Money For School

With the recent enactment of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, additional financial assistance is available for future, current, and post college students, including; funding increases for pell grants, minority serving institutions and community colleges.  Former students, currently in repayment, have access to a more flexible income based repayment program, and can also apply for student loan forgiveness after 20 years of repayment and after 10 years of repayment for public service employees. 

D.C. residents are highly encouraged to apply for the below grant programs, take advantage of tax credits, and consider applying for scholarships that D.C. residents have been awarded in order to help finance their education:

GRANTS

District of Columbia Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG)

DCTAG grants up to $10,000 per academic year toward in-state tuition at most public colleges or up to $2,500 per academic year to attend a private institution.  Click here to access Congresswoman Norton's legislative efforts to extend DCTAG through 2012.

The applicant must be:

• A District of Columbia resident 12 months prior to the first year enrolled in college and through the tenure in college.
• A high school graduate or a General Equivalency Diploma (GED) recipient.
• 24 years of age or younger before the application deadline.
• In a non-default status with federal student loans.
• Accepted for enrollment in, or working towards, a first-time, undergraduate degree on, at least, a part-time basis (6 credit hours). Professional or graduate-level degree candidates are not eligible.

(For further information including additional requirements and to retrieve the application, click here or contact the Office of the State Superintendent of Education  at 727-2824.)

TAX CREDITS

The below federal tax credits may be claimed for the 2009 and 2010 tax year.  In order to access the appropriate forms, click here to visit the IRS website.

Hope Credit (Formerly known as the American Opportunity Tax Credit)

• Up to $2500 can be claimed for tuition and related expenses for eligible students for the first 4 years of post secondary education.

Lifetime Learning Credit

• Claims are subject to a dollar limit per family, percentage based, that may account for tuition and fees for undergraduate and graduate level education.

SCHOLARSHIPS

In order to access a comprehensive list of scholarships that DC residents may take advantage of, click here.

Highlighted Scholarships:

• Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) 
  • See list of several scholarships with various deadlines. 
    • DC residents may send their applications to Congresswoman Norton's Scholarship Committee at P.O. Box 70626 Washington, DC 20024.
• Area universities offer scholarships specifically for D.C. residents 
  • Georgetown University
  • George Washington University
  • Howard University
  • University of the District of Columbia (UDC)
    • UDC Community College
  • University of Maryland