University of Maryland Merit Scholarships: A Comprehensive Guide

The University of Maryland (UMD) is committed to enrolling talented and academically promising students by offering a variety of merit-based scholarships. These scholarships recognize past academic performance. To be considered for merit scholarships, students must submit a completed undergraduate admission application by the early action deadline for the fall semester.

Freshman Merit Scholarships

Freshman merit scholarships are offered to UMD’s most academically talented incoming students. Freshman applicants who submit their admission application and all required materials by the November 1 early action deadline are automatically considered for freshman merit scholarships. Admitted students will automatically be considered for any merit scholarships offered through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Freshman students selected to receive a merit scholarship will be notified by March 1, and all final awards will be made no later than April 1.

Banneker/Key Scholarship

The Banneker/Key Scholarship is the most prestigious merit scholarship offered to incoming UMD freshmen. UMD seeks to identify and select some of the brightest high school seniors to continue their education as Banneker/Key Scholars. Scholarship recipients are also admitted to the Honors College. To be considered for the Banneker/Key Scholarship, students must submit a completed admission application and all required application materials by the November 1 early action deadline. Selected semifinalists are invited to an interview conducted by the Banneker/Key Selection Committee. Factors such as a candidate's involvement in community service, talents or skills, leadership, and character all play a part in the final awards. It can cover up to the full cost of tuition, mandatory fees, housing and food, a book allowance, and includes admission to the Honors College. All freshman applicants who are admitted to the Honors College are considered for the Banneker/Key Scholarship. No additional application materials are required.

President’s Scholarship

The President’s Scholarship is an undergraduate merit scholarship awarded to a group of selected students for up to a maximum of eight consecutive semesters. This award provides talented prospective freshmen with scholarship support for eight consecutive undergraduate semesters. The President’s Scholarship provides a four-year scholarship ranging from $2,000 to $20,000 per year. Both in-state and out-of-state applicants are eligible to receive the President’s Scholarship. Recipients are identified through evaluation of admission application materials including academic achievement, extracurricular activities, awards, honors, recommendations, and the essay.

Maintaining the President's Scholarship

To maintain the President’s Scholarship, several requirements must be met:

GPA Requirement: The student must maintain a minimum 3.20 cumulative GPA. The GPA used for this review is not rounded. Therefore, a 3.199 does not equal a 3.20 cumulative GPA. In the event the student fails to maintain a 3.20 cumulative GPA, the student will have one probationary semester to raise their GPA. The student may take courses on campus during the winter and summer terms to bring up their cumulative GPA, but the scholarship does not cover the cost of winter and summer courses. If the scholarship was canceled, and the student subsequently raises their GPA to a 3.20 or higher, the student may submit a request for reinstatement of the scholarship.
Credit Requirement: The student must successfully complete 30 credits per academic year. Although a student may retake courses under the University's repeat policy, credits earned for a repeated course may only be counted once toward the annual 30 credit requirement. Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) and other pre-college credits are not counted towards the 30 credit requirement. The student may take courses on or off-campus during the winter and summer terms to make up any necessary credits, but the scholarship does not cover the cost of these courses. The academic year is defined as beginning with the fall semester, followed by the winter term, followed by the spring semester and concludes with the summer terms.
Other Aid: These scholarships may not be combined with one another. The total of all aid a student receives cannot exceed the cost of attendance. Should a student receive funds above the cost of attendance, as determined by the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA), their President’s Scholarship will be reduced. The President’s Scholarship is a partial tuition scholarship with varying awards amounts.
Refunds: Refunds will not be available until the student has registered for a minimum of 12 credits (waitlisted courses do not count), and all university charges incurred on their student account have been paid.
Notification: Each academic year, OSFA will notify the student of the type(s) of scholarships they are receiving and the amount disbursed from each account fund. OSFA reserves the right to modify financial assistance at any time.
Withdrawal: A student who fully withdraws and receives a refund for tuition, mandatory fees, room or board may have their scholarship adjusted during the semester of the withdrawal.
Study Abroad: If a student plans to participate in a university-sponsored Study Abroad Program, Co-op or any other non-standard academic program, they must obtain prior approval from their program advisor and submit that approval to OSFA. With prior approval, the student may receive the President’s Scholarship during the university-sponsored Study Abroad Program. For approved Co-op programs, the student may defer receipt of the President’s Scholarship.
Tax Information: Scholarship and grant awards that a student receives for tuition and university-wide mandatory fees are tax-free. Scholarship money that a student receives for books, supplies, equipment and other fees may be tax-free if they are required of all students in the course. Scholarship money received for room and board is considered taxable income. This is a general statement of the tax rules. The student's own tax liability may vary depending on their personal situation.

