University in United States
College Park, MD, United States
University profile
The University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) is the flagship institution of the State of Maryland and a public research university in College Park, just outside Washington, D.C. It describes itself as one of the nation's preeminent public research universities, using its position near a centre of research, policy, technology and culture to give students opportunities to learn, innovate and serve the public good. More than 41,000 students are enrolled, over 31,000 of them undergraduates, across more than 300 degree programs.
Academic work is organised in 12 colleges and schools: the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources; the School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation; the College of Arts and Humanities; the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences; the Robert H. Smith School of Business; the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences; the College of Education; the A. James Clark School of Engineering; the College of Information; the Philip Merrill College of Journalism; the School of Public Health; and the School of Public Policy. The Graduate School coordinates more than 200 graduate and professional programs, and Undergraduate Studies oversees General Education, the Honors College, Letters and Sciences, ROTC, Fellows programs and the National Scholarships Office. Undergraduates choose from more than 100 majors and 90+ minors; some majors are Limited Enrollment Programs with more competitive entry criteria.
UMD is a land-grant institution and counts 12 colleges and schools, 27 living-learning programs and 9 million titles in 7 libraries and online. Research is a major strength, with combined research expenditures of $1.5 billion with the University of Maryland, Baltimore (FY24), more than 150 centres and institutes, and 108 members of the National Academies among its faculty. Institutes include the Institute for Advanced Computer Studies and the Joint Quantum Institute.
Student life centres on the College Park campus, with 900+ student clubs, fraternities, sororities and sports groups, 55+ fraternities and sororities, and 80+ intramural and club sports. More than 90% of first-year students live in one of 39 residence halls, and Dining Services offers meal plans including allergen-free, vegan, vegetarian and kosher options. The Adele H. Stamp Student Union is the hub of student activity. Over 2,000 students study abroad each year, with 300+ destinations.
UMD enrols students from 50 states and 128 countries. International undergraduates apply through the same Common App or ApplyWeb process as other freshmen, with additional requirements for English proficiency and non-U.S. credential evaluation, and the Maryland English Institute provides English language instruction and assessment. The Association of American Universities granted UMD accreditation in 1925, and in 2026 UMD earned the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification.
Federal, state and institutional need-based aid is limited to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, permanent residents and certain other eligible non-citizens. International students may use private education loans with a U.S. citizen or permanent resident co-signer, or funding from their home country or international lenders, and can ask academic departments about departmental scholarships.
Applicants who submit a complete application by the November 1 early action deadline are automatically reviewed; no separate application is needed. The Banneker/Key Scholarship can cover up to full tuition, mandatory fees, housing and food and a book allowance, with Honors College admission. The President's Scholarship is $2,000 to $20,000 per year for four years, open to in-state and out-of-state applicants. The Dean's Scholarship is $1,500 for the freshman year or $4,500 per year for freshman and sophomore years, for in-state applicants only. Merit scholarships are open to U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens.
The Frederick Douglass Scholarship (30 full and 15 partial tuition awards) is for Maryland community college transfer students and requires an application by March 1. The Maryland Transfer Scholarship ($5,000 per year for two years, in-state) and the President's Transfer Scholarship ($5,000 per year for up to two years, out-of-state) are awarded to U.S. citizens and permanent residents applying by March 1.
The Terrapin Commitment grant covers standard in-state tuition and mandatory fees ($12,290 for 2025-26) for eligible in-state, full-time undergraduates who are Pell-eligible or have total family income of $75,000 or less and file the FAFSA by the March 1 priority deadline. Other aid includes federal work-study, loans and grants (FAFSA school code 002103).
Graduate students may receive funding through assistantships, fellowships and awards administered through the Graduate School.
Details: Tuition & Aid, Office of Student Financial Aid.
Frederick Douglass Scholarship →
Maryland Transfer Scholarship →
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View scholarships for University of Maryland, College Park →UMD expects applicants to have completed by high school graduation: 4 years of English, 2 years of foreign language, 3 years of history or social science, 3 years of science in at least 2 different areas (with at least 2 lab experiences) and 4 years of math including Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II. The most competitive applicants exceed these minimums, earning a strong A-/B+ or better average while taking several honors, Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses. Admission is holistic, assessing academic merit and potential in context.
UMD is test-optional through the Spring and Fall 2027 application cycles; students choose whether to submit SAT/ACT scores. Credit for AP, IB, A/AS-level and certain other exams requires official scores to be submitted after an offer of admission.
Applicants apply through the Common App or ApplyWeb. The application requires an essay, an activities and awards list or resume, a nonrefundable $80 application fee (fee waivers available if requested before submission), two letters of recommendation (one counsellor, one teacher) and official high school transcripts. Fall deadlines: Early Action (non-binding) November 1, with decisions by February 1; Regular Decision January 20, with decisions by April 1; enrollment confirmation by May 1. Applicants for the fall semester are automatically considered for spring admission.
Transfer applicants must have graduated high school (or hold an equivalency) and completed at least 12 semester hours or 18 quarter hours at a regionally accredited college or university (AP/IB credit or placement tests do not count), including an English composition course and a college-level mathematics course. Transfer students apply through ApplyWeb with an essay, official college transcripts and an $80 fee. Fall deadlines: Early Action March 1 (decisions by late April), Regular June 1 (decisions by mid-July). Spring deadlines: Early Action August 1, Regular November 15. Certain applicants from Maryland public institutions receive special consideration under state transfer policies.
Freshman and transfer students who are non-U.S. citizens or non-permanent residents apply as international applicants and apply early action for priority consideration. Requirements in addition to the freshman or transfer checklist: official transcripts in the original language with certified English translation (including results from national secondary examinations such as GCSE/GCE, CBSE, CXC/CSEC and WAEC), and a third-party course-by-course evaluation from Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) or Josef Silny & Associates for all post-secondary/university credentials.
English proficiency (scores under two years old, reporting code 5814): Duolingo English Test 120 (115 or lower is referred to the Maryland English Institute); IELTS 7 (6.5 or lower to the Maryland English Institute); TOEFL 95 on the 0-120 scale or 5 on the 1-6 scale (94 or lower, or 4.5 or lower, to the Maryland English Institute); TOEFL MyBest superscores are not accepted. Waivers may be considered for four years at a U.S. high school without ESL coursework, a U.S. regionally accredited degree, 55+ semester credits of U.S. coursework including English Composition 1 and 2, or being a native English speaker with citizenship or a completed secondary or university degree in a listed English-speaking country (the list includes Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and others; the French system in Canada still requires a test).
Financial certification and visa: admitted international students seeking F-1 or J-1 status must show funds covering one year of tuition, fees, books, insurance and living expenses after they confirm enrollment, in order to receive an I-20 or DS-2019. Enrolled students needing an I-20 or DS-2019 issued by UMD pay a fee of $125 per semester.
More than 230 graduate programs are available, and requirements (including GRE/GMAT, GPA and other materials) are set by each academic department, listed in the Academic Catalog. Applicants apply online through the Graduate School, paying a non-refundable $90 application fee, and applications are reviewed first by the program and then by the Graduate School. International graduate applicants upload scanned official transcripts and degrees in the original language with a literal English translation, and provide TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores where required. Admitted international students are contacted by International Student and Scholar Services to collect financial documents for the I-20 or DS-2019.
College Park, Maryland (main campus). The main campus is in College Park, MD 20742, just outside Washington, D.C., and houses all 12 colleges and schools and the Graduate School.
UMD at Shady Grove (Rockville, Maryland). Applicants may apply to programs offered at the Shady Grove site, with a June 1 deadline and rolling decisions.
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