Scholarships are usually based on academic merit or achievements, and grants are usually based on financial need, but some awards use the terms interchangeably or combine both criteria.
Most scholarships require minimum criteria to apply, but only award scholarships to the most competitive applicants. Final scholarship selection criteria are usually not predefined, but vary with the strength of each year's applicant pool.
Deadlines, eligibility requirements and application processes vary widely between programs. Carefully review the deadlines and requirements for each scholarship. Some scholarships, including some state aid programs from the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) scholarships require applicants to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid FAFSA.
Explore all relevant scholarships to determine if you are an eligible and competitive applicant, and then apply for as many scholarships as you can. The scholarship search and application process takes time, but it can pay off. Students can receive multiple scholarships as long as the combined totals don't exceed these limits.
If you have general questions about how to apply for financial aid, please contact our Financial Aid Office (FAO) at 410-704-4236 or finaid AT_TOWSON.
If you have questions about specific scholarship programs, please contact the FAO Scholarship Unit at 410-704-2647 or scholarship AT_TOWSON.