Scholarship

Thank you for requesting information regarding Senator William C. Smith, Jr.’s scholarship program. Please see below for instructions and the application materials.

Please carefully review the eligibility requirements for applicants and all information needed for consideration before submitting your application.

Application directions:

• All scholarship applications must be completed and submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, 2025.
• Applicants must be a resident of District 20. This can be determined by visiting http://mdelect.net/ and inserting your address.
• Applicants must complete a FAFSA application by Saturday, March 1, 2025.
  • OR, if you are ineligible to receive federal aid but are eligible for in-state tuition, submit the Maryland State Financial Aid Application (MSFAA) online through the Maryland College Aid Processing System (MDCAPS) by March 1, 2025. 
  • The 2025 MSFAA is now available through your MDCAPS student account at: https://mdcaps.mhec.state.md.us/MDCAPS/login.aspx?c=-8586272515384792573&ReturnUrl=/MDCAPS/int/FinAid/index.aspx​
• We highly encourage applicants to attach their FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) for 2025-2026 (formerly known as the FAFSA Student Aid Report).
  • If you are not eligible for a FSS please note that in your application.
• Applicants must attend/plan to attend a higher education institution in the state of Maryland to receive scholarship money.*

*Exceptions are made for out-of-state higher education institutions that offer a major not available in Maryland.

Please save and submit the following information, in a single PDF or Microsoft Word document, with the title (LastName_FirstName_25) via email to Will.Smith@Senate.state.md.us with the subject line “2025 Scholarship Application”:

1. Full name
2. Address of residence
3. Phone number and email
4. MHEC ID Number
5. Name of the higher education institution(s) you plan to attend during the 2025-2026 academic year.
6. Complete this prompt in 250 words or less:
   • Describe your future educational goals and career aspirations, please share how this scholarship will assist you in achieving them.
7. Complete ONE of the following prompts in 500 words or less:
   • Describe a personal accomplishment that is unrelated to academics, but is of deep personal significance to you.
   • Write about a time that you failed at something. How did that failure affect you? What did you learn from it?
   • If you could meet with any person, living or dead, for an hour, who would it be, and what would you say to them?
   • Describe a challenge or injustice in your community that you are passionate about addressing. What steps would you take to create meaningful change?
8. We highly encourage applicants to attach their FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) for 2025-2026 (formerly known as the FAFSA Student Aid Report).
   • If you are not eligible for a FSS please note that in your application.

If you have any further questions please feel free to contact our Annapolis office: 

(410) 841-3634/(301) 858-3634

For any other questions please refer to the Maryland Higher Education website and email:

http://mhec.maryland.gov/ & osfamail.mhec@maryland.gov

Thank you for your submission and good luck!