Mayor’s Scholars Undergraduate Program

Scholarship Sponsored by Office of the State Superintendent of Education

Program Overview

Description: The Mayor’s Scholars Undergraduate Program provides financial support for District of Columbia residents pursuing their first associate or bachelor’s degree. The program is administered by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). Prospective applicants should confirm eligibility before beginning the online application in the Application for Postsecondary Studies (APS). Eligibility determination requires documentation of residency, academics, financial need, and enrollment plans.

• Supports first-time associate and bachelor’s degree seekers from DC.
• Administered by OSSE and applied for via APS.
• Applicants must confirm eligibility and submit supporting documentation.

Applicant Eligibility & Program Requirements

Eligibility: Participation requires meeting residency, academic, financial need, and enrollment requirements. Each requirement corresponds to documents you must upload in the APS application. OSSE evaluates these elements to determine that award funds will support degree progress. Prepare official or acceptable unofficial documents before starting the application.

• Four core requirement areas: residency, academics, financial need, enrollment.
• Document uploads are required in APS for each eligibility area.
• Incomplete documentation may delay or prevent award approval.

Residency and Domicile Requirements

Eligibility: Applicants must have been District of Columbia residents for the 12 months immediately preceding enrollment in their first year of college. Proof of residency is required and must be submitted in the APS application.

Verification: Applicants must provide the specific documents indicated by OSSE (accepted formats include .doc, .docx, .pdf, .jpeg). Applicants who completed a 2026–27 DCTAG application and were deemed eligible do not need to resubmit residency documentation for the 2026–27 Mayor’s Scholars cycle; all others must submit the required residency documents.

• 12-month DC residency immediately before first-year enrollment is required.
• Submit specified documents in accepted file formats with your APS application.
• DCTAG-eligible applicants for 2026–27 may be exempt from re-submitting residency proof.

Academic Requirements

Applicant Types: Eligible applicants fall into specific categories: returning Mayor’s Scholars awardees, new high school graduates or expected graduates from DC public or public charter schools (graduates or expected graduates between 2011–2026), or DC residents who earned a GED or NEDP credential within the same timeframe.

Academic Eligibility: New high school applicants must have a final GPA of at least 2.5 and provide a final transcript (or a current transcript with a final transcript requested later). GED/NEDP applicants must supply a letter of recommendation from an appropriate educator or supervisor. Returning college applicants must provide their most recent college transcript and meet institutional Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards (typically a 2.0 GPA minimum). To maintain eligibility, recipients must meet SAP each semester and earn at least 12 credits per academic year for associate degrees or 24 credits per academic year for bachelor’s degrees.

• Distinct documentation and GPA thresholds apply by applicant type (high school, GED/NEDP, returning college students).
• New high school graduates: minimum 2.5 final GPA and transcript required.
• GED/NEDP applicants: letter of recommendation required.
• College students must meet SAP and credit minimums to continue receiving funds.

Financial Need Requirements

Financial Eligibility: Applicants must demonstrate financial need as determined under OSSE policy, which generally follows federal guidance on student/parent dependency. Starting in the 2022–23 award year, OSSE uses the Federal Poverty Guidelines rather than Expected Family Contribution (EFC) to determine need. Income thresholds are updated annually; for the 2026–27 award year, eligible household taxable income must be below 300 percent of the applicable Federal Poverty Guidelines. Applicants should consult OSSE guidance for the most current thresholds and documentation requirements.

• Financial need is required and typically assessed using parent/guardian income when applicable.
• OSSE uses Federal Poverty Guidelines (not EFC) to determine eligibility.
• For 2026–27, the threshold is below 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.