Non-Resident Tuition Exemption

The Nonresident Exemption for Eligible Maryland High School Graduates, also known as the Maryland Dream Act, allows certain students, specifically undocumented students, who graduated from a Maryland high school the opportunity to qualify for in-state tuition at public colleges and universities in Maryland.  Students must meet certain eligibility requirements and submit required documentation to be considered.

The Nonresident Tuition Exemption request and all required documentation must be submitted by the last date of late registration in the semester for which you wish to be awarded the exemption. Nonresident Tuition Exemption cannot be requested or approved retroactively for previous semesters.  

Please be aware the NTE requires three years of Comptroller’s certified copies of Maryland tax returns.

 

How to Submit Request:

Expand sections for more details.

Review the Nonresident Tuition Exemption for Eligible Maryland High School Graduates policy and determine if you would be eligible.

Submit an RT Help Ticket to Residency to request additional instruction for uploading the NTE request form and supporting documentation. Include the semester in which you are seeking the exemption in your request.

NTE Requests and supporting documentation are submitted electronically. A secure link will be provided in your RT Help Ticket instructions. Please do not attach any files to the RT Help Ticket. Requests made by mail or in-person will not be accepted. 

Complete the NTE Request form and gather the required documentation.

Students can refer to the NTE Document Checklist when determining the types of documents to submit with their request.

Submit your completed form and supporting documentation via the secure upload link included in your RT Help Ticket by the posted deadline. Once your upload is complete, remember to respond to the RT Help Ticket.

Redact all Social Security Numbers and Employee Identification Numbers before submission.

Petitions submitted after the posted submission deadline will not be reviewed.

NTE Request forms, along with all required documentation, must be submitted by the last date of registration in the semester for which you wish to be reclassified.

 

The review of the Nonresident Tuition Exemption for Eligible Maryland High School Graduates and a determination may take up to six (6) weeks from the time a completed request is received. While requests are under review, student petitioners are required to make full tuition payment at the out-of-state rate. If the University determines that the student meets all requirements for the exemption, the student’s billing rate will be changed to in-state and a refund or account credit will be issued as appropriate for the current semester. This overview does not supersede or amend any part of the USM Policy on Student Classification for Admission and Tuition Purposes.

Deadlines Submission Begin Date Deadline to Submit Petition
Fall 2025 April 1, 2025 September 10, 2025
Winter 2026 October 13, 2025 January 8, 2026
Spring 2026 October 28, 2025 February 13, 2026**
Summer 2026 March 2, 2026 May 29, 2026
Fall 2026 March 31, 2026 September 4, 2026

**Due to change in schedule adjustment period, Spring 2026 residency petitions are now due on February 13, 2026. All previous February 6, 2026 deadlines have been automatically extended.

 

If approved, to retain the exemption and the corresponding resident tuition rate for future semesters, students are required to provide evidence that you use an address in the State on your Maryland income tax return annually, or your parent or legal guardian’s Maryland income tax return annually. To satisfy this requirement, students will be required to provide a Comptroller’s certified copy of their, or their parent or legal guardian’s, Maryland income tax each year that they are enrolled at UMBC.

Students who hold Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status should not complete the Nonresident Tuition Exemption request. Students with DACA status may seek residency reclassification through the USM Residency Policy petition process.

 

Questions? Submit a Help Ticket to Residency.