Maryland college grants are led by the Delegate Howard P. Rawlings Educational Excellence Awards, run by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC), which include the Guaranteed Access (GA) Grant for the lowest-income students and the Educational Assistance (EA) Grant for other students with financial need. You apply for both by filing the FAFSA or the MHEC One-App by March 1. For 2025-26, the most recent year MHEC’s program page describes, the GA Grant paid up to $18,000 a year.
March 1 is the date that matters. Maryland’s need-based grants are tied to it every year, and a FAFSA filed in April may arrive too late.
Maryland college grants: the two main need-based awards
| Guaranteed Access (GA) Grant | Educational Assistance (EA) Grant | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Lowest-income students, measured against federal poverty guidelines | Maryland students with financial need |
| Maximum award | $18,000 (2025-26) | $3,000 (per the University of Maryland’s aid office) |
| Enrollment | Full time, 12 credits per semester | Full time |
| Application | FAFSA or MHEC One-App by March 1 | FAFSA or MHEC One-App by March 1 |
Sources: MHEC, Guaranteed Access Grant 2025-2026 and University of Maryland, Howard P. Rawlings Educational Excellence Awards.
The Guaranteed Access (GA) Grant
The GA Grant is designed to cover the full financial need of very low-income students in their first two years. MHEC says awards cover up to 100% of adjusted financial need for the first two academic years, up to the maximum, and that awards depend on fund availability.
GA Grant eligibility (2025-26 rules)
According to MHEC, you must:
- Be eligible for in-state tuition in Maryland.
- Be accepted for admission and plan to enroll full time (12 credits per semester) in a degree-seeking undergraduate program at an eligible Maryland institution.
- Have completed high school, or earned a GED with a passing score of 145 per module.
- Be born after July 1, 1999.
- Not have previously received an EA Grant or Campus-Based EA Grant.
- Meet the income limit below.
GA Grant income limits
MHEC’s 2025-26 limits were based on the 2023 federal poverty guidelines:
| Applicant | Income limit | Household of 1 to 8 | Each additional member |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial | At or below 130% of poverty guidelines | $18,954 to $65,728 | $6,682 |
| Renewal | At or below 150% of poverty guidelines, or still Pell eligible | $21,870 to $75,840 | $7,710 |
Source: MHEC, Guaranteed Access Grant 2025-2026. MHEC updates these limits each year, so the 2027-28 figures will differ; check MHEC before you rely on them.
GA Grant amounts and deadlines (2025-26)
- Maximum: “The maximum award amount for the Guaranteed Access Grant for 2025-2026 is $18,000.”
- Minimum: $400 per year.
- FAFSA or MHEC One-App: March 1, 2025.
- Documentation: July 15, 2025.
We could not find a 2026-27 or 2027-28 GA Grant page on MHEC’s site when we researched this guide, so we have not stated a newer maximum.
Housing and credits affect the amount
The University of Maryland’s aid office explains two rules that change what students actually receive (UMD). Students living on campus can receive the full amount, while students living off campus or with a parent receive a prorated amount. And to keep the full award, students must complete 30 credits with passing grades in the academic year; completing 24 to 29 credits leads to a prorated amount.
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The Educational Assistance (EA) Grant
The EA Grant is Maryland’s broader need-based grant. The University of Maryland lists its maximum as $3,000, with the same residency and full-time enrollment requirements as the GA Grant, and says students completing 24 to 29 credits may be eligible for a prorated amount. It uses the same March 1 FAFSA or One-App deadline.
How to apply for Maryland state grants
- File the FAFSA or MHEC One-App by March 1. Our guide on how to fill out the FAFSA walks through the federal form.
- Watch for an offer in the Maryland College Aid Processing System (MDCAPS). UMD tells students to accept the offer and report their housing status there.
- Report the same housing status to your college that you report to MHEC, since housing affects the award.
- Send any documents MHEC requests by its documentation deadline.
Maryland grant checklist
- FAFSA or One-App filed before March 1.
- Admission to an eligible Maryland college.
- Full-time schedule of at least 12 credits each semester.
- A plan to reach 30 passing credits each year.
- Housing status reported in MDCAPS and to your college.
- Documents submitted by MHEC’s deadline.
How Maryland grants fit with federal aid
Maryland’s grants are packaged with the Federal Pell Grant. For award years beginning on or after July 1, 2026, a student whose non-federal aid equals or exceeds the cost of attendance is not eligible for Pell, according to a June 4, 2026 Federal Student Aid electronic announcement. Because the GA Grant can cover a student’s full need, ask your aid office how it builds a package that includes both. Our guide to Pell Grant eligibility covers the federal side.
Questions families ask about Maryland grants
What is the MHEC One-App?
It is MHEC’s own application, which UMD lists alongside the FAFSA for the March 1 deadline. Students who cannot or do not file the FAFSA use it to apply for Maryland state aid. It does not qualify you for federal aid.
Why does living at home lower my award?
Housing is part of your cost of attendance. UMD explains that students living off campus or with a parent receive a prorated GA amount, because their counted costs are lower. Report your housing status accurately in MDCAPS and to your college, and make sure the two match.
Can I get the GA Grant if I enroll part time?
MHEC’s GA rules require full-time enrollment of 12 credits per semester. Part-time students should ask about other Maryland programs and college-funded aid.
I received an EA Grant last year. Can I switch to GA?
MHEC’s 2025-26 rules say applicants must not have previously received an Educational Assistance Grant or Campus-Based Educational Assistance Grant. Ask MHEC how this applies to your situation before you assume either way.
What if I fall short of 30 credits?
UMD says completing 24 to 29 passing credits in the academic year leads to a prorated award. Plan a 15-credit schedule or summer classes if you want to keep the full amount.
Where to go next
Compare Maryland with other states in our guide to state grants for college, look up college-level dates in our FAFSA deadlines guide, and use our free scholarship finder for awards that stack. For this year’s high school seniors, the date to circle is March 1, 2027.