Dean’s Scholarship

The Dean’s Scholarship offers an annual merit scholarship of $1,500 for freshman year or $4,500 per year for both freshman and sophomore years. This award provides talented prospective freshmen with scholarship support for two to four consecutive undergraduate semesters. Awards range from $1,500 for freshman year or $4,500 per year for freshmen and sophomore years. The Dean’s Scholarship is not renewable, and only in-state applicants are eligible. Recipients are identified through evaluation of admission application materials including academic achievement, extracurricular activities, awards, honors and an essay. Each fall, roughly 400 new recipients of the Dean’s Scholarship are welcomed to the incoming class.

Transfer Merit Scholarships

Transfer merit scholarships are offered to UMD’s most academically talented incoming students. Transfer applicants that apply by the March 1 fall early action deadline are automatically reviewed for some of these merit scholarships, while others require a separate application. To be considered for merit scholarships, transfer students must submit a completed undergraduate admission application for the fall semester by the March 1 early action deadline. Students are only eligible to receive one merit scholarship. All merit scholarship decisions are based on academic and applicant information at the time of applying, not current or ongoing work.

Frederick Douglass Scholarship

The Frederick Douglass Scholarship is a prestigious University of Maryland award for academically talented transfer students from a Maryland community college. The award covers in-state tuition for four consecutive undergraduate semesters. Only in-state students transferring to the University of Maryland from a two-year or four-year institution are eligible. To be eligible, students must have completed a minimum of 56 credits (or have an associate degree) and have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher. Students who have previously attended UMD are ineligible for this scholarship. Students must apply for admission by the March 1 early action deadline and must submit the FAFSA by the priority deadline of March 1. No separate application is needed for consideration as recipients are identified on the basis of academic talent and demonstrated financial need. To maintain the scholarship, students must be enrolled full time beginning in the fall academic semester and maintain a cumulative grade point average of a 3.20.

President’s Transfer Scholarship

The President's Transfer Scholarship is a two-year, $5,000 per year scholarship for transfer students. The President’s Transfer Scholarship provides funding for a maximum of two years to out-of-state transfer students enrolled at the University of Maryland. The annual award is in the amount of $5,000 and is determined through a competitive process based on academic talent. The scholarship will be awarded to the most competitive transfer students with excellent academic records and college grade point averages. No separate application is required for consideration. Recipients are identified through the evaluation of admission application materials. Students awarded the scholarship will receive notification a few weeks after receiving their admission decision letter. Only out-of-state applicants are eligible to receive the President’s Transfer Scholarship.

Maryland Transfer Scholarship

The Maryland Transfer Scholarship provides partial-tuition awards ranging from $5,000 distributed equally over two semesters to $10,000 distributed equally over four consecutive semesters. To be eligible, students must be Maryland residents transferring to the University of Maryland from a two-year or four-year institution, have applied for admission by the early action deadline, and submitted the FAFSA by the priority deadline of January 1. No separate application is required for consideration. Recipients are identified through the evaluation of admission application materials. Students awarded the scholarship will receive notification a few weeks after receiving their admission decision letter.

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Talent-Based Scholarships

These are competitive scholarships that are awarded annually. Primary consideration will be given to incoming freshmen and transfer students from community colleges with outstanding art, dance, music or theater talent. The scholarships cover in-state tuition and mandatory fees. They are renewable for up to three years based upon an acceptable level of performance as defined by the respective departments.

Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) Awards

The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) awards need-based and merit-based scholarships to Maryland residents. Many different programs are available, including the Guaranteed Access (GA) Grant, Educational Assistance (EA) Grant, and Legislative Scholarships (Delegate and Senatorial). Filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually by the March 1 deadline is sufficient to apply for most Maryland State Scholarships at UMD. However, some may require additional application forms. The application deadline for most programs is March 1. Several states have reciprocal agreements with Maryland. Students who are residents of these states may receive funds for study in eligible post-secondary institutions in Maryland.

Private Scholarships and Departmental Scholarships

A wide range of scholarships and state and university programs are available from private sources. However, they are not publicized. UMD strongly encourages students to conduct their own scholarship search. Many of the academic departments at UMD offer merit-based scholarships. Some departmental scholarships can be applied to using Scholarship Universe.

