Maryland Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant (WSSAG)
Offered by Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) · Free to apply
The Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant helps Maryland residents who plan to work in a shortage field after graduating: child care, human services, teaching in critical shortage subjects, nursing, physical or occupational therapy, social work, law in public service, and other public service careers. Full-time students receive $4,000 a year at a Maryland four-year college or $2,000 at a community college, with half those amounts for part-time study. Applicants are ranked by unweighted GPA first and then by financial need within each field, so a strong transcript matters; the FAFSA is optional but used to order awards. Students apply online through the MHEC One App in MDCAPS. The grant renews automatically for up to five years. Recipients owe a year of qualifying Maryland work for each year of aid or must repay it.
Other deadlines near this one
- Connecticut Minority Teacher Incentive ProgramDue October 15, 2027 · Up to $5,000/yr for two years, plus $2,500/yr loan reimbursement for up to four years teaching
- Florida First Generation Matching GrantDue October 15, 2027 · Varies by institution (state matches private contributions raised by each campus)
- Daniels Scholarship ProgramDue October 15, 2027 · Up to full cost of attendance at partner schools; up to $25,000/yr at other schools outside CO/NM/UT/WY; up to $7,500/yr at other schools inside those states
How hard is the Maryland Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant (WSSAG) to win?
A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first. No published applicant or winner counts exist for this award, so Solyo shows no odds figure.
- Odds
- no published selection data
- 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 Maryland residents
- Fewer rivalsAn official transcript is required
- Fewer rivalsRestricted to specific intended majors
How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. 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 Maryland Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant (WSSAG)?
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 Maryland
- Must attend a college in Maryland (the award does not travel out of state)
- Open to high school seniors and current college students
- Planning to study Education, Health & Medicine, or Social Sciences
- Must be a Maryland resident (and parent, if dependent)
- Must major in an eligible shortage field and agree to a Maryland service obligation
- Ranked by unweighted GPA, then by need from the FAFSA
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.
What the application takes
- Transcript required. Request it from the school registrar ahead of the deadline.
Deadline and application cycle
The next projected deadline is October 15, 2027 (estimated). The last verified deadline has passed; the next cycle is projected from this award's usual October 15 deadline. Confirm the exact date on the official site. Applications open January 15. Apply in the spring of senior year once the January application opens; funds go in GPA order, so early completion helps.
- Application opens
- January 15, 2027
- Application closes
- October 15, 2027 (estimated)
Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee. We use your student's information only to build their plan.
Common questions about the Maryland Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant (WSSAG)
How much is the Maryland Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant (WSSAG) worth?
The Maryland Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant (WSSAG) awards $1,000 to $4,000 per year and is renewable in later years.
When is the Maryland Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant (WSSAG) deadline?
The next projected deadline is October 15, 2027 (estimated). The last verified deadline has passed; the next cycle is projected from this award's usual October 15 deadline. Confirm the exact date on the official site. Applications open January 15. Apply in the spring of senior year once the January application opens; funds go in GPA order, so early completion helps.
When do Maryland Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant (WSSAG) applications open?
Applications open January 15, and close October 15, 2027 (estimated). Apply in the spring of senior year once the January application opens; funds go in GPA order, so early completion helps.
Who is eligible for the Maryland Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant (WSSAG)?
Key requirements: Must be a resident of Maryland; Must attend a college in Maryland (the award does not travel out of state); Open to high school seniors and current college students; Planning to study Education, Health & Medicine, or Social Sciences.
Does the Maryland Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant (WSSAG) require an essay?
No essay is required. The application does ask for a transcript. Expect to spend about 3 hours on it.
How hard is it to win the Maryland Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant (WSSAG)?
A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first. No published applicant or winner counts exist for this award, so Solyo shows no odds figure. What is known: open only to Maryland residents and an official transcript is required. Plan on about 3 hrs of work.
Is the Maryland Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant (WSSAG) free to apply?
Yes. The Maryland Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant (WSSAG) is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.
More field of study
- Massachusetts Community College Nursing ScholarshipRemaining tuition, fees, books and supplies · due June 30, 2027
- Massachusetts Tomorrow's Teachers ScholarshipUp to $25,000 per year · due November 20, 2026
- Montana STEM/Healthcare Scholarship$1,000 to $2,000 per year ($6,000 total) · due March 15, 2027
- ND Career Builders ScholarshipUp to $17,000 total ($8,500 state match of an employer or donor contribution) · due June 30, 2027
- National FFA Scholarship ProgramVaries ($500-$10,000) · due January 14, 2027
- Nebraska Career Scholarship (Community Colleges)Up to $15,000 per year · due June 30, 2027
Lists this award appears on
Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.