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The Maryland Space Grant Consortium (MDSGC) is Maryland’s member of NASA’s national Space Grant network. It is based at Johns Hopkins University and supports hands-on learning opportunities and scholarships in higher education. This guide compares the consortium’s scholarship page, FAQ and member list, which do not say exactly the same thing, so an applicant who checks only one of them can misjudge eligibility. Everything below is as described on the official pages on 2026-10-29; programs change, so confirm current terms on md.spacegrant.org before you act.
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Suggested question: “What is the Maryland Space Grant Consortium?”
What the Maryland Space Grant Consortium is and who runs it
MDSGC is a state consortium within the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Project, which NASA describes as beginning in 1989 and now comprising over 850 affiliates in 52 consortia covering all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico (NASA Space Grant, checked 2026-10-29). The Maryland consortium’s home page states that it is based at Johns Hopkins University and shows the NASA grantee insignia; no funding amounts are stated, so none are given here.
The home page lists ten member institutions by name: Johns Hopkins University, Capitol Technology University, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Hagerstown Community College, Morgan State University, Towson University, UMBC, the University of Maryland College Park, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and the United States Naval Academy. The page text refers to eleven members but names ten; the ten named are the list above.
Eligibility: which list applies to you
Membership and scholarship eligibility are two different lists. The scholarship page and the FAQ identify the schools whose students can receive MDSGC scholarships, and that list has eight schools, not ten: Capitol Technology University, Hagerstown Community College, Johns Hopkins University, Morgan State University, Towson University, UMBC, the University of Maryland College Park and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (MDSGC FAQ, checked 2026-10-29). Membership of the consortium does not by itself make a school’s students scholarship-eligible.
Per the MDSGC scholarships page (checked 2026-10-29), an applicant should be:
- a full-time student at an MDSGC affiliate, having completed at least one full semester first (Hagerstown Community College is the stated exception);
- a full-time STEM major, with preference for aerospace and NASA-relevant fields;
- holding a GPA of 3.0 or higher, which must be maintained for the award to renew.
Citizenship: two wordings
The scholarships page says U.S. citizenship is preferred and that non-citizens need NASA approval, which it says can delay award decisions significantly. The FAQ says applicants must be U.S. citizens applying to or enrolled as full-time students. The two pages are worded differently, so a non-citizen applicant should ask the consortium directly rather than rely on either sentence alone.
What MDSGC funds or requires
Scholarship amounts vary and the page lists no dollar figures. Awards can cover tuition, books, fees, and room and board, and are generally renewable each semester while the GPA requirement is met. Two obligations come with an award:
- Longitudinal tracking. NASA requires recipients to keep contact information current and respond to follow-up until post-graduation employment begins.
- Possible service. Affiliate institutions may require degree-related service, such as outreach or lab training.
Beyond scholarships, the home page lists a family of programs, summarised in the table below.
Application and compliance steps
- Confirm your school is one of the eight scholarship-eligible institutions and that you meet the full-time, STEM and GPA conditions.
- Submit the MDSGC Scholarship Application Form from the scholarships page.
- Give the name and contact details of one recommender; the page says recommendations are requested only if needed.
- Wait for screening. MDSGC checks eligibility and forwards the application to the affiliate institution you chose; that institution notifies winners and may add its own criteria.
- If awarded, keep your contact details current for NASA tracking and ask your institution whether service duties apply.
Typical timeline phases
The scholarships page describes a regular scholarship period for each academic year, with a cut-off that closes ahead of the term; it notes that late or off-cycle applications may be possible. After the deadline, MDSGC screens, the affiliate decides, and the page says fall notifications usually arrive by early August. Check the page for the current period rather than assuming last year’s dates; the page also says off-cycle applications may be considered if funding becomes available.
Common mistakes
- Reading the ten-member list as the scholarship-eligible list, when the FAQ names eight schools.
- Relying on “preferred” citizenship wording on one page without checking the FAQ’s stricter wording.
- Assuming MDSGC alone chooses winners; the affiliate institution notifies winners and may apply additional criteria.
- Applying before completing one full semester at the affiliate (except at Hagerstown Community College).
- Letting contact details lapse after the award, when NASA tracking continues until post-graduation employment begins.
Related programs
| Program | What the official pages say |
|---|---|
| NASA Space Grant network | National project begun in 1989; over 850 affiliates in 52 consortia across all 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico (NASA). |
| Summer Exchange internships | NASA-aligned internships for qualified students of affiliated universities (MDSGC home page). |
| Virginia Space Coast Scholars | Maryland high-school sophomores may apply (MDSGC home page). |
| RockOn Workshop | Sounding-rocket payload workshop at Wallops for faculty and students (MDSGC home page). |
| Balloon Payload Program | Listed as an MDSGC program (MDSGC home page). |
| Annual Student Research Symposium | Listed as an MDSGC program (MDSGC home page). |
For other NASA-funded routes at CASRAI, see our guides to NASA EPSCoR, NASA FINESST, the NASA Postdoctoral Program and NASA NIAC, and to research funding at minority-serving institutions.
FAQ
What is the Maryland Space Grant Consortium?
It is Maryland’s consortium in NASA’s national Space Grant network, based at Johns Hopkins University, supporting scholarships and hands-on learning in higher education.
Who can get a Maryland Space Grant scholarship?
Full-time STEM students at one of eight named schools with a 3.0 or higher GPA, after at least one full semester (Hagerstown Community College excepted). See the citizenship note above.
How much is a Maryland Space Grant scholarship?
The official page lists no dollar figures. It says amounts vary and can cover tuition, books, fees, and room and board.
Who decides the winners?
MDSGC screens for eligibility and forwards applications to the chosen affiliate institution, which notifies winners and may add its own criteria.
Is there more than scholarships?
Yes: Summer Exchange internships, RockOn, a balloon payload program, a student research symposium and Virginia Space Coast Scholars, per the home page.
Sources
- Maryland Space Grant Consortium home page, https://md.spacegrant.org/, checked 2026-10-29.
- MDSGC Scholarships, https://md.spacegrant.org/mdsgc-programs/scholarships/, checked 2026-10-29.
- MDSGC Frequently Asked Questions, https://md.spacegrant.org/document-center/frequently-asked-questions/, checked 2026-10-29.
- NASA Space Grant, https://www.nasa.gov/space-grant/, checked 2026-10-29.
