholarship? What do I do next?
You must accept your award online through your MDCAPS portal. Students have 2 weeks to accept or decline their state grant/scholarship award. Failure to accept your award within that timeframe will result in your award being canceled. If you have any questions concerning the acceptance process of your grant/scholarship award, email us at osfamail.mhec@maryland.gov
NOTE: This document is intended for informational purposes. If there are any conflicts between this document and the laws or regulations, the laws and regulations apply. All State financial aid is contingent upon the availability of funding in the State budget.
The Maryland State Financial Aid (MSFAA) User Guide
