Maryland groups two college grants under its Rawlings Educational Excellence Awards: the Educational Assistance Grant (EA), broader and need-based, and Guaranteed Access (GA), aimed at young students from very low-income households who meet added conditions. In both paths, aid depends on calculated need, a timely file and funding; a “qualified” portal status alone does not confirm that a student will receive a dollar amount.
EA may provide up to $3,000 a year and renew for up to four years. It is open to high-school seniors and current undergraduate students who meet residency, need, full-time enrollment and satisfactory-progress rules; students with a prior bachelor’s degree are excluded. First-time GA recipients must have household income at or below 130% of the federal poverty guideline, be under 26 when first awarded, start college within six years of graduation, enroll in 12 credits per term and not have received EA before. The published 2026–27 GA maximum is $18,000, subject to need and available funding.
The state application is not a separate form named “EA” or “GA”: MHEC automatically considers FAFSA or MHEC One-App when a Maryland college is listed. For 2026–27, the state filing date was March 1, 2026 and general documentation was due August 1; both have passed. Students unable to use FAFSA should check One-App eligibility and file only the path that fits. MHEC says to monitor MDCAPS and respond to document requests; next year’s income, age and application rules must be checked again.
A real question students report is seeing “qualified but not awarded” in MDCAPS despite believing they meet the rules. Forum posts are not official decisions and do not prove that all files are waitlisted; still, Maryland’s budget analysis points to funding constraints and fiscal years with no initial EA awards. Ask the college and MHEC in writing whether the portal means reviewed, waitlisted or finally awarded. Do not pay tuition on the assumption that a grant will necessarily appear later.
For 2027–28, MHEC announced a move from MDCAPS to MDSIS. Its registration page warns first-time applicants for the new cycle not to create a new MDCAPS account. Watch for the new system and annual calendar; do not carry the March 1, 2026 date forward without confirmation. Before accepting an offer, compare aid, total cost and remaining balance; students cannot receive EA and GA at the same time. If you need to appeal, check current grounds, documents and filing windows because an appeal is not a general extension.
Compare the options and confirm eligibility and deadlines directly with the program before applying.
Options to compare
These options relate to the question. Read each profile and check current details before deciding.
Howard P. Rawlings Educational Assistance Grant — MHEC
217 East Redwood Street, Suite 2100, Baltimore, MD 21202
The Howard P. Rawlings Educational Assistance Grant (EA) is a Maryland need-based grant for resident students enrolled full time in undergraduate study. It is calculated using cost of attendance, housing status, Student Aid Index, Pell Grant and certain state aid; filing a FAFSA does not create an a
Up to $3,000 per year for Maryland residents with demonstrated need, full-time college enrollment and a timely state-aid application
Howard P. Rawlings Guaranteed Access Grant — MHEC
217 East Redwood Street, Suite 2100, Baltimore, MD 21202
The Guaranteed Access (GA) Grant is the most targeted award in Maryland’s Rawlings Educational Excellence Awards. For 2026–27, MHEC published a maximum of $18,000 a year, but the amount is capped by the student’s calculated adjusted need, cost of attendance and available funding. It is not an automa
Up to $18,000 per year for Maryland residents whose household income is within the state limit, admitted to an eligible college and entering college on time
Sources & references
Sources for the information and reporting discussed in this guide.
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Official website of Howard P. Rawlings Educational Assistance Grant — MHEC ↗
Primary source
Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Howard P. Rawlings Educational Assistance Grant — MHEC ↗
Primary source
MHEC Student Information System / MDCAPS · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Howard P. Rawlings Educational Assistance Grant — MHEC ↗
Primary source
Maryland Department of Legislative Services · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Howard P. Rawlings Educational Assistance Grant — MHEC ↗
Primary source
MHEC · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Howard P. Rawlings Guaranteed Access Grant — MHEC ↗
Primary source
MHEC · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Howard P. Rawlings Guaranteed Access Grant — MHEC ↗
Primary source
MHEC · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Howard P. Rawlings Guaranteed Access Grant — MHEC ↗
Primary source
MHEC · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Estado “qualified but not awarded” de EA Grant ↗
Secondary source
Reddit, r/UMD · Accessed October 12, 2026
En agosto de 2026 estudiantes comentaron que MDCAPS los mostraba calificados sin concesión; anécdotas individuales. Contrastar con MHEC y la oficina universitaria.
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Dudas de solicitantes sobre el estado del Guaranteed Access Grant ↗
Secondary source
Reddit, r/FAFSA · Accessed October 12, 2026
En abril de 2026, estudiantes preguntaron por estados “qualified” sin concesión y diferencias en las fechas de notificación; relatos individuales, no decisión oficial.