Explore Ways to Make College More Affordable

Honors Fellowships are awarded to first-year students admitted to Washington College. Students may apply on their own for these scholarships, but may also be nominated by their admissions counselor. Priority consideration for these scholarships is given to students who apply to WC by December 1st.

Honors Fellowships are interest-based scholarships that offer a variety of opportunities throughout the recipient's time at Washington College, continue below to learn more about each individual Honors Fellowship

Explore Our Honors Fellowships

All first-year applicants are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships upon submitting their application.  If an applicant meets the criteria for admission, they are guaranteed at least $33,000 — and up to $38,000 — per year, renewable annually. These scholarships reward academic excellence, regardless of financial need, with the award amount based on the applicant's strengths.

All transfer students are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships upon submitting their application. Merit-based scholarships range between $33,000 and $38,000 per year, renewable annually.

Washington College is excited to accept Tuition Exchange applications each year from member institutions under the guidelines of the Tuition Exchange organization. Supporting the educational opportunities of the children of colleagues in higher education is important to us, and we are pleased to be a part of this service.

The Tuition Exchange scholarship covers the total cost of tuition to WC for up to 4 years of undergraduate education. This scholarship does not cover the costs of room and board, or other fees.

Learn More about WC Tuition Exchange

The Chairman's Scholarship, which is funded by GE Chairman and Washington College alum H. Lawrence Culp, Jr. and his wife Wendy Culp, selects up to five recipients to receive a $22,000 scholarship renewable for an additional three years – up to $88,000 total per recipient. Recipients must be children of current GE employees at the time of application.

Learn More about the Chariman's Scholarship

Named and endowed scholarships are provided through the generosity of donors, alumni, corporate foundations. Eligibility for endowed scholarships are based on specific qualifications as established by the scholarship donor(s), such as merit, residency, financial need, major, GPA, involvement in extra-curricular activities, etc. 

Students need not apply for named scholarships; they are awarded at the discretion of the Director of Student Financial Aid. 

Named scholarship recipients may be asked to write a personal note of thanks to the donor(s) who made your scholarship possible and/or attend a function with the scholarship donor(s).

The Washington College Civic Innovation Scholarship is an initiative designed to recognize and reward exceptional service members—from the State of Maryland's Department of Service and Civic Innovation (DSCI)—who demonstrate innovation, leadership, and a strong commitment to making an impact in their communities.

Award:

• $33,000 per year (renewable for four years), for a total value of $132,000
• One paid internship with a local or regional non-profit or a civic engagement project at the college (This internship would last at least one semester, but opportunities for extension/promotion would exist based on performance.)
• Special invitations to Civic Innovation dinners, events, workshops, and service opportunities each semester
• Awardees will also have access to additional scholarship opportunities

Eligibility:

• High school graduates with at least 2.75 GPA or a GED certificate
• Demonstrated leadership and success in one of DSCI's programs, including Maryland Corps and Service Year Option or an AmeriCorps Program with the service location in Maryland
• Recommendation from Service Site Supervisor/Mentor and/or DSCI/AmeriCorps Staff
• Be on track for successful completion of DSCI's service programs, including Maryland Corps and Service Year Option or an AmeriCorps Program with the service site located in Maryland or have previously completed any of these programs within the last five years

Final award is contingent upon providing documentation of completion for any of these programs and a completed application for admission by February 15, 2027.

Private Scholarships

Private scholarship funds from private donors, civic organizations, corporations, foundations or other group are considered outside awards.

These funds are posted upon receipt of the scholarship check. Checks received by our office are divided equally between fall and spring semesters unless otherwise indicated in your scholarship award letter.

A private scholarship may affect your need-based financial aid if the total financial aid, including the outside award, exceeds federally calculated need or if the sum of all scholarships received exceeds the cost of attendance. Whenever possible, the Office of Student Financial Aid will reduce loan and work-study awards first.

Students who receive a merit-based academic tuition scholarship are required to maintain a 2.5 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) and full-time, continuous enrollment at Washington College. International students who receive a merit scholarship are required to maintain a 2.0 CGPA.

