Fund Your Education

Through the generosity of alumni, industry partners, and friends of the college, the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) offers scholarships to talented undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled in one of our academic majors. AGNR scholarships are awarded based on merit, scholarship application materials, and a variety of other factors. Please review the following sections to determine which scholarships you are eligible to apply for.

It is strongly recommended that all current AGNR Students complete their profiles and use the University's Scholarship Universe platform. Scholarship Universe matches students bsed on their completed profiles to any number of over 12,000 vetted internal and external scholarship awards in their database that the student may qualify for.

Students experiencing financial difficulty or crisis may apply for emergency financial assistance through the UMD Student Crisis Fund. Current students can also apply for the UMD Emergency Financial Aid Grant funding through the Office of Student Financial Aid.

If you have any questions, please contact our Program Director for Recruitment and Student Engagement, April Brohawn at agnrscholarships@umd.edu or abrohawn@umd.edu.

The scholarship program for entering freshmen and Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA) students is competitive and based on academic merit, scholarship materials, and a variety of other factors.

The scholarship application for students who have been admitted as a Freshman or new IAA student for the 2023-2024 academic year is NOW CLOSED.

The deadline to submit a New Freshman Scholarship application was March 1, 2023. Students who submit a complete application by the deadline are automatically considered for every scholarship administered by AGNR for which they are eligible.

Notifications will be sent by April 1, 2023.

It is recommended that admitted students also visit their AGNR department's website for any additional scholarships that may be administered through private funds.

If you missed the deadline to apply, you can apply for the current and new transfer scholarship awards but please note that decisions will not be released until this summer.

Scholarships for current students in AGNR and the IAA as well as newly admitted transfer students are eligible to apply for the annual scholarships offered by the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The Current/Transfer student application is NOW CLOSED for the academic year beginning Fall 2023. Applications were due by May 1, 2023.

Newly admitted IAA or Freshmen are also eligible to apply if they did not receive a new student award or missed that application deadline.

Applicants will be considered for every scholarship administered by the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources for which they are eligible.

Notifications of awards will be released no later than July 1st each year.

The AGNR Study Abroad Scholarship for students traveling in Summer and/or Fall 2023 is now closed.

This scholarship offers small scholarships to assist students in travel costs to participate in an Education Abroad experience.

Decisions for the Summer and Fall 2023 awards will be released by May 15.

If you have any questions, please contact April Brohawn at agnrscholarships@umd.edu or abrohawn@umd.edu.

Animal Science Scholarships

Plant Science and Landscape Architecture

Environmental Science and Technology

Most other departments have scholarship funds but do not have a posted application process. Please contact your advisor or the department for more information.

For a listing of active external scholarships, visit the AGNR Undergraduate Blog

See below for links to helpful resources when exploring funding opportunities.

External scholarship search engines:

University of Maryland National Scholarships Office (current students)

University of Maryland Office of Student Financial Aid

If you are experiencing a hardship or other emergency financial need, please see the information above regarding opportunities at the University level through the UMD Student Crises Fund and Office of Student Financial Aid.

Additionally, if you are a Maryland Resident, we encourage you to apply for the Catherine M. Brinkley Fund loan program. We're accepting applications on a rolling basis.

At this time all available AGNR Scholarships for AY 2021-22 have been awarded.

Financial Aid Opportunities within AGNR

When paying for their education, students can seek two primary forms of assistance - Scholarships and Financial Aid.

Generally speaking, scholarships are awards distributed or "won" by students on the basis of merit or need and do not require any repayment, while financial aid is a term that encompasses a variety of types of aid (grants, loans, work study) that students can receive based on need -- some, like loans, may require repayment. For more information on the types of aid available at UMD, visit this helpful website.

Students enrolled in degree and non-degree (IAA) certificate programs in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources may be eligible for federal or state financial aid. Financial Aid at the University of Maryland is managed through the Office of Student Financial Aid and is dependent on the submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Maryland State Financial Aid Application (MSFAA - only for children of undocumented immigrants).

In addition to the Financial Aid resources and information below, be sure to check out AGNR's Scholarships Page.

Students experiencing financial difficulty or crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic may apply for emergency financial assistance through the UMD Student Crisis Fund.

Current students can also apply for the UMD Emergency Financial Aid Grant funding through the Office of Student Financial Aid.

The Catherine M. Brinkley Fund

The Catherine M. Brinkley fund provides interest-free loans to students who are natives or residents of Maryland pursuing majors in the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources. Students may download the application. The Office of Financial Aid determines eligibility and award distribution and you must have submitted the FAFSA.

Please submit your application by July 31st to ensure that you receive your financial aid package before Fall classes begin. Applications received by that deadline will have decisions sent in early August. Applications are no longer reviewed on a rolling basis so if you have questions about the deadline or notification timelines, please contact April Brohawn at abrohawn@umd.edu.

Completed forms can be emailed to abrohawn@umd.edu. At this time all applications need to be submitted electronically.

Loan terms are:

Amount is not to exceed the limit on financial need determined by your FAFSA application.
Repayment begins 9 months after ceasing to be at least a half-time student at the University of Maryland and ending 10 years later.
Monthly payments for the first two years of repayment will be $25.
The remaining payments will be fully amortized over the final eight years.
If the loan is not paid in full by 10 years, a 5% annual finance charge will be assessed on the unpaid balance.
Revenue from loan repayments will be returned to this fund to assist other students in achieving their academic goals.

Admitted students can access their financial accounts and direct questions about billing and payment options to the University’s Student Financial Services and Cashiering.

Completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form each year is the first step toward applying for need-based aid. Please view the UMD FAFSA FAQ page on the Office of Student Financial Aid website for more information including priority deadlines.

Some state-based aid requires that students file supplemental paperwork in addition to the FAFSA. Please visit Maryland Higher Education Commission to explore state-based aid options.

Fund Your Education