State Grants & ProgramsQualify and receive

DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG)

Offered by DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) · Free to apply

DCTAG is a creation of Congress rather than of city government alone: the District of Columbia College Access Act of 1999 (Public Law 106-98) established it, and federal amendments in 2002 and 2007 broadened it, all aimed at expanding higher education choices for college-bound DC residents. Because the District runs no public university of its own, DCTAG pays down the out-of-state tuition gap for DC residents: up to $15,000 a year at public colleges anywhere in the country, capped at $75,000 over a lifetime, and up to $3,750 a year at private HBCUs and at private nonprofit colleges around DC. Students file the DC OneApp every year they want funding, attach a processed FAFSA Submission Summary showing a Student Aid Index, and upload proof of at least 12 months of District domicile. The window runs from February 2 to August 21 at 3 p.m., but OSSE releases funds in the order applications are completed and warns that a finished application does not guarantee money. Document review takes about seven business days, so filing in February or March is the safe play. Grants go to the college after the add and drop period.

Other deadlines near this one

How hard is the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) to win?

This is not a competition. Aid is allocated by a published formula, so meeting the criteria and filing on time is what determines whether the money arrives.

Estimated odds: qualifying students generally receive it
Paperwork: ~3 hrs to file

What drives the odds here

Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.

Fewer rivalsOpen only to District of Columbia residents
More rivalsA five-figure award attracts a bigger field

How Solyo estimates this: State programs that allocate by published formula are modelled on qualification and filing, not on competition, because there is no selection committee choosing between applicants. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.

Who can apply for the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG)?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

Must be a resident of District of Columbia
Open to high school seniors and current college students
Open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card)

Confirm these before applying

Requires supporting documentation of DC residency (e.g., taxes, lease) uploaded with the DC OneApp

Good to know

Must have established domicile in the District of Columbia for at least 12 months before starting college
Must be pursuing a first bachelor's degree at least half time and maintain satisfactory academic progress
Award level depends on institution type: $15,000/yr ($75,000 lifetime) at publics; $3,750/yr ($18,750 lifetime) at private HBCUs nationwide and DC-metro private nonprofits

Personalized matching

Does your student actually qualify?

Not sure your student clears every rule above? Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.

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What the application takes

No essay, recommendation letters, or transcript are required. This is one of the lighter applications in the directory.

Deadline and application cycle

The next projected deadline is August 21, 2027 (estimated). The last verified deadline has passed; the next cycle is projected from this award's usual August 21 deadline. Confirm the exact date on the official site. Applications open February 2. OSSE says funds are released first come, first served, so submit the OneApp in February and upload residency documents the same day.

DC OneApp opens: February 2, 2027
Residency documents uploaded, allow seven business days for review: February or March 2027
Application closes: August 21, 2027 at 3 p.m. ET (estimated)
Funds sent to the college: After the fall add and drop period

Track the next deadline Apply on the official site

Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee. We use your student's information only to build their plan.

Common questions about the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG)

How much is the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) worth?

Up to $15,000 per award year, with a $75,000 lifetime total, at participating public colleges, where it pays the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition on your behalf. At eligible privates, meaning DC-area private nonprofits and private HBCUs nationwide, the cap is $3,750 per year with an $18,750 lifetime total. Both caps are current law, reaffirmed by Congress in February 2026. Two catches families miss: DCTAG covers tuition only, and it is prorated if you enroll less than full time. And because it pays the in-state versus out-of-state gap, a student who already qualifies for in-state tuition at a school cannot collect DCTAG on top of it.

Can you use DCTAG at any college?

No, only at schools that have signed a participation agreement with OSSE, though the list is long: DCTAG recipients currently attend more than 300 colleges and universities, including public institutions across the country, private nonprofits in the DC metro area, and private HBCUs anywhere in the US. The named exclusions surprise people: the University of the District of Columbia is out because DC students already pay in-state rates there, proprietary (for-profit) schools are out, and study abroad terms are not funded even from an eligible home campus. If your school appears to qualify but has never participated, OSSE will send it a participation agreement; institutions must volunteer to join. Check the current eligible list before committing.

