Home > Financial Aid > College Scholarships > Scholarships by State > Maryland Scholarships > Maryland Tuition Waiver for Foster Care Recipients

Maryland Tuition Waiver for Foster Care Recipients

Who may apply: Certain students under the age of 25 who have resided in an out-of-home placement in Maryland and who are attending a Maryland public two-year or four-year institution.

How to apply: Complete and file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1 each year. Contact the financial aid office of the institution you will attend to have the waiver activated.

When to apply: Apply between January 1 and March 1, each year.

Eligible majors: All majors are eligible.

Eligibility Requirements: You must have resided in an out-of-home placement in Maryland at the time you graduated from high school or successfully completed a general equivalency development examination (GED); or you must have resided in an out-of-home placement on your 13th birthday and were then adopted after your 14th birthday. The Department of Human Resources must also confirm that you are eligible for the waiver. You must enroll as a degree-seeking student at a public two-year or four-year higher education institution in Maryland on or before age 25.

Award Amount: You are exempt from paying tuition and mandatory fees at a public college in Maryland. The tuition waiver applies to any balance on tuition and fees after any grants and scholarships you receive have been applied to your tuition and fees.

Renewing an Award: You must file the FAFSA by March 1 each year to receive the waiver for up to an additional four years or until your bachelor’s degree is awarded, whichever occurs first. You must maintain the satisfactory academic progress standards of the institution you will attend and remain enrolled in an eligible program.