Students who receive an endowed scholarship, unless otherwise stated in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), are required to maintain a 2.5 CGPA and full-time continuous enrollment at Washington College. Endowed scholarships may or may not be renewable.

Students who leave WC and do not attend another college and are meeting the minimum 2.5 WC CGPA when they leave will automatically be eligible for their merit aid upon return to WC. Financial aid will automatically review their file upon notification of their return to WC. Students who have received need-based aid in prior years will be reviewed upon receipt of the FAFSA for the academic year in which they return. Eligibility for need-based aid will be determined when the FAFSA is received.

Students who leave WC and attend another school will not be eligible for their merit and/or need-based aid. Students may appeal and should contact the Financial Aid office to begin that process.

Students who are not meeting the minimum criteria will not be eligible for the respective aid upon their return. Students will have the ability to appeal if there was an extenuating circumstance.

Scholarships eligibility is for a maximum of eight semesters. Renewal eligibility will be reviewed at the end of every spring term. Students will be notified in June of their merit award status.

Most grants and scholarships from the federal government are for eligible students who demonstrate financial need through their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Federal Pell Grant - The maximum annual Pell Grant for the award year may change from year to year according to Congressional appropriation. Pell Grant eligibility is based on the expected family contribution (EFC) as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) -  Directed toward students with exceptional financial need. Priority is given to students who also qualify for a Federal Pell Grant.

The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) offers and administers a variety of grants to and for Maryland residents. 

Need Based Grants for Maryland Residents

Howard P. Rawlings Program of Educational Excellence Awards:

Guaranteed Access Grant - a need-based grant that provides financial assistance to eligible applicants enrolled at Washington College. Award amounts are up to $18,000/year.

Educational Assistance Grant - a need-based grant that provides financial assistance to eligible applicants enrolled at Washington College. Award amounts are up to $3,000/year.

Campus-Based Educational Assistance Grant - a need-based financial aid program that assists students who were not considered for the Educational Assistance Grant.

Part-time Grant - part-time, degree seeking students are eligible as well as students dually enrolled in a Maryland high school and Washington College.  

2+2 Transfer Scholarship - transfer students who have received an Associates degree from a Maryland community college. Award amount is $1,000 per year and $2,000 for a student who enrolls in a science, teaching, engineering, computer science, mathematics or nursing program.

MSFAA - Maryland State Financial Aid Application

Application for Maryland State Grants - for applicants that are ineligible to receive federal aid using the FAFSA. 

Visit the MHEC website for more information.

Maryland Residency Requirements

Required Period of Residency
Applicants shall establish that they have been residents of the State of Maryland for the required time frame as specified below.  The required time frames are based upon the type of institution the student will be attending and are for the period immediately preceding the first day of class for the first session in which the student would receive a State scholarship award.

• Students enrolling in independent colleges and universities must have established Maryland residency for a period of 12 months proceeding the first day of class for the first session in which the student would receive a State scholarship award.
• Washington College Residency Verification Process: A student must be a Maryland resident to be eligible for all State financial assistance programs, with the exception of, Delegate and Non-Resident Nursing Scholarship recipients.  Students who do not meet the definition of Maryland residency will not be eligible to receive State funds. Maryland residency MUST be verified prior to disbursement of funds. Washington College will require a residency verification form and supporting documentation.
• General Criteria
  Recipients of Maryland State scholarships will be considered as Maryland residents if one of the following criteria is met.
• The student is dependent upon a parent(s) or spouse who has maintained a permanent residence in Maryland for the required period of residency described in this section.
• The student is independent and has maintained a permanent residence in Maryland for the required period of residency described in this section.
• The student is a full‑time active member of the Armed Forces of the United States who is stationed in the State of Maryland or whose home of residency is Maryland.
• The student is a dependent spouse or dependent child of a full‑time active member of the Armed Forces of the United States who is stationed in the State of Maryland or whose home of residency is Maryland.

