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

Education

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Senators Carozza , Harris , and Watson
Last action: 2026-05-26
Official status: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 672
Effective date: 2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The requirement for annual audits by institutions is already mentioned in existing law, not added by this bill.

Maryland Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program Expansion

This law expands eligibility for graduate scholarships in Maryland to include students at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore who are enrolled in specific health professional programs.

What This Bill Does

Expands the list of eligible institutions for the Maryland Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program.
Adds the University of Maryland Eastern Shore as an eligible institution, but only for certain degree programs.
Includes students at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore who are studying to become physician assistants, pharmacists, physical therapists, or veterinarians in the scholarship program.

Who It Names or Affects

Students attending the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and enrolled in specific health professional programs.
The Commission responsible for administering the scholarship program.
Institutions that receive funding through the scholarship program.

Terms To Know

Commission: A group or organization that manages and oversees the Maryland Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program.
Eligible Institutions: Colleges and universities in Maryland where students can receive scholarships for graduate studies.

Limits and Unknowns

The law only expands eligibility to specific programs at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
It does not provide details on how much funding each student will get or how long they can receive it.
The exact number and amount of scholarships awarded depend on the state budget.

Bill History

2026-05-26 Post Passage
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 672
2026-04-07 House
Favorable Report by Appropriations
2026-03-30 House
Hearing canceled
2026-03-30 House
Hearing 4/02 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-03-26 House
Hearing 4/01 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-03-21 House
Third Reading Passed (135-0)
2026-03-20 House
Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed
2026-03-20 Senate
Returned Passed
2026-03-18 Senate
Favorable Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment
2026-03-09 House
Referred Appropriations
2026-03-05 Senate
Third Reading Passed (41-0)
2026-03-03 Senate
Favorable Adopted
2026-03-03 Senate
Second Reading Passed
2026-02-10 Senate
Hearing 3/11 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-02-02 Senate
First Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Higher Education - Maryland Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program - Eligible Institutions
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - Senate - Committee - Education, Energy, and the Environment
Maryland General Assembly
Text - Third - Higher Education - Maryland Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program - Eligible Institutions
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - House - Committee - Appropriations
Maryland General Assembly
Text - Chapter - Higher Education - Maryland Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program - Eligible Institutions

Official Summary Text

Expanding eligibility under the Maryland Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program to include students attending the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and enrolled in certain Physician Assistant, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, or Veterinary Medicine degree programs.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0486*

SENATE BILL 486
F2 6lr2488
CF HB 1075
By: Senators Carozza, Harris, and Watson
Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2026
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
Committee Report: Favorable
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 3, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Higher Education – Maryland Graduate and Professional Scholarship 2
Program – Eligible Institutions 3

FOR the purpose of expanding eligibility under the Maryland Graduate and Professional 4
Scholarship Program to include certain students attending the University of 5
Maryland Eastern Shore ; and generally relating to the Maryland Graduate and 6
Professional Scholarship Program. 7

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Education 9
Section 18–2601 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14

Article – Education 15

18–2601. 16

(a) In cooperation with the institutions of higher education in the State, the 17
Commission shall establish and administer a Graduate and Professional Scholarship 18
Program to provide financial assistance to full–time and part–time students in the fields of 19
medicine, dentistry, law, pharmacy, nursing, social work, and veterinary medicine. 20
2 SENATE BILL 486

(b) A recipient of a graduate and professional scholarship shall: 1

(1) Be a resident of the State; 2

(2) Demonstrate financial need according to criteria established by the 3
Commission; and 4

(3) Attend one of the following institutions: 5

(i) The University of Maryland School of: 6

1. Medicine; 7

2. Dentistry; 8

3. Law; 9

4. Pharmacy; or 10

5. Social Work; 11

(ii) The University of Baltimore School of Law; 12

(iii) The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; 13

(iv) Virginia–Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine; 14

(v) The Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine; 15

(VI) THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE 16
ENROLLED IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING DEGREE PROGRAMS: 17

1. MASTER OF MEDICAL SCIENCE IN PHYSICIAN 18
ASSISTANT STUDIES; 19

2. DOCTOR OF PHARMACY; 20

3. DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY; OR 21

4. DOCTOR OF VETERINARY MEDICINE; 22

[(vi)] (VII) Any institution of higher education in the State offering a 23
master’s degree in nursing; 24

SENATE BILL 486 3

[(vii)] (VIII) Any institution of higher education in the State offering a 1
master’s degree in social work; or 2

[(viii)] (IX) Any institution of higher education in the State offering a 3
first professional degree in pharmacy. 4

(c) A graduate and professional scholarship award for a single school year may 5
not be less than $1,000 or more than $5,000. 6

(d) A recipient may not receive an award for longer than 8 semesters. 7

(e) (1) The Commission shall allocate grants for the Program to the 8
institutions of higher education specified in subsection (b)(3) of this section based on the 9
proportion of State residents enrolled in eligible programs at each institution. 10

(2) An institution of higher education that receives a grant under this 11
section shall provide the Commission with an annual audit describing the disposition of the 12
funds. 13

(f) The Commission shall: 14

(1) Establish guidelines for the awarding of graduate and professional 15
scholarships by the institutions of higher education to the students; and 16

(2) Adopt regulations necessary for the implementation of this section. 17

(g) Funds for the Maryland Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program shall 18
be as provided in the State budget. 19

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 20
1, 2026. 21

Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.