David A. Scott Scholarship Program
Program Purpose
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) School of Agricultural & Natural Sciences (UMES SANS) is pleased to introduce the David A. Scott Scholarship Program (formerly UMES Land-Grant Scholarship Program). The program provides scholarships to support the recruitment, retention and educational success of undergraduate students, resulting in an increased number of graduates with baccalaureate degrees in the food and agricultural sciences and related fields. The scholarships are funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and are intended to encourage outstanding students to pursue and complete baccalaureate degrees in these fields.
Meet Our 2026 Scholars
By the Numbers
91%
Graduation rate within 4.5 years for the first-time, full-time program cohort students that remain at UMES
111
Students who have benefitted from the scholarship program with $5.4 million allocated to cover their academic expenses
85
Students funded through the program for the Fall 2024 semester
Examples of Fields of Study Supported by this Scholarship
| Agribusiness Management | Family and Consumer Sciences |
| Agriculture Education | Family and Consumer Sciences Education |
| Animal & Poultry Science | Fashion Merchandising |
| Child Development | General Agriculture |
| Dietetics/Nutrition | Plant & Soil Science |
| Environmental Science | Pre-Veterinary Medicine |
Awards
Scholarships are awarded annually and must be used at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Awards are renewable each year for the term of the scholarship and provides up to $15,000 per year in-state or $25,000 per year out-of-state, based on the student’s financial need. Scholarship renewal is contingent upon satisfactory academic performance (must maintain a GPA of 2.8 or above), academic progress toward the bachelor’s degree, and active participation in the scholarship program.
Eligibility Requirements
This scholarship application is for new, incoming freshmen and transfer college students.
High school applicants must:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Have applied for or have been accepted for admission to UMES (if not, go to UMES application portal)
- Will be enrolled at UMES no later than one year after the date of acceptance to UMES
- Must be accepted into an approved major within the School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, including the Department of Agriculture, Food, and Resource Sciences; the Department of Natural Sciences; or the Department of Human Ecology
- Have a high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) certificate with a high school grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.8 unweighted (on a 4.0 scale)
- Intend to pursue a career in the food and agricultural sciences
- Be enrolled full time in at least 15 course credits leading to an undergraduate degree in any of the four majors listed above each semester
College applicants (transfer students) must:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Have applied for or have been accepted for admission to UMES (if not, go to UMES application portal)
- Will be enrolled at UMES no later than one year after the date of acceptance to UMES
- Must be accepted into an approved major within the School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, including the Department of Agriculture, Food, and Resource Sciences; the Department of Natural Sciences; or Human Ecology
- Have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.8 (on a 4.0 scale)
- Intend to pursue a career in the food and agricultural sciences
- Be enrolled full time in at least 15 course credits leading to an undergraduate degree in any of the four majors listed above each semester
To Apply
The scholarship application for 2026 is now closed.
For questions, email: umeslandgrantscholarship@umes.edu.
If you require the application form in another format, please contact ADA@umes.edu or call 410-651-6135.
