Higher Education - Maryland Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program - Eligible Institutions, the official text

WES MOORE, Governor                      Ch. 672

Chapter 672

                   (Senate Bill 486)

AN ACT concerning

Higher Education – Maryland Graduate and Professional Scholarship
                              Program – Eligible Institutions

FOR the purpose of expanding eligibility under the Maryland Graduate and Professional
         Scholarship Program to include certain students attending the University of
         Maryland Eastern Shore; and generally relating to the Maryland Graduate and
         Professional Scholarship Program.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
         Article – Education
         Section 18–2601
         Annotated Code of Maryland
         (2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)

         SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

                   Article – Education

18–2601.

         (a) In cooperation with the institutions of higher education in the State, the
Commission shall establish and administer a Graduate and Professional Scholarship
Program to provide financial assistance to full–time and part–time students in the fields of
medicine, dentistry, law, pharmacy, nursing, social work, and veterinary medicine.

         (b) A recipient of a graduate and professional scholarship shall:

                  (1) Be a resident of the State;

                  (2) Demonstrate financial need according to criteria established by the
Commission; and

             (3) Attend one of the following institutions:

             (i) The University of Maryland School of:

                   1. Medicine;

                   2. Dentistry;

                                  –1–
Ch. 672                              2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND

         3. Law;

         4. Pharmacy; or

         5. Social Work;

         (ii) The University of Baltimore School of Law;

         (iii) The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine;

         (iv) Virginia–Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine;

         (v) The Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine;

                         (VI) THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE
ENROLLED IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING DEGREE PROGRAMS:

                                 1.  MASTER OF MEDICAL SCIENCE IN PHYSICIAN
ASSISTANT STUDIES;

         2. DOCTOR OF PHARMACY;

         3. DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY; OR

         4. DOCTOR OF VETERINARY MEDICINE;

                         [(vi)] (VII) Any institution of higher education in the State offering a
master’s degree in nursing;

                         [(vii)] (VIII) Any institution of higher education in the State offering a
master’s degree in social work; or

                         [(viii)] (IX) Any institution of higher education in the State offering a
first professional degree in pharmacy.

         (c) A graduate and professional scholarship award for a single school year may
not be less than $1,000 or more than $5,000.

(d) A recipient may not receive an award for longer than 8 semesters.

         (e) (1) The Commission shall allocate grants for the Program to the
institutions of higher education specified in subsection (b)(3) of this section based on the
proportion of State residents enrolled in eligible programs at each institution.

                                     –2–
WES MOORE, Governor  Ch. 672

                  (2) An institution of higher education that receives a grant under this
section shall provide the Commission with an annual audit describing the disposition of the
funds.

         (f) The Commission shall:

                  (1) Establish guidelines for the awarding of graduate and professional
scholarships by the institutions of higher education to the students; and

                  (2) Adopt regulations necessary for the implementation of this section.

         (g) Funds for the Maryland Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program shall
be as provided in the State budget.

         SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
1, 2026.

Approved by the Governor, May 26, 2026.

–3–