Learn about scholarship and financial aid opportunities at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Preparing to attend college can be one of the most exciting moments in our lives. Unfortunately, worrying about paying for your education can also be one of the most overwhelming. That’s why the University of Maryland Eastern Shore strives to offer affordable tuition rates—we aim to make higher education more accessible for all our students. In addition, we also offer many scholarships for college students at UMES that can help you pay for your education and minimize the financial burden when graduating.
Ninety percent [90%] of our students qualify for financial aid to help pay for their undergraduate degrees, and we award $10 million in scholarships annually—making UMES a great financial decision for earning your degree. Below, we cover important information about paying for college, as well as the many scholarship and financial aid opportunities available to UMES students.
Cost
Before you begin researching scholarships for college, it’s a good idea to get a sense of tuition rates and fees to help you plan and think about how much scholarships can help you.
Beyond tuition, there are other fees and costs that can affect how much you’ll need to attend UMES. Learn more about understanding your cost of attendance and how college scholarships can help you pay for housing, food, course materials, and other expenses. Students wondering how to earn a scholarship should check out our net price calculator to see what scholarship and financial aid options they qualify for and how much they can help with the cost of a UMES education.
Campus, Regional & National Scholarship Opportunities
Thurgood Marshall College Fund [TMCF] Scholarship and Financial Aid Opportunities
We are proud to offer many unique scholarship and financial aid options through the prestigious Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), which supports students at HBCUs across the country. TMCF and UMES are opening the door to college for more students from varied socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds through need- and merit-based college scholarships. Learn more about individual scholarships below:
United Negro College Fund [UNCF] Scholarship and Financial Aid Opportunities
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore partners with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) to provide scholarships for college students of color—including Black women in STEM. Together, we’re fostering diversity in both higher education and the professional world beyond the classroom. To begin, check out the UNCF College Readiness Toolkit [CB1] to find a help guide on preparing for college. Read on to learn more about how to earn a scholarship through the UNCF:
UNCF College Readiness Toolkit: A College Readiness Guide [Resource]
Wor-Wic Community College Alumni and UMES Presidential Scholarships:
Scholarship and Financial Aid Opportunities for Graduate and/or Professional Students
Scholarship and Financial Aid Opportunities for International Students
Part of what makes the University of Maryland Eastern Shore such a uniquely diverse university is our large number of international students, who represent more than 33 countries. If you are an international student wondering how to earn a scholarship to attend UMES, below is a list of the associations and foundations that sponsor scholarships for college students from across the globe, as well as a search engine to search for international college scholarships:
Maryland Higher Education Commission
UMES also provides many scholarship and financial aid options along with the Maryland Higher Education Commission, which is the state’s higher education regulatory and coordinating board and issues more than $100 million each year in scholarships for college. Learn more HERE.
Eligibility
The Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy & Jean B. Cryor Memorial Scholarship Program is funded by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) and administered by UMBC’s Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. The award is for Maryland resident undergraduate and graduate students who meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Children, stepchildren and surviving spouses (who have not remarried) of members of the United States Armed Forces who died as a result of military service or who suffered a service-connected 100% permanent disability as a result of military service;
- A veteran who suffers a service-connected disability of 25% or greater as a result of military service, and has exhausted or is no longer eligible for federal veterans’ educational benefits;
- A POW/MIA of the Vietnam Conflict, who was a resident of the State of Maryland during their designation as a POW/MIA, and their children or stepchildren;
- Children, stepchildren and surviving spouses (who have not remarried) of victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks who died as a result of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the attack on the Pentagon in Virginia or the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania;
- Children, stepchildren and surviving spouses (who have not remarried) of state or local public safety employees or volunteers who either died in the line of duty or sustained an injury in the line of duty that rendered the public safety employee or volunteer 100% disabled;
- Children, stepchildren and surviving spouses (who have not remarried) of a school employee who, as a result of an act of violence, either died in the line of duty or sustained an injury in the line of duty that rendered the school employee 100% disabled.
- Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
Application Process
If you meet one or more of these criteria, you are encouraged to apply for the scholarship program. Please be advised that this program has a hard deadline of July 15. Incomplete applications and applications submitted after July 15, 2025 cannot be considered for the 2025-2026 award cycle.
The Conroy Scholarship is open for the 2025-2026 academic year. The application is now available. Submit the completed application and all supporting documents to FinancialAid@umes.Edu.
Please note that the documentation required for your application will differ based upon your specific eligibility. Documentation of disability may be submitted by way of a summary of Veterans benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. It is highly recommended that you review documentation requirements as established by the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) prior to submitting your application.
Please note that applications will be reviewed beginning in May and you will be notified of your eligibility via UMES email within two to four weeks of review.
Renewal Awards
Awards may be held for five years of full-time study (12+ credits per semester for undergraduate students; 9+ credits per semester for graduate students) or eight years of part-time study (6-11 credits per semester for undergraduate students; 6-8 credits per semester for graduate students) or a combination of both. Audited and/or waitlisted courses may not be used to reach the minimum credit hours required for full-time or part-time enrollment status.
If your initial application was approved at UMBC in a prior year, your award can be renewed subject to the maximum term limit. Renewal awards will be identified automatically. Awardees will be requested to certify their anticipated enrollment by completing a Renewal Request Form.
If your initial application was approved at another institution, you will need to submit the application above to be considered for renewal.
Awarding
The amount of your award will be equivalent to the sum of annual tuition and mandatory fees of a resident undergraduate student at UMES, not to exceed $13,272 for the 2024-2025 academic year.* These figures are currently estimates and will be updated once tuition and fees have been finalized with the state for the upcoming academic year.
Awards to the child, stepchild or surviving spouse of a victim of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks may not exceed the amount specified above when combined with any other scholarships received by a student based on the student’s status as a child, stepchild or spouse of a victim of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Eligible students will see the scholarship reflected in their award offer on their Student Account after their initial financial aid offer has been made. Ineligible students may appeal to the Office of Student Financial Aid. A typed letter and supporting eligibility documentation must be provided if requesting an appeal.
Please note that funds may not be available to award all eligible students. Under Maryland law, program regulations limit the number of Conroy & Cryor Scholarships an institution may award annually to veterans who suffer from a service-connected disability of 25% or greater.
Other Sources of Scholarship and Financial Aid Assistance
In addition to the many scholarships for college that we offer, you can also find financial assistance through other form of funding, including:
Contact Us about Scholarship and Financial Aid Questions
With so many scholarships for college, we know it can get overwhelming trying to find the right ones for you. That’s why our dedicated staff are here to help answer any of your questions about how to earn a scholarship. Here is some more information to help you on your journey to finding the right scholarships for college and making sure that you receive your money on time:
