Special Tuition Rates and Waivers

If you fit into one of these special categories or are pursuing certain degrees, you may be eligible for reduced or waived tuition.

Active Duty Military and their dependents are immediately eligible for in-county/in-state tuition rates.

Veterans and their dependents are eligible for VA educational benefits. See VA Education Benefits for more information.

Maryland National Guard members who meet certain criteria may be eligible for a 50 percent tuition waiver.

You are eligible for a 50% tuition waiver if:

• You are a member of the Maryland National Guard for a minimum of 24 months
• You enroll in an eligible class (according to Md. (Educ.) Code Ann. Section 16-403)

National Guard Members may register during regular registration. See National Guard Half-Tuition Waiver for more information.

The Maryland Tuition Waiver for Foster Care Recipients is available to foster care youth who are enrolled as a candidate for an associate, bachelor’s degree or vocational certificate at a Maryland Public institution of higher education. The purpose of Tuition Waiver for Foster Care Recipients is to provide financial assistance to foster care youth.

For more information, review the Foster Care Tuition Waiver page new window on the Maryland Higher Education Commission site.

Who May Apply

Students under the age of 25 who have resided in an out-of-home placement in Maryland and who meet the eligibility requirements criteria listed below.

​Eligibility Requirements

Students under the age of 25 who are or were in an out-of-home placement in Maryland by the MD Department of Human Services and who are attending a Maryland public college or university are eligible to apply.

When applying, you must have been placed or were in an out-of-home placement by the Maryland Department of Human Services.

• Been placed in out-of-home placement by the Maryland Department of Human Services; and
• Resided in an out-of-home placement on the individual’s 18th birthday or at the time of graduation from high school or upon successful completion of the General Education Development (GED) examination; OR
• Resided in an out-of-home placement for at least one year on or after the individual’s 13th birthday and entered into guardianship, been adopted, or reunited with at least one of the individual’s parents
• Been the younger sibling of an individual who met the qualifications outlined in section (a) and (b) above, and was concurrently placed into the same guardianship by the same parent, or was adopted by the same adoptive family with the older sibling.
• All majors are eligible to apply, both credit bearing and non-credit bearing courses.

• For U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents, Political Asylees, and Refugees who are eligible to complete the FAFSA, please complete the intake form new window for the TRiO: Educational Opportunity Center. Their office will assist with completing the FAFSA, choosing a major, and applying for other scholarship opportunities
• For DACA, Undocumented, Political Asylum applicants who are not eligible to complete the FAFSA, please contact Raptor Central for assistance with completing the MSFAA. To apply for the DREAM Act to receive in-state tuition and to be eligible for state financial aid, you should contact the staff member for your campus.

Once you have completed the FAFSA or MSFAA and registered for classes, contact the Montgomery College Scholarship Office, for the Foster Care Tuition Waiver application at scholarships@montgomerycollege.edu. You must submit the FAFSA or MSFAA annually. You must submit the tuition waiver application each semester after you register for courses. You must notify the liaison if you change your schedule.

Please note that a list of students who are eligible is provided by the Maryland Department of Human Services and made available to Maryland Public colleges and universities. ​If your name is not on the list, the liaison will request confirmation of your eligibility from the Maryland Department of Human Services.

You will be notified via your MC email of your application approval or denial status. If your application is denied, you will be notified of the denial reason and the appeal process.

Award Amount

You are exempt from paying tuition and mandatory fees at a public college in Maryland. The tuition waiver only applies to tuition and fees. This also includes all fees for credit bearing and eligible noncredit courses required as a condition of enrollment​.

If a foster care recipient receives a scholarship or grant, the scholarship or grant may not be applied to the tuition for the foster care recipient.

You must file the FAFSA or MSFAA each year to receive the waiver for up to an additional nine years or until your bachelor’s degree is awarded, whichever occurs first. You must remain enrolled in an eligible academic program.

The Maryland Tuition Waiver for Homeless Youth is available to homeless youth who are enrolled as a candidate for an associate, bachelor’s degree or vocational certificate at a Maryland Public institution of higher education. The purpose of the Tuition Waiver for Homeless Youth is to provide financial assistance to homeless youth.

For more information, please review the Homeless Youth Tuition Waiver page new window on the Maryland Higher Education Commission site.

Students under the age of 25 who have resided in an out-of-home placement in Maryland and who meet the eligibility requirements criteria listed below.