A scholarship is money awarded to a student to help pay for their education. The two most common types of scholarships are based on academic achievement and/or financial need. Private scholarships come from private sources including local organizations, community foundations, employers and professional associations. These private scholarships have their own application process. Students can bring their private scholarship check to the Lee Building, room 1115, so it can be credited to their student account. There are many ways to search for available scholarships.

Scholarship Universe

Students admitted to UMD have the ability to find and apply for external scholarships through our scholarship matching tool, Scholarship Universe.

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Important Considerations for Merit Scholarships

Early Action Deadline: To be considered for merit scholarships, students must submit a completed undergraduate admission application by the early action deadline for the fall semester. The fall semester early action deadline is November 1 for freshman students and is March 1 for transfer students.
FAFSA Requirement: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required for recipients of the Maryland Transfer Scholarship to retain their award as this scholarship is based on both academic talent and demonstrated financial need. UMD encourages all students to submit the FAFSA every year.
GPA and Credit Requirements: If a student fails to meet the 3.2 cumulative GPA requirement (for the first time), they will be given a one-time probationary semester. If a student fails to meet the 30 completed credit requirement, then their merit scholarship will be canceled for the following academic year.
Undergraduate Admissions Scholarships: Undergraduate admissions scholarships only pay during the fall and spring semesters.
Appeals: Students cannot appeal their merit scholarship decisions, and the university does not match scholarship offers from other institutions.

University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Scholarships

Ninety percent [90%] of UMES students qualify for financial aid to help pay for their undergraduate degrees, and they award $10 million in scholarships annually-making UMES a great financial decision for earning your degree. Beyond tuition, there are other fees and costs that can affect how much you’ll need to attend UMES. UMES strives to offer affordable tuition rates-they aim to make higher education more accessible for all their students.

UMES Foundation Scholarships

The Mack Alston Jr. Memorial Scholarship {Deadline February 9, 2026}

External Scholarships (non-UMES)

Maryland State Department of Education Child Care Scholarship Program
Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
Inclusive Engineering Consortium 2to4 Scholarship {Ongoing}
Law Office of Jerry D.

UMES partners with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) to provide scholarships for college students of color-including Black women in STEM. Together, they’re fostering diversity in both higher education and the professional world beyond the classroom. To begin, check out the UNCF College Readiness Toolkit [CB1] to find a help guide on preparing for college.

UMES also provides many scholarship and financial aid options along with the Maryland Higher Education Commission, which is the state’s higher education regulatory and coordinating board and issues more than $100 million each year in scholarships for college.

Other Scholarship Programs

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

The Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy & Jean B. Cryor Memorial Scholarship Program is funded by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) and administered by UMBC’s Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. If you meet one or more of these criteria, you are encouraged to apply for the scholarship program. The Conroy Scholarship is closed for the 2025-2026 academic year. The application is now Closed. Please note that the documentation required for your application will differ based upon your specific eligibility. Awards may be held for five years of full-time study (12+ credits per semester for undergraduate students; 9+ credits per semester for graduate students) or eight years of part-time study (6-11 credits per semester for undergraduate students; 6-8 credits per semester for graduate students) or a combination of both. If your initial application was approved at UMBC in a prior year, your award can be renewed subject to the maximum term limit. Renewal awards will be identified automatically. Eligible students will see the scholarship reflected in their award offer on their Student Account after their initial financial aid offer has been made. Ineligible students may appeal to the Office of Student Financial Aid.

School of Nursing Scholarships

Through the generosity of private donors, the University of Maryland School of Nursing offers a wide range of scholarships to help students achieve their academic and professional goals. Fall Semester: Applications open Aug. 15 and close Aug. Spring Semester: Applications open Jan. 15 and close Jan. Donor requirements are strictly followed.

Examples of scholarships include:

Alice C.H. Minimum 3.0 GPA. Doctoral students with a focus on community public health and/or leadership and administration. Students with financial need.
Dean Janet D.
Dr. and Mrs. F.X. Enrollment in the Master’s Entry program. Graduate students with interest in teaching or nursing administration. BSN students. 1st Preference given to Dorchester County, MD residents.
Adult Nurse Practitioner students.
Fourth-year BSN students interested in gerontology or Gerontological NP students enrolled in the DNP Program.
Jihan D. Gerontology specialty. Doctoral students focused on gerontological research.
Nurse Anesthesia students in final 12 months of study with academic achievement, financial need, leadership, and community service. Student must express an interest in practicing in historically under-served communities or at institutions serving such communities.
Undergraduate students with academic achievement and financial need. Students interested in global health or elder care.
BSN or MSN-E students awarded based on merit or financial need.

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