University of Maryland

Banneker/Key Scholars

ListedCollege program

Award: Up to eight consecutive undergraduate semesters. Full award: tuition, standard mandatory fees, standard housing/food and book allowance, adjusted for living with parents versus on/off campus. Partial award: $8,000 annually in-state/$12,000 out-of-state plus books; published $1,250 book allowance is a 2026-2027 estimate.
Timeline: Nov 1, 2026For Fall 2027, Early Action admission and all required materials, following the published prior-calendar-year convention. Interviews late February/early March
Mar 1Invitation by and award notice by April 1 under the recurring schedule. No additional Banneker/Key application.
How to apply: Complete EA admission and receive Honors College consideration. Selected applicants interview.
What you'll need: No separate application: you are considered when you apply for admission
An interview
Who can apply: Incoming fall freshmen invited to Honors, with academic achievement/leadership. U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens are considered under UMD’s merit policy; spring admits are excluded.
Good to know: At least 12 credits each semester, 3.20 cumulative GPA without rounding and 30 earned credits per academic year; precollege AP/IB credits do not count. Winter/summer coursework can restore credits/GPA but is not funded. One GPA probationary semester; no credit-completion probation. Annual merit acknowledgement required. No stacking with UMD President’s/Dean’s/transfer merit; total aid capped at attendance costs. Excludes miscellaneous, departmental, health, parking and study-abroad fees, graduate coursework and unused semesters after graduation.
Details: Before Early Action

Official sources

Partly verified

Last checked Oct 1, 2026. Confirm current dates and rules on the official page before applying.

Official award/program sources confirm the listed current program. Up to eight consecutive undergraduate semesters. Full award: tuition, standard mandatory fees, standard housing/food and book allowance, adjusted for living with parents versus on/off campus. Partial award: $8,000 annually in-state/$12,000 out-of-state plus books; published $1,250 book allowance is a 2026-2027 estimate. The official admission calendar explicitly defines November 1 as the year before fall enrollment, resolving the previous year ambiguity. Scholarship interview/notification month-days remain published recurring stages. Complete EA admission and receive Honors College consideration. Selected applicants interview. Incoming fall freshmen invited to Honors, with academic achievement/leadership. U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens are considered under UMD’s merit policy; spring admits are excluded. At least 12 credits each semester, 3.20 cumulative GPA without rounding and 30 earned credits per academic year; precollege AP/IB credits do not count. Winter/summer coursework can restore credits/GPA but is not funded. One GPA probationary semester; no credit-completion probation. Annual merit acknowledgement required. No stacking with UMD President’s/Dean’s/transfer merit; total aid capped at attendance costs. Excludes miscellaneous, departmental, health, parking and study-abroad fees, graduate coursework and unused semesters after graduation.

The 2027-2028 book allowance and living-cost estimates are not published; the $1,250 allowance is explicitly a 2026-2027 estimate.

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