Terp Family Student Scholarship Awards

Applications are no longer being accepted for the 2023-24 Terp Family Student Scholarship Awards. The deadline to submit applications was 5 p.m. on Friday, April 14, 2023.

The Terp Family Student Scholarship is a one-time award presented each year to undergraduate students in good standing who may be unable to continue their education at the University due to extenuating financial circumstances. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the committee will award a minimum of 20 scholarships of up to $2,000. Awards are made annually on or before July 15 for the following academic year.

Students who complete the online scholarship application, and who meet the criteria, will be considered for the following scholarships:

• Terp Family Student Scholarship
• Littenberg Family Scholarship (priority consideration for engineering or education majors)
• J. Logan Schutz Legacy Scholarship (rising junior or senior whose parent(s) attended UMD)
• Wes and Jo Ann Chin Endowed Scholarship

Eligibility for Award
To be eligible for the scholarship award, a student must meet the following criteria:

1. Be a registered, undergraduate degree-seeking student at the University of Maryland, College Park during the semester for which the award is made;
2. Have completed at least 36 credits (sophomore standing) and be enrolled at the University at the time of application submission, in addition to the time of financial award;
3. Be a student in good standing with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 and no disciplinary record;
4. Have personal or family circumstances that have caused or contributed to a financial burden that may be remedied in whole or in part by the scholarship award;
5. Have at least one semester of study left at the University before receiving a degree;
6. Be able to apply the full amount of the award to tuition, living expenses or textbooks in the semester/academic year for which the scholarship is awarded and as can be disbursed by the Office of Student Financial Aid.

Application
The Terp Family Student Scholarship Award is intended to provide assistance to students who may be compelled to leave the University and/or delay graduation due to extenuating financial conditions. Please use these prompts to assist you in relaying in what ways your finances affect your ability to remain at UMD and how you are addressing them.

1. Describe any personal and/or family circumstances that have caused or contributed to a financial burden that affects your ability to remain at UMD.
2. Share any relevant financial details and/or work experience for the committee to consider. In response to this prompt, please describe: 
   1. All scholarships, grants, or financial assistance you currently receive, if any. Be sure to note if you are eligible for or currently receive a Pell Grant as part of your financial aid package; 
   2. Approximate percentage and/or dollar amount of the total cost of your education (tuition, room, board, books, etc.) that you are expected to fund, not including any financial assistance from family. 
   3. Summer employment held; and 
   4. Employment held during the school year. 
      ​​The review committee appreciates any information about what actions you are taking to help meet your financial need. If you are not working, please explain the circumstances as to why you are not able to work during the summer and/or school year. There are valid reasons for not working and if you are/were not working, we would like to understand how you spend your time, and the impact it provides.
3. Explain how this scholarship will assist you in 1) persisting at the University, 2) pursuing your program of study, and 3) attaining your career goals. Be sure to include your program of study and career goal(s), as well as what the scholarship funds will be used for.
4. Share any additional information about your experience at the University of Maryland that will be helpful for the review committee to know.

Important notes:

• All applicants are encouraged to utilize the many writing resources available to assist them in writing a quality essay. There are free online and in-person options available.
• We highly recommend preparing your essay in a separate document. You can then cut and paste your essay into the online application.
• Be sure to address everything listed above in your essay. Failure to do so will mean a lower scoring essay.
• There is no word limit; however, a good essay is around 700-800 words. Be clear and concise.

Questions? Contact the Office of Family Engagement at terpfamily@umd.edu.