2026-2027 Senatorial Scholarship

Thank you for your interest in Senator Zucker’s Senatorial Scholarship. This scholarship is primarily awarded based on financial need, commitment to public service and interest for higher education. The application is due June 1, 2026. Please review the following instruction carefully before completing your application. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office by emailing Craig.Zucker@senate.state.md.us.

Eligibility Requirements:
● Applicants must be a resident of Maryland’s 14th Legislative District. To find out if
you are from District 14, please go to http://mdelect.net. Scholarships will not be granted
to students outside of the 14th District.
● Applicants must be one of the following: High school senior/graduate,
Undergraduate/Graduate Student, Private career school student, and/or Undocumented
student eligible for in-state tuition.
● Applicants must demonstrate financial need.
● Applicants must take the SAT 1 or the ACT unless you graduated from high school five
or more years ago, have earned 24 college credit hours, or are attending a community
college or a private career school
● Applicants must enroll at a two-year or four-year Maryland college or university, as a
full-time (12+ credits undergraduate or 9+ credits graduate) or part-time (6-11 credits
undergraduate or 6-8 credits graduate), degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate
student, or attend certain private career schools. Audited courses may not be used to
reach the minimum credit hours required for full-time or part-time status. Exceptions for
out-of-state schools are listed below. Additionally, there are exceptions for credit hour
requirements for students with documented disabilities. Please see the appeals section
below for more information.
● If your enrollment status changes after being offered the scholarship, your award amount
may also change.

Appeals
● Legislative scholarship recipients who are currently enrolled in less than 6 credits (under
half-time enrollment) due to disability may submit an appeal for reconsideration of the
award. Click below for eligibility reasons and required documentation. Learn more here:
2026-27 Enrolled in Less Than 6 Credits – Disability Appeal Information.pdf
● Further information on appeals can be found on the MHEC Appeals webpage.

Out-of-State Exceptions

● Award recipients may use this scholarship at an out-of-state school if their major is not
available at any Maryland institution and if Senator Zucker agrees. In order to determine
whether a major is eligible for the out-of-state exception, students must complete
MHEC’s Unique Major Application. The 2026 Unique Major Application will be open
March 15- July 1st and can be found on the Maryland Higher Education Commission
website. We recommend submitting this as soon as possible. Contact OSFA for further
information on unique major status.
● The scholarship can be used at out-of-state institutions if the applicant is on active duty
with the U.S Military and domiciled in the state.
● The scholarship may also be used out-of-state if the student is disabled and studying at
an institution outside the state that makes special provisions for disabled students that
are not available to the applicant at an institution in Maryland.

Award Details:
● The maximum award timeframe for the Senatorial Scholarship is four years (8
semesters) for full-time enrollment or up to eight years (16 semesters) for part-time
students.
● Awards cannot be increased after the first year.
● If you received a scholarship for a previous program and are now enrolling in a new
degree program, you may apply again. For instance, if you received a scholarship for
undergraduate degree and are now entering a graduate degree, you must reapply for
the scholarship.

Application Requirements:
● Complete and File the FAFSA Application: Complete the FAFSA application by March
1st, 2026. FAFSA can be found by going to www.fafsa.gov. If you are eligible for
in-state tuition, but ineligible to receive federal financial aid, you must submit the
Maryland Higher Education Commission One-App (MHEC One-APP) instead. To
complete the MHEC One App online, click here to access the Maryland College Aid
Processing System (MDCAPS).
● Provide FAFSA Submission Summary showing Student Aid Index and, if
applicable, Pell Grant eligibility. Instructions for how to find the FAFSA Submission
Summary can be found here.
● Create MDCAPS Student profile- The Maryland Higher Education Commission
(MHEC) requires a student profile. See the login procedures found via the MHEC –
Maryland College Aid Processing System (MDCAPS) website.
● Submit your essay: In 250-500 words, describe how your commitment to public service
and community involvement has shaped your educational and career goals. Include
specific examples of your volunteer work or community engagement, explaining how
these experiences have influenced your vision for contributing to the community.
Additionally, discuss how this scholarship would help you achieve these aspirations.

● Submit Resume: The resume should detail your community service (please include
hours per week for each activity)
● Submit supporting documentation (if applicable) for proof of Military Service and/or
Unique Major Status.
● All application materials must be submitted through this by June 1, 2026.

Award Process:
● Applications will be carefully reviewed by Senator Zucker’s Senatorial Scholarship
Committee, comprised of distinguished community leaders with diverse expertise. Based on their assessment, the committee will provide award recommendations to Senator Zucker.
● Strong candidates for this scholarship typically demonstrate: Financial need (as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and Student Aid Index), demonstrated commitment to community service and volunteerism (demonstrated in the essay and resume), and career aspirations to contribute to public service and benefit the community (demonstrated in essay).

Application Deadline:
Please complete your application by June 1, 2026.
Questions:
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office by emailing
Craig.Zucker@Senate.maryland.gov.