Permanent Residence
Determining if permanent residency has been established in Maryland, the following criteria shall be taken into consideration.  The applicable criteria must be met for the required period of residency as described in this section. The criteria are as follows:

• Owns or rents and occupies living quarters in Maryland.
• Maintains within Maryland substantially all personal property.
• Pays Maryland income tax on all earned taxable income including all taxable income earned outside the State.
• Registers all owned motor vehicles in Maryland in accordance with Maryland law.
  Possesses a valid Maryland driver's license, if licensed, in accordance with Maryland law.
• Is registered to vote in Maryland, if registered to vote.
• Receives no public assistance from a state other than the State of Maryland or from a city, county or municipal agency other than one in Maryland.

Extenuating Circumstances
Students who move to Maryland as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) for one of the reasons listed below will be considered Maryland residents for the purposes of State financial aid programs.

Civilian Personnel
The time frame required to meet Maryland residency requirements shall be waived in the case of civilian employees of the U.S. Armed Forces whose positions are transferred from other States to Maryland as the result of the decision of the BRAC for the term of their continuous employment by the U.S. Armed Forces.  This waiver shall also apply to the spouses and dependent children of the affected employees.  Such employees shall be required to submit adequate supporting documentation of a BRAC-related transfer from the Department of Defense or the employee's military unit, such as a copy of the DD Form 1614 and proof of Maryland residence, verifying their eligibility for this waiver.

Defense Contractors
The time frame required to meet Maryland residency requirements shall be waived in the case of employees of defense contractors whose positions are transferred from other states to Maryland as the result of the decision of the BRAC for the term of their continuous employment by their employer.  This waiver shall also apply to the spouses and dependent children of the affected employees. Such employees shall be required to submit adequate supporting documentation of a BRAC-related transfer from their defense contractor employers establishing that the transfer was BRAC-related and proof of Maryland residence, verifying their eligibility of this waiver.

Appeals
A student may appeal a denial of Maryland residency by emailing [email protected].

• Change of Status: Maryland residency status is lost at any time that an independent student, or the parent or spouse through whom a dependent student has attained Maryland residency status, establishes a domicile outside the State.
• The student shall be considered an out of State student in the first academic term, trimester, or semester after the out of state move occurs.
• Certification of Residency by Institution: A student's residency status shall be certified each term by the Maryland institution at which the student is enrolled.
• If the institution determines that the student is not a Maryland resident, then the student's State scholarship award shall be canceled.

Need Based Grants

Awarded to students who have financial need according to the FAFSA. These grants are renewable as long as the recipient continues to demonstrate need and maintains Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Award amounts are calculated using direct costs. If you move off campus at any point, your award may be adjusted due to a reduction in these costs. Direct costs include costs billed by the college such as tuition and fees, room and meals. 

WC Need-Based Grants do not need to be repaid.  However, the College hopes that recipients will recognize they have incurred an obligation and therefore subsequently contribute as they can to help ensure that the benefits they enjoyed are available to others.

Students who wish to be considered for Washington College Need-Based  Grants must complete the FAFSA by the annual published deadline date.

Delegate and Senatorial Scholarships - offered to Maryland residents and are awarded by Maryland Senators and Delegates

Teaching Fellows for Maryland Scholarship - students who pledge to work as public school or public pre-kindergarten teachers at schools that have at least 50% of the students in the school eligible for free or reduced price meals (FRPM) in Maryland are eligible.

Federal Direct Student Loans are available to eligible students who file a valid FAFSA. 

Federal rules limit student loans so that borrowing does not become overly burdensome. For more information on terms and interest rates, please visit the Federal Student Aid website.

William D. Ford Direct Subsidized Loan Program

Dependent students who demonstrate financial need and who are enrolled at least half-time (six credits or more), may qualify for a Subsidized Student Loan of up to $3,500 for the freshman year, $4,500 for the sophomore year, and $5,500 for junior and senior years.

Independent students may borrow up to an additional $4,000 per year for the first and second years of undergraduate study and up to an additional $5,000 per year for subsequent undergraduate study through the Unsubsidized Direct Loan Program.

