Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Resources
  3. Paying for UMD

Paying for UMD

Financial resources are available to help students pay for the expenses related to pursuing a college degree, including tuition, housing, meals, books and other important expenses. Fostering Terp Success students have access to a liaison in the Office of Student Financial Aid to help identify funding options. 

Federal Financial Aid

One of the most important places to begin is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also referred to as  FAFSA. This application is the starting point for receiving financial aid, including the Maryland Tuition Waiver for Foster Students, Maryland Tuition Waiver for Homeless Youth, Maryland Education and Training Voucher (ETV), and other grants and scholarships. 
 
If you’re unsure about how to answer questions on the FAFSA or need help completing the application, reach out to your high school counselor or, if you’re a current UMD student, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid.

Office of Student Financial Aid

Campus advocate: 
Malina Heng | Associate Director of Financial Aid | 301.314.9859 | mheng@umd.edu
Dawit Lemma | Director of Enrollment Operations | dlemma@umd.edu 

Tuition Waivers

The state of Maryland provides a tuition waiver to cover the cost of tuition for state residents who are foster care or homeless youth to attend a Maryland public college or university.
 
Eligibility for the Maryland Tuition Waiver for Foster Students is limited to any incoming freshman, transfer and continuing undergraduate students, ages 18–25, who are currently in or recently emancipated from foster care, or are orphaned and certified as independent by the Office of Student Financial Aid.
 
Eligibility for the Maryland Tuition Waiver for Homeless Youth is limited to any student who has been declared as a homeless youth or is experiencing homelessness as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. The UMD Office of Student Financial Aid will help students determine eligibility for the waiver.
 
The Maryland Education and Training Voucher provides up to $5,000 per academic year for school-related expenses. Funding is on a first come, first served basis.

About

The University of Maryland, College Park is the state's flagship university and one of the nation's preeminent public research universities. A global leader in research, entrepreneurship and innovation, the university is home to more than 40,700 students, 14,000 faculty and staff, and nearly 400,000 alumni all dedicated to the pursuit of Fearless Ideas. Located just outside Washington, D.C., we discover and share new knowledge every day through our renowned research enterprise and programs in academics, the arts and athletics. And we are committed to social entrepreneurship as the nation’s first “Do Good” campus.

DO GOOD 

Introducing The Nation's First Do Good Campus Transforming Idealism into Impact 

Academics

Spanning 12 schools and colleges, Maryland offers more than 300 degree-granting programs, many of them ranked among the best in the country. Our faculty includes two Nobel laureates, three Pulitzer Prize winners, 58 members of the national academies and scores of Fulbright scholars. And our students, who include the highest achievers in the state and nation, enjoy experiences unique to our location just outside the nation’s capital, including internships, research, and leadership and service opportunities.

Schools and Colleges

Research and Innovation

The University of Maryland is one of the world’s premier research institutions. With our strategic location and scores of partnerships with government and businesses, UMD conducts groundbreaking research on some of the biggest challenges facing our global community, including cybersecurity and terrorism, bioengineering, public health equity, food safety and climate change. We strive to discover new knowledge and put it to work through innovation and entrepreneurship, advancing economic development and transforming lives. 

The newly launched Innovation Gateway will guide you to the resources, programs, partners, and spaces you need to activate and scale your fearless ideas into innovations that launch new ventures, catalyze growth, and advance economic development.

Arts

At the University of Maryland, the arts, the humanities and the sciences intersect to address important societal issues and shed new light on the human experience. Our vibrant campus arts community collaborates with local and national cultural organizations such as the Phillips Collection, Kennedy Center and Folger Shakespeare Library. Student and faculty artists, designers, historians, writers and performers are exploring new media, presenting new perspectives, investigating new techniques and engaging new audiences.

Events

Athletics

Home of the Terrapins, the University of Maryland has one of the nation’s most recognizable and successful athletics programs. More than 550 student-athletes compete each year in 20 intercollegiate sports—12 for women and eight for men. Since 2005 alone, Maryland has won 19 national championships, including NCAA titles in women’s basketball, men’s soccer, men's lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, and field hockey. Since joining the Big Ten Conference in 2014, UMD has won a combined 32 regular season and tournament championships. Fear the Turtle!

Student Life

The Terp experience extends beyond classrooms, labs and studios. It encompasses residence halls and dining halls, clubs and sports, fraternities and sororities, campus events and performances, and countless off-campus destinations. Maryland touts 800-plus student organizations, dozens of prestigious living and learning communities, and countless other ways to get involved. Students here can create a unique identity and grow as individuals, even as they’re part of a close-knit and diverse community. 

On Campus

Summer Session >

Summer Session

Keep Learning! Earn credits, satisfy a major requirement, and stay on track for graduation. Classes meet in person or online. Convenient 3 or 6-week sessions, May 28- August 16, 2024. Learn more at summer.umd.edu.

Read More

News

Latest news at Maryland Today

For media releases visit UMD Right Now

Events

Explore events on the Campus Calendar

Terps are bold, smart, curious and proud. We do good, in our communities and out in the world. We are fearless. And we are always looking to expand our ranks. Interested in becoming a University of Maryland student? This is where to start.

 

Undergraduate Admissions

Graduate Admissions

Give to Maryland

Giving back is a fearless Terp tradition, and there are many ways you can not only keep it alive, but also make an instant impact. 

M Circle on the University of Maryland campus

 

Give Now

Maryland Promise Students

Support the Clark Challenge for the Maryland Promise Scholarship and double your impact through the Clark Challenge.

 

Clark Challenge for the Maryland Promise