Maryland Student Loans And Financial Aid Programs

There are several Maryland student loan and financial aid programs that can help you pay for college. If you're going to be attending college in Maryland, you need to be looking to take advantage of these programs.

These programs are designed to help make college more affordable - so that you can get the education you need. These programs can include scholarships, grants, and student loans.

Don't forget that there are Federal student loan programs available as well. You can find out more on how to get a Federal student loan here.

There is also a specific order of operations to pay for college that we recommend students follow. These programs specific to the State of Maryland can help you to avoid borrowing more money than you need to. 

Maryland Student Loan Programs

Maryland doesn't have any unique student loan programs to help it's students pay for college. However, there are still Federal student loans available to students who attend college in Maryland. 

If you're just looking for private student loan options, we recommend:

• Credible - Like the Kayak of student loans, they help you shop around and compare options. Try Credible here.
• College Ave - One of the best private student loan lenders. Get A Quote At College Ave Here.

If you're looking for more options, learn how to find the best student loan rates here.

Maryland Scholarship Programs

Maryland has several scholarships available to students who want to attend school in the state.

Delegate Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded by your state delegate. Some state delegates choose their recipients, while others leave that to the Maryland Higher Education Office to pick.

This scholarship offers at least $200 and up to $28,000, or the cost of your college tuition. 

Learn more about the Delegate Scholarship here.

Senatorial Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded by your state senators. Some state senators choose their recipients, while others leave that to the Maryland Higher Education Office to pick.

This scholarship offers up to $12,948, or the cost of your college tuition. 

Learn more about the Senatorial Scholarship here.

Charles W. Riley Firefighter and Ambulance and Rescue Squad Member Scholarship Program

The Charles W. Riley Firefighter and Ambulance and Rescue Squad Member Scholarship Program encourages members of the fire-fighting, ambulance, and rescue organizations serving Maryland communities to pursue credited courses that lead to a degree in fire service technology, emergency medical technology, fire service management, or public safety administration with a minor or concentration in fire service technology or fire service management.

The annual award shall be at least 50% of the student’s actual annual tuition and mandatory fees at an eligible institution, but may not exceed the annual tuition and mandatory fees of a resident undergraduate student at the four-year public institution of higher education within the University System of Maryland, other than the University of Maryland University College and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, with the highest annual expenses for a full-time resident undergraduate for courses credited toward a degree in fire service technology, emergency medical technology, fire service management, or public safety administration with a minor or concentration in fire service technology or fire service management.

Learn more about the Charles W. Riley Firefighter and Ambulance and Rescue Squad Member Scholarship Program.

Hal and Jo Cohen Graduate Nursing Faculty Scholarship

The goal of this scholarship is to increase the pool of nurses in the state of Maryland. This scholarship is for current full-time or part-time graduate students enrolled at an eligible accredited Maryland postsecondary institution in a Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN, MS) program, post-graduate certificate program in nursing education, Doctorate (PhD, DNP, EdD) program or another graduate-level nursing program required to prepare individuals to become nursing faculty.

Learn more about the Hal and Jo Cohen Graduate Nursing Faculty Scholarship.

Maryland Grant Programs

Maryland also has a grant program to provide need based financial aid to Maryland residents.

Grants are one of the best forms of financial aid because, in most circumstances, you don't have to pay the money back.

Howard P. Rawlings Guaranteed Access (GA) Grant

The Howard P. Rawlings Guaranteed Access (GA) Grant provides postsecondary financial assistance to eligible students currently enrolled as high school seniors who will complete a college preparatory program or a student who graduated prior to the current academic year who provides written documentation explaining why they were unable to attend college within one (1) year of graduating from high school.

This grant awards up to 100% of the student's financial need, up to $22,100 annually.

Learn more about the Guaranteed Access (GA) Grant here.

Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant Program

The Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant (WSSAG) program is for students who plan on working in specific career/occupational programs upon graduation.  Eligible fields include: child care, human services, teaching, nursing, physical and occupational therapy, social work, and public service.

The award is $2,000 per year if attending a Maryland community college full-time (12+ credits per semester) or $1,000 per year if part-time (6-11 credits per semester). The award is $4,000 per year if attending a Maryland four-year institution full-time (12+ credits per semester for undergraduate; 9+ credits per semester for graduate) or $2,000 per year if part-time (6-11 credits per semester for undergraduate; 6-8 credits per semester for graduate).

The total dollar amount of all State awards may not exceed a student's cost of attendance as determined by the school's financial aid office or $28,000, whichever is less. 

Learn more about the Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant Program.

Other Options

If you already have student loans and are looking for options as a Maryland resident, check out our Maryland Student Loan Forgiveness Program page. That page has all the different options available to Maryland residents to potentially get some of your student loan debt forgiven.

You might also look at refinancing your student loans and saving money in interest while also potentially lowering your payment. Check out our guide on the Best Places To Refinance Your Student Loans.

If you're looking for ways to save for college in Maryland, check out the Maryland 529 Plan and College Savings Guide.

Finally, check out the other student loan and financial aid programs by state.