Homeless Youth means a child or youth who:

• Has had a consistent presence in the State for at least 1 year before enrollment at Montgomery College; and
• Has been verified as a homeless child or youth as defined by the Federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, at any time during the 24 months immediately preceding the student’s enrollment at Montgomery College or while the student is enrolled at Montgomery College

• For U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents, Political Asylees, and Refugees who are eligible to complete the FAFSA, please complete the intake form new window for the TRiO: Educational Opportunity Center. Their office will assist with completing the FAFSA, choosing a major, and applying for other scholarship opportunities
• For DACA, Undocumented, Political Asylum applicants who are not eligible to complete the FAFSA, please contact Raptor Central for assistance with completing the MSFAA. To apply for the DREAM Act to receive in-state tuition and to be eligible for state financial aid, you should contact the staff member for your campus.

Once you have completed the FAFSA or MSFAA and registered for classes, contact the Montgomery College Scholarship Office, for the Homeless Youth Tuition Waiver application at scholarships@montgomerycollege.edu. You must submit the FAFSA or MSFAA annually. You must submit the tuition waiver application each semester after you register for courses. You must notify the liaison if you change your schedule.

Along with your application you will need to submit verification of the above eligibility criteria from one of the below:

• The Director or Designee of a governmental or nonprofit entity that receives public or private funding to provide services to persons experiencing homelessness;
• A local educational agency liaison for children and youth experiencing homelessness designated in accordance with the Federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act;
• A school counselor;
• A school social worker;
• The director or designee of a Federal or State outreach and student services program designed to identity and provide services to economically disadvantaged individuals;
• The director or designee or a Federal or State program for providing early awareness and readiness for undergraduate programs; Or
• The director or designee of the director of a financial aid department at the public institution of higher education in which the youth is enrolled or seeks to enroll.

You will be notified via your MC email of your application approval or denial status. If your application is denied, you will be notified of the denial reason and the appeal process. A written decision indicating the outcome of the appeal and reason for the outcome will be returned to the student within 30 days of submission of the appeal.

You are exempt from paying tuition and mandatory fees at Montgomery College. The tuition waiver only applies to tuition and fees. This also includes all fees for credit bearing and noncredit courses required as a condition of enrollment​. ​

If a homeless youth receives a scholarship or grant, the scholarship or grant may not be applied to the tuition for the homeless youth.

You must file the FAFSA or MSFAA each year to receive the waiver for up to an additional nine years or until your Bachelor’s degree is awarded, whichever occurs first. You must remain enrolled in an eligible academic program.

Students with disabilities may be eligible for a tuition waiver.

The Office of Records & Registration is available for in-person services Monday–Friday 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. You may submit your Certification for Tuition Waiver forms via email directly to Tosha Murph to apply for the waiver.

Please note: In lieu of obtaining the required signature and stamp from the Social Security Administration Office students may download a current benefits verification letter by logging in to your “my social security online portal” and attach to the Certification for Tuition Waiver form at the time of submission. The letter must state you are receiving benefits as a result of permanent disability.

Maryland law defines the tuition waiver for students with disabilities as those out of the workforce by reason of total and permanent disability and entering community colleges.

Eligibility:

1. Any resident of Maryland who is out of the workforce because of a permanent disability as defined by the Social Security Act, the Railroad Retirement Act, or in the case of former federal employees, the Office of Personnel Management, and enrolls in a community college class that has at least 10 regularly enrolled students, may be eligible for a tuition waiver.
2. The waiver is available for enrolling in up to 6 credits per semester without declaring a degree or certificate program. Any further credits, up to 12 credits per semester, will require you to enroll in a degree program, or a certificate program that leads to employment. Letter of Recognition and noncredit courses are not eligible for the waiver. *This waiver does not cover courses taken for audit.
3. You are required to apply for financial aid and submit your FAFSA by the priority deadline to receive this waiver (additional information is below.)
4. Individuals receiving SSI or SSDI benefits as a dependent or survivor of a disabled beneficiary do not qualify for this waiver.

