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Scholarships
Top Maryland scholarships for you
Find Maryland scholarships that can help you pay for college.
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What are Maryland scholarships?
Maryland scholarships are financial aid for college created specifically for students living in Maryland or looking to go to school in Maryland. Maryland scholarships can help students attain higher education opportunities that otherwise may be out of reach due to financial reasons. All scholarships are free money for college that you don’t have to pay back.
Eligibility requirements for Maryland scholarships
Before you apply for Maryland scholarships, make sure you check the eligibility requirements. To qualify for Maryland scholarships, you’ll most likely need to prove you’re a resident or you’re attending school in that state. Some other common eligibility requirements may include your GPA, community service, citizenship, plan to attend an accredited program, leadership potential, and submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). Scholarship eligibility requirements vary, so don’t assume you won’t qualify. Check them out!
Are Maryland scholarships worth my time?
Some scholarships are quick and easy to apply for. Others require time and effort. Typically, fewer students apply to scholarships that require work which means you could have better odds of winning.
Pro tip: Don’t skip over Maryland scholarships with smaller award amounts ($). There’s typically less competition for them—and they add up!
How do I find Maryland scholarships?
There are many resources to help you find Maryland scholarships.
Scholarship resources
- The financial aid office at a college or career school
- Organizations (such as professional associations) related to your field of interest
- Federal agencies
- Free scholarship search tools like Scholly Scholarships
- Local libraries, businesses, or associations
Your high school guidance office is a great place to start when looking for local scholarships. You could also try doing a search for your city’s name and “community foundation,” or the county you live in and “foundation.”
Scholly Scholarships
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Hot tip! Smaller scholarships may have less competition, increasing your odds of winning.
Scholarships for Maryland
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The Scholarships360 $10,000 "No Essay" Scholarship
Due: 6/30/2025
No Essay
$10,000
Maryland Higher Education Commission Part-time Grant Program
Due: 6/1/2025
No Essay
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
$2,000
The Maryland Higher Education Commission Part-time Grant Program provides funds to degree-seeking undergraduates and students dually enrolled in a Maryland high school and an institution of higher education. Students may be a recipient of the grant for a total of eight years. All majors are eligible. The applicant and their parents (if a dependent student) must be Maryland residents. Applicants may either submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or 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). Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Maryland Higher Education Commission for more information.
Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship
Due: 5/31/2025
$3,500
MANTS, an association formed from the state nursery and landscape associations of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, has established this scholarship with the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) with the belief that the strength and future success of the horticulture industry lies in the solid education of today's students. Through this scholarship, MANTS will provide scholarship opportunities to qualified students to help ensure the continuity of the nursery and landscape profession. Attendance at an institution within the MANTS member states is not mandatory. Applicants must have at least a junior standing in a four-year curriculum or senior standing in a two-year curriculum as of the fall semester of scholarship application year. Applicants must be enrolled in good standing. Applicants must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.7, and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their major. Preference will be given to applicants who plan to work within the industry (including nursery operation; landscape architecture, design, construction, or maintenance; interiorscape; horticultural distribution; or retail garden center) following graduation. Previous Carville M. Akehurst Memorial Scholarship award winners are eligible for additional funding and may reapply for the scholarship. Applicants must submit two letters of recommendation. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Horticultural Research Institute for more information.
Central Scholarship Undergraduate Scholarships
Due: 5/1/2025
No Recommendations Required
$11,000
Central Scholarship offers over 70 scholarships, interest-free loans, emergency funding, and seminars on how to pay for college to help students focus on what's important: classes, not tuition! We empower Maryland students to pursue undergraduate, graduate, professional, or career training studies by removing financial barriers.
BGE Frank Heintz - Career Training Grant
Due: Varies
No Essay
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
Amount varies
The BGE Frank Heintz - Career Training Grant is designed to support BGE customers and their dependents in pursuing higher education, at the vocational certificate level. Applicants must have a high school diploma or a GED. Applicants must be planning to attend a non-degree certificate program at a community college or private career school. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis each month. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
ABC Construction - Career Training Grant
Due: Varies
No Essay
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
Amount varies
The ABC Construction - Career Training Grant supports career training students pursuing construction trade training through the ABC Construction Program. Applicants must have a high school diploma or a GED. Applicants must be planning to attend a non-degree certificate program at a community college or private career school. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis each month. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
Gamma Mu Sisters Legacy Scholarship
Due: Varies
No Essay
No min. GPA Required
No Transcripts Required
$1,625
The Gamma Mu Sisters Legacy Scholarship shall be awarded to a collegian member of Gamma Mu-University of Maryland who will pursue an undergraduate degree during the academic year for which the scholarship is awarded. Should no applicants meet the first criteria, the scholarship shall be awarded to a senior collegian or alumna member of Gamma Mu who will pursue a graduate degree during the academic year for which the scholarship is awarded. Should no applicants meet the first and second criteria, the scholarship shall be awarded to a collegian or alumna member with a permanent address in the state of Maryland who will pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree during the academic year for which the scholarship is awarded. Should no applicants meet the first to third criteria, the scholarship shall be awarded to any collegian or alumna member of the Fraternity who will pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree during the academic year for which the scholarship is awarded. In the event Gamma Mu is disestablished and ceases to exist, unless and until Gamma Mu is reestablished, the scholarship shall be awarded according to the first to fourth criteria. A recommendation from a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and a recommendation from an academic or professional reference are required. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Kappa Alpha Theta Foundation for more information.
