UMBC offers competitive merit scholarships for incoming Maryland community college transfer students, including undocumented and DACA students. Transfer scholarships are awarded based on academic accomplishment, timely and complete admissions application submission. Students may collect either the AAAT or the PTK award, but not both. Degrees to Succeed award cannot be combined with the TSA award.
Information for Transfer Merit Scholarships
Transfer merit scholarships do not require a separate application! Prospective transfers will be automatically reviewed for a transfer merit scholarship provided timely application for admission.
Priority Deadlines
March 1 for Fall applicants
October 15 for Spring applicants
Admissions Application (Common App) and college transcripts must be received by the deadline above in order to be guaranteed consideration for merit-based scholarships.
Academic Achievement Award for Transfers
- Consideration is based upon a numerical standard and competition of the applicant pool.
- Based on entire post-secondary education.
- Completion of 30 or more credits at the time of admission application submission; priority consideration is given to students completing an associate’s degree prior to transfer.
Award amount: $2,500 ($1,250 per semester) for each of two academic years of study
Degrees to Succeed
- A member of the Degrees to Succeed program with CCBC and UMBC.
- Consideration begins at a minimum 3.25 composite (calculated from all colleges/universities) GPA at the time of Transfer Admission application and is based on the competitiveness of the applicant pool.
- Completion of an Associate’s degree at CCBC within four years of Degrees to Succeed acceptance (Official transcript must be submitted to UMBC Admissions showing an earned Associate’s degree prior to first semester at UMBC).
- Enrollment at UMBC within one year of completion of the Associate’s degree.
- Not matriculated at any other institution of higher education after Degrees to Succeed program acceptance.
Award amount: $1,000 ($500 per semester) for each of two academic years of study
Phi Theta Kappa Award*
- Consideration is based upon a numerical standard and competition of the applicant pool.
- Based on entire post-secondary education.
- Completion of at least 30 credits at the time of admissions application submission; priority consideration is given to students completing an associate’s degree prior to transfer.
- Proof of PTK membership must be included with Admission application submission.
Award amount: $2,500 ($1,250 per semester) for each of two academic years of study
*Phi Theta Kappa scholarships are institutionally funded and awarding is administered by the UMBC Merit Scholarship Unit based on the above criteria. Therefore, community college membership in PTK does not automatically guarantee receipt of this scholarship.
Transfer Student Alliance (TSA) Award
- A member of the TSA program with UMBC.
- Completion of an earned associate’s degree at a Maryland community college within four years of initial Pre-TSA Program acceptance (Official transcript must be submitted to UMBC Admissions showing an earned Associate’s degree prior to first semester at UMBC).
- Consideration begins at a minimum cumulative 3.5 composite (calculated from all colleges/universities) GPA at the time of Transfer Admission application.
- Enrollment at UMBC within one year of completion of the Associate’s degree.
- Not matriculated at any other institution of higher education after pre-TSA program acceptance.
Award amount: $1,500 ($750 per semester) for each of two academic years of study
For additional information, please visit the Transfer Student Alliance Program website.
Scholarship Maintenance Requirements
- May be used for full or part-time award (award amount is pro-rated for part-time enrollment 6- 11.5 credits).
- Must maintain a 3.00 cumulative GPA.
No combination of UMBC awards/scholarships can exceed the cost of attendance for an academic year. However, if a student qualifies for additional awards/scholarships, the Transfer Student Alliance (TSA) Award can be combined/stacked with the Academic Achievement Award for Transfers (AAAT) OR the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) scholarship.
Note to Undergraduates: While 12 registered credits meets the minimum course load for full-time status for scholarship maintenance purposes, we encourage you to consider the many benefits of enrolling in at least 15 credits per semester (or, on average, 30 credits per year), including graduating in four years. To learn more about strategies for on-time degree completion and four year graduation, visit Finish 15.
Visit Transfer Central to plan your transfer. You’ll be able to review how your credits will transfer, learn more about transfer services, and explore the benefits of UMBC’s Transfer Student Alliance.