William D. Ford Direct Unsubsidized Loan Program

Direct Unsubsidized Loans are non-need based. Interest begins to accrue at the time the loan is disbursed. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used to determine student eligibility. Students may borrow up to $2,000 per academic year.

Students whose parents are denied for the Parent PLUS loan are eligible for an additional $4,000 in Direct Unsubsidized Loan for the first and second years and $5,000 for the third and fourth years.

Currently, The Federal Direct PLUS Loan Program allows parents of undergraduate students to borrow up to the full cost of attendance minus other financial aid. Beginning with fall 2026, students will only be able to receive up to $20,000 per year in Parent PLUS loans. 

New students starting in fall 2026 will have a maximum aggregate of $65,000 as an undergraduate while those enrolled prior to 2026 will be able to continue to borrow under current regulations, without a maximum loan limit.

Parents are required to file a FAFSA to be eligible for a Parent PLUS loan. All PLUS loan decisions are credit-based, and parents must re-apply for a PLUS loan each academic year. 

If the parent applies for a PLUS loan and it is denied by the Department of Education, the student is then eligible for an additional Unsubsidized Direct Loan. 

There are two ways to apply for the Parent PLUS loan:

Apply on-line at the Federal Student Aid website.

---

Interest Rates for Direct Loans First Disbursed on or After July 1, 2025, and Before July 1, 2026

Loan Type
Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans
Borrower Type
Undergraduate
Fixed Interest Rate
6.52%

Loan Type
Direct PLUS Loans
Borrower Type
Parents and Graduate or Professional Students
Fixed Interest Rate
9.07%

Most federal student loans have loan fees that are a percentage of the total loan amount. The loan fee is deducted proportionately from each loan disbursement you receive while enrolled in school. This means the money you receive will be less than the amount you actually borrow. You're responsible for repaying the entire amount you borrowed and not just the amount you received.

---

Loan fees for Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and Direct PLUS Loans first disbursed on or after Oct. 1, 2019.

Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans
First Disbursement Date
On or after 10/1/20 and before 10/1/25
Loan Fee
1.057%
First Disbursement Date
On or after 10/1/19 and before 10/1/20
Loan Fee
1.059%

Direct PLUS Loans
First Disbursement Date
On or after 10/1/20 and before 10/1/25
Loan Fee
4.228%
First Disbursement Date
On or after 10/1/19 and before 10/1/20
Loan Fee
4.236%

New borrowers must complete a Federal Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN). The MPN is a legal contract between you and your loan servicer that sets the terms and conditions and other details of your federal loan. A Master Promissory Note is signed only once for all subsequent direct loans.

New borrowers at Washington College will need to complete Entrance Counseling. The purpose of entrance counseling is to ensure that you understand your rights and responsibilities as a new loan borrower and that you understand the regulations governing each loan program. Until you have completed this requirement, the funds will not disburse to your account. 

As a borrower of a federal loan(s), you are required to complete Exit Counseling once you graduate, drop below part-time, or stop enrollment. Exit counseling covers all subjects that were covered in entrance counseling, with an emphasis on repayment strategies. 

Alternative Loans (Private Education Loans) are offered through private lenders and are meant to provide additional educational funding. In most cases, it is advantageous for students to pursue Federal Direct Loans, and for parents to pursue a Federal Direct PLUS Loan, before seeking private educational loans.

A major advantage of the federal loan programs is that the federal government caps the interest rates on the loans. Additionally, private student loans typically do not offer the same benefits as federal loans, such as consolidation, service cancellations and military repayment.

Private loan borrowers will be required to complete Private Loan counseling about borrowing essentials. Loan funds will not be disbursed until counseling has been completed.

Complete Private Loan Counseling on the Borrowing Essentials link.

Washington College does not partner with any lender. Any private loans displayed within our FastChoice Private Loan Counseling are random selections, based on a historical listing of lenders students at Washington College have used in the past five years. Students and families are encouraged to compare the terms and conditions of the various private loans before applying.

The Office of Student Financial Aid staff would be happy to answer questions you may have related to alternative/private loans.