Olszewski Announces Increased Eligibility for Baltimore County College Promise Scholarship

Expansion Creates Greater Opportunity for Students to Attend CCBC Tuition-free 

More Baltimore County residents now have access to a debt-free college education thanks to expanded eligibility for the Baltimore County College Promise Scholarship. Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, with support from the Baltimore County Council, increased the income level that qualify for the program from $85,000 to $150,000, allowing more middle-class residents the opportunity to attend Community College of Baltimore County free of tuition and fees.

“Education is my number one priority, and that doesn’t stop when students graduate from our public school system. Higher education can open countless doors of opportunities for our students, and that’s why we’re taking steps to expand access to the opportunities available at our community colleges,” Olszewski said.

Baltimore County College Promise Scholarship Growth

The Baltimore County College Promise Scholarship has experienced tremendous growth since it was introduced in the spring of 2018. Last year, 111 scholarships were awarded. Today, there are nearly 400 Baltimore County College Promise scholarship recipients and that number continues to grow. With the expanded income eligibility requirements, CCBC expects a boost in inquiries as well as qualified students.

“The increased income requirements is a real game-changer for Baltimore County residents,” said CCBC President Sandra Kurtinitis. “Too often middle-class Americans are left out of opportunities like this. Their income is too high to qualify for Pell grants; yet, too low to enable them to send their children to community college full-time. The Baltimore County College Promise Scholarship is allowing academically-prepared students the opportunity to earn a college education debt-free. We are fortunate to have legislators who believe in the importance of public higher education and are willing to invest dollars behind this life-changing program.”

Eligibility Requirements

In addition to the income requirement, other eligibility requirements include: 

• Be a Baltimore County resident
• Have a GPA of 2.3 or higher
• Be a 2015 to 2019 high school or external diploma degree graduate
• Be enrolled full-time at CCBC (12 credits or more) 

Baltimore County College Promise scholarships cover all degree and certificate programs as well as select workforce training certification programs. The scholarship is calculated as a “last dollar in” award, meaning that it is applied after all other financial awards and state aid have been utilized.

CCBC student and scholarship recipient Christa Bryant says the Baltimore County College Promise Scholarship is making her pursuit of an associate degree stress-free.

“My mother, who is retired, no longer has to consider going back to work to help me cover my tuition,” says Bryant. “I can now take a full load of classes and not spend sleepless nights worrying about how to pay the bill.”

Students can apply for the Baltimore County College Promise Scholarship throughout the year. Watch the press event and, for complete application details, visit www.ccbcmd.edu/collegepromise.

About the Community College of Baltimore County 

Since 1957, CCBC has opened the doors to accessible, affordable, high-quality education empowering generations of area residents to transform their lives and the lives of others. Each year, nearly 60,000 students enroll at the college’s main campuses, extension centers and online to make their starts, earn degrees, launch and build careers. CCBC offers the region’s most expansive selection of degree, certificate and workplace certification programs that prepare students for transfer, job entry and career advancement in such industries as business, education, health care, information technology, cybersecurity, construction and transportation. CCBC is nationally recognized as a leader in innovative learning strategies, among the nation’s top associate degree producers, and designated as a Military Times Best College 2018.

CCBC is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, 2nd Floor West, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 (267-284-5000). The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.