The Student Will:

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and submit it to the Office of Financial Aid by March 1 for fall courses, November 1 for spring courses, or April 1 for summer courses.
2. Obtain a Certification for Tuition Waiver form (PDF, ) .
3. Take the form to the Social Security Administration office that serves your area, or, if appropriate, to the Railroad Retirement Board or the federal agency from which you retired due to disability to have your form signed and certified that you are receiving SSI or SSDI payments and are permanently disabled.
4. Return the completed Certification for Tuition Waiver form to the Office of Records and Registration by the end of the third week of the fall or spring semester, or by the end of the first week of the summer or winter term. Your form should include a major/curriculum title and curriculum code for a degree program or a certificate program if you plan to enroll in more than 6 credits per semester.
5. Register for credit classes.

Adjustments to your account will be made approximately halfway through the semester or term in which you are registered or after your financial aid is awarded if you are a late applicant.

Limitations:

• If you did not submit your FAFSA by the priority deadline for the first semester in the academic year that you wish to register, you will not qualify for the disability tuition waiver for that particular semester.
• Any student financial aid, other than a student loan, received by the student shall be applied first to pay the student’s tuition.
• Under this exemption, the waiver shall apply to the difference, if any, between the charge for tuition and the financial aid award, not including a student loan, that the student receives.
• The tuition waiver does not apply to fees.
• You may have up to 12 credit hours covered by the waiver each semester. (The waiver is available for enrolling up to 6 credits per semester without declaring a degree or certificate program. Any further credits, up to 12 credits per semester, will require you to enroll in a degree program, or a certificate program that leads to employment. Letter of Recognition is not eligible for the waiver.) *This waiver does not cover courses taken for audit.
• If you drop a class before the end of the third week of the semester, or before the end of the first week of either summer session, it will not be included in the Disability Tuition Waiver. You will owe the tuition and fees for that class.
• In accordance with the Maryland General Assembly guideline, Montgomery College will discontinue the tuition waiver if you enroll in a course with less than 10 regularly enrolled students.
• This process applies to Maryland residents. Students who reside out of state will not qualify for the disability tuition waiver.

Students aged 60 years and older may be eligible for a tuition waiver.

Seniors who wish to take advantage of the tuition waiver must register during the Senior Registration period (the final three days of registration). The tuition waiver does not apply during regular registration. The waiver is on a space-available basis. Those eligible for tuition waivers who wish to pay full tuition and fees may register at any time during regular registration.

To qualify for this program, you must:

• Be a Maryland resident
• Be 60 years of age or older at the time of registration
• Register online for classes during the final 3 days of registration and not before (View Important Dates and Deadlines)

• You will still be responsible for paying required fees.
• You need to check the Important Dates and Deadlines page for the date the waiver goes into effect. You will be responsible for full tuition and fees if you register prior to the listed date.
• Waivers are given on a space-available basis.

Businesses or other organizations in Maryland may be able to offer their employees or members College tuition and fees at the in-county residence rate, regardless of their home address.

To be eligible, the courses taken must benefit the employer, and the employer must pay for the courses directly or through an employee reimbursement program.

Detailed instructions are provided on the Business and Industry form (PDF, ) , which must be submitted each semester that students take courses. Your agreement must be received by the Office of Records and Registration before the end of the third week of classes in the fall and spring semesters, and the first week of summer and winter terms.

The Maryland Higher Education Commission designates some community college programs as statewide programs. Students may enroll in any of these programs at the same rates as in-county residents if a particular program is not offered by the local community college, or if the student cannot enroll due to an enrollment limit.

The following Montgomery College programs are approved as statewide:

• Lower Division Certificates
  • Business Analytics (267)
  • Cell and Gene Therapy (268)
  • Professional and Technical Writing (261)
  • Business Analytics AA (620)
  • Behavioral Health AA (616)
  • Graphic Design AFA (902)
  • Studio Art AFA (910)
  • Fire and Emergency Services AAS (346A)

  Contact the Office of Records and Registration for more information.

  Health Workforce Shortage Program

  Maryland residents who enroll in Health Workforce Shortage Programs, as identified by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, may pay the in-county tuition rate of each school on a space-available basis.

  Health Workforce Shortage Programs have been identified by the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Maryland residents may enroll in any of these programs and pay the in-county tuition rate of each school on a space-available basis. These programs are subject to change.

  The following Montgomery College programs have been identified as Health Workforce Shortage Programs:

  • Associate Degrees
    • Radiologic (X-ray) Technology (340)
    • Diagnostic Medical Sonography (335)
    • Nursing (400)
    • Health Information Management (349)
    • Physical Therapy Assistant (300)
    • Biotechnology (334)
    • Surgical Technology (352)

    Contact the Office of Records and Registration for more information.