Maryland public colleges offer eligible students conditional admission

The Maryland Higher Education Commission administers a direct admission program through its financial aid system and the Common Application. The program covers public senior colleges in Maryland, including University System of Maryland schools, Morgan State University, and St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Only public colleges that choose to participate offer direct admission through the program. The law gives two different academic years for the program to begin: 2027–2028 and 2028–2029.

The Maryland Higher Education Commission and State Department of Education establish a process to notify the Commission about students who meet the program’s eligibility requirements. The process covers eligible high school students in Maryland and participating public senior colleges. Shared eligibility rules must include college and career readiness and a minimum high school grade point average; colleges may set additional course or other criteria. The Commission uses information from the Department and criteria supplied by participating colleges to offer conditional admission. An offer does not guarantee a place in a specific program, school, or unit within a college. The agencies must establish a notification process for each school year.

The Commission studies how to administer the direct admission program and reports its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly. The Commission conducts the study with the State Department of Education. The study examines what is needed to run the program, whether student academic and financial aid information could be combined for admission and affordability notices, and an implementation timeline. The Commission must send its report by July 1, 2027. The study requirement ends July 31, 2027.