When is the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) deadline?

The 2026-27 application closed Aug. 21, 2026 at 3 p.m., and OSSE keeps no waitlist after the deadline, so that cycle is done. OSSE has not yet posted the 2027-28 window; for reference, the 2026-27 DC OneApp opened Feb. 2, 2026, so families planning for fall 2027 should watch osse.dc.gov/dctag for the new opening date early in the year. Remember DCTAG is annual: you must submit a complete new application every year you want funding, and complete means all supporting documents uploaded correctly at the same time via the DC OneApp, which only works in Google Chrome. Late or piecemeal uploads are the most common way an otherwise eligible student loses a year.

Who is eligible for the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG)?

A DC resident who has been domiciled in the District for at least 12 consecutive months before starting college and keeps that domicile all the way through school. Beyond residency you must be a US citizen or eligible noncitizen, hold a high school diploma or GED/NEDP earned within 15 years of your first DCTAG award, enroll at least half time toward a first bachelor's degree, meet your college's satisfactory academic progress standard, not be in default on federal student loans, and fall under the income threshold. Two subtleties: for dependent students under 24, domicile runs through the parent or guardian, not the student, and a PO Box never counts as a DC address. Domicile is re-verified every single year you apply.

What documents do you need to prove DC residency for DCTAG?

Three uploads, all at once: one domicile document, one proof of residency, and your 2026-27 FAFSA Submission Summary. The domicile document is usually the parent's DC D-40 tax return (certified or filed and signed), or a 12-month benefit statement such as SSDI/SSI, TANF/SNAP, child support, or unemployment. The proof of residency must be under 45 days old and show the parent's or independent student's name and address: bank or mortgage statement, pay stub, or a utility bill. The rejections that sting: the federal 1040 is not accepted, cell phone bills and credit card statements are not accepted, and a relative's D-40 does not count unless that relative is your court-appointed legal guardian with documentation.

Is DCTAG need-based? What is the income limit?

DCTAG is not need-based, and your FAFSA Student Aid Index has zero effect on the award, which surprises families used to aid formulas. There is an income ceiling, but it is extraordinarily high: for the 2026-27 award year a student who started college in or after school year 2019-20 qualifies with family taxable annual income below $642,544 (students who started earlier have even higher thresholds, up to $1,365,056). The ceiling is adjusted for inflation each year. The FAFSA is still mandatory though: OSSE uses it to check citizenship, Social Security validity, and loan default status, and if your FAFSA is selected for verification and you skip that process, you are not eligible for DCTAG funding at all.

Is there an age limit for DCTAG?

OSSE publishes no age cap in the current eligibility rules, contrary to a persistent myth about a cutoff at 26. What exists instead is a credential-recency window: your high school diploma or equivalent must have been earned within 15 years of your first DCTAG award year, which for 2026-27 means a credential from 2011 or later. The practical ceilings are money and paperwork, not birthdays: $75,000 lifetime at publics ($18,750 at eligible privates), a fresh application with full documentation every year, continuous DC domicile, and satisfactory academic progress at your college. Adults returning to school should note that applicants who were not enrolled last year may be asked to document domicile for previous years too.

When do DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) applications open?

Applications open February 2, and close August 21, 2027 (estimated). OSSE says funds are released first come, first served, so submit the OneApp in February and upload residency documents the same day.

Does the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) require an essay?

No essay is required. The application is light on requirements. Expect to spend about 3 hours on it.

How hard is it to win the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG)?

This is not a competition. Aid is allocated by a published formula, so meeting the criteria and filing on time is what determines whether the money arrives. Solyo classifies this award as qualify and receive, meaning qualifying students generally receive it. Plan on about 3 hrs of paperwork.

Is the DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) free to apply?

Yes. The DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.

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Lists this award appears on

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