Who may apply: Current high school seniors and full-time and part-time, degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students. Students attending a private career school may also apply.
How to apply: Submit a completed Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa or submit the Maryland
State Financial Aid Application (MSFAA) online through MDCAPS for any applicant
who is ineligible to receive federal aid but is eligible for in-state tuition
by March 1, 2021. The 2021-2022 MSFAA is now available through your MDCAPS student account at https://mdcaps.mhec.state.md.us/MDCAPS/login.aspx?c=-8586272515384792573&ReturnUrl=/MDCAPS/int/FinAid/index.aspx If your State senator makes his/her own awards, you must call or write to your legislator for further instructions. The Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) can provide a list of all State legislators.
**Scholarships maybe available through your state delegation for your district. They are NOT available through your federal delegation (i.e. U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen).**
When to apply: Complete and file the FAFSA or MSFAA by March 1. Contact your State senator in February for further instructions.
Eligible majors: All majors are eligible.
*Program Update*
Scholarship 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.
You may use this scholarship at an out-of-state school if your major is not available at any Maryland institution and if your senator agrees.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
You
and your parents (if you are a dependent student) must be Maryland residents.
You must enroll at a two-year or four-year Maryland college or university, as a
full-time (12+ credits undergrad or 9+ credits grad) or part-time (6-11 credits
undergrad or 6-8 credits grad), degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate
student, or attend certain private career schools. Audited courses cannot be
used to reach the minimum credit hours required for full-time or part-time
status. You must demonstrate financial need. You must take the SAT 1 or the ACT
unless you graduated from high school five or more years ago; have earned 24
college credit hours; or are attending a community college or a private career
school.
FINANCIAL NEED
Some State senators have OSFA make awards for them. These awards are made on the basis of financial need as demonstrated on the FAFSA.
AWARD AMOUNT
2020-2021 Award Minimum: $400
2020-2021 Award Maximum: $11,800
The minimum annual award amount is $400 and the maximum award is $11,800. You may hold the Senatorial Scholarship with all State awards. The total dollar amount of all State awards may not exceed your cost of attendance as determined by your school’s financial aid office, or $28,000, whichever is less. Funds may not be available to award all eligible students.
RENEWING AN AWARD
If you received a renewable award, your award will be renewed automatically as long as you maintain satisfactory academic progress at the college you attend. Full-time students may receive a Senatorial Scholarship for total of four years. Part-time students may receive a Senatorial Scholarship for a total of eight years.
A recipient may hold a scholarship for a fifth undergraduate academic year or for a semester subsequent to the end of a fourth undergraduate academic year if the recipient:
- Has requested a scholarship from the Senator for a fifth undergraduate academic year or for a semester subsequent to the end of a fourth undergraduate academic year;
- Is a full-time student;
- Continues to be a resident of the State;
- Continues to be a student at the institution and takes courses leading to a degree; and
- Has exhausted the funds available under the Senatorial Scholarship.
Eligible Majors
All in-state majors are eligible.
Out-of-State
Exceptions
· You may use this scholarship at an out-of-state school if your major is
not available at any Maryland institution and if your
senator agrees. In order to verify your major as unique you must complete the 2021-2022 Unique Major Application and submit it
to MHEC with the required documentation by May 31, 2021.
· Scholarship 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 also 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.
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! Click here to
learn more.
CONDITIONS OF AWARD RENEWAL
Senatorial Conditions of the Award
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If you do not know how to contact your State senator or delegates, go to http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Members/District or call the Board of Supervisors of Elections for your county:
County |
Phone Number |
Allegany County: |
(301) 777-5931 |
Anne Arundel County: |
(410) 222-6600 |
Baltimore County: |
(410) 887-5700 |
Baltimore City: |
(410) 396-5550 |
Calvert County: |
(410) 535-2214 |
Caroline County: |
(410) 479-8145 |
Carroll County: |
(410) 386-2080 |
Cecil County: |
(410) 996-5310 |
Charles County: |
(301) 934-8972 |
Dorchester County: |
(410) 228-2560 |
Frederick County: |
(301) 600-8683 |
Garrett County: |
(301) 334-6985 |
Harford County: |
(410) 638-3565 |
Howard County: |
(410) 313-5820 |
Kent County: |
(410) 778-0038 |
Montgomery County: |
(240) 777-8500 |
Prince George's County: |
(301) 430-8020 |
Queen Anne's County: |
(410) 758-0832 |
St. Mary's County: |
(301) 475-7844 |
Somerset County: |
(410) 651-0767 |
Talbot County: |
(410) 770-8099 |
Washington County: |
(240) 313-2050 |
Wicomico County: |
(410) 548-4830 |
Worcester County: |
(410) 632-1320 |
The Senatorial Scholarship program regulations have
been published online under the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR).
Please click the following link to access the program regulations: http://www.dsd.state.md.us/COMAR/subtitle_chapters/13B_Chapters.aspx
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