The Crankstart Reentry Scholarship Program
Due: 7/1/2025
No Essay
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
Amount varies
The Crankstart Reentry Scholarship Program was established to support degree completion by Adults. Students must be returning to the University after a gap of 5 or more years, pursuing a Bachelor's degree, and between the ages of 25-50 years old. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
Andrew W. and Anna B. Merle Scholarship
Due: Varies
No Essay
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
Amount varies
The Andrew W. and Anna B. Merle Scholarship was established in July 1987 through the will of Andrew W. Merle. This scholarship is open to underGraduate Student who are residents of Maryland. Students may visit the scholarship's website or contact Student Financial Services for more information and inquiries about the application.
Maryland Law Enforcement Officers, Inc., Gwendolyn Ray Smith Memorial Scholarship
Due: 10/31/2025
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
Amount varies
The Maryland Law Enforcement Officers, Inc., Gwendolyn Ray Smith Memorial Scholarship is available to students planning a career in Law Enforcement. Applicants must be permanent residents of the State of Maryland.
What types of scholarships are available for students?
Need-based scholarships
These are scholarships for students who have demonstrated a financial need. There’s no universal number or set income level that tells you if you qualify. How each scholarship defines what financial need means varies. The federal government as well as specific organizations, corporations, and colleges/universities/schools offer need-based scholarships.
Merit scholarships
Merit scholarships are for students who have shown high academic, athletic, or extracurricular achievement over their high school careers. Not all schools/colleges offer merit-aid—highly selective schools typically don’t. The process for applying for merit scholarships varies. For merit scholarships offered through colleges and universities, you generally don’t have to do anything other than complete the application to the school itself. For some schools, you need to submit the FAFSA® to be eligible.
Career-specific grants or scholarships
These are awarded to students who know they want a career in a specific industry. Maybe they know they want to be a teacher, a nurse, or an engineer. To be eligible for grants, students must submit the FAFSA®. To find career-specific scholarships, try searching for your major and “association.”
Community or nonprofit scholarships
Nonprofit and community organizations often receive funding from donors to create scholarship programs for students who need them.
Tips for successful scholarship applications
- Pull together everything you need for the application including transcripts, so you can submit a complete scholarship application.
- You may need a recommendation letter or letters for a scholarship. Ask a teacher, employer, or someone else who knows you to write one for you—and be sure to give them enough time to do it.
- If you’re writing a scholarship essay, follow the prompt, answer the essay question completely, and write from your experience. A few well-written essays that you can reuse for different scholarship applications can really pay off.
- Highlight your strengths and achievements in your application.
- Talk about your financial need and what you would use the scholarship money for if you won. How would it help?
- Have to interview for a scholarship? Dress to impress in a professional outfit. And do your research! Look into how/why the scholarship was created. Try to bring up why it’s meaningful to you. Also, don’t forget to send a thank-you note afterwards.
- Keep track of all the deadlines for the scholarships you’re applying to. If you miss one, they may not extend the due date.
- Apply for scholarships year after year, all through college. As you continue your studies, gain more experience, and try new extracurricular activities in college, you might be eligible for more scholarships you weren’t originally qualified for.
Here are more tips that can help you understand all there is to know about scholarships and up your chances of winning.
Frequently asked questions
These tips can help as you get ready to apply for Maryland scholarships.
When are scholarship application deadlines?
There’s no standard deadline for scholarship applications. Each scholarship has its own deadline, so be sure to keep track of dates and make sure you don’t miss any deadlines of scholarships that you want to apply to.
Do you need to know which college you’re attending?
You don’t need to know which college you’re going to attend before applying for most scholarships. However, once you’re awarded scholarships, some of them may ask for eligibility verification—which can include proof of college enrollment.
Is there a limit on how many scholarships you can apply for?
Absolutely not, so apply for as many as you can to increase your chances of winning free money. Want to find more types of scholarships? There are so many, check them out!
Pro tip: Apply for scholarships each year you’re in college.
Does every scholarship application require an essay?
Not every scholarship will ask you to submit an essay—different scholarships have different requirements. If you’re applying for a scholarship with an essay and need help writing yours, get tips for writing scholarship essays.
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More resources to explore
Tips for writing scholarship essays
Get tips for writing scholarship essays. Learn what makes a good scholarship essay.
Find scholarship resources
Explore our scholarship resources, articles, and guide to get all the tips and tricks to help pay for college.
Fill out the FAFSA®
Learn when and how to apply for the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to maximize your chances of getting federal student financial aid. Get tips now.
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