Banneker/Key Scholarship Program

The Banneker/Key Scholarship gets its name from two very prominent figures in American history, Benjamin Banneker and Francis Scott Key both of whom resided in Maryland. The Banneker/Key scholarship is the University of Maryland’s most prestigious academic award for undergraduates and is bestowed upon the top 1% of entering freshmen each year.

Identified through a competitive evaluation of admission application materials, scholarship candidates are reviewed in areas of academic achievement, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, awards, honors and essays. There is no application for this award beyond the admission application used to accept a student into a University degree granting program. For maximum consideration, prospective freshmen must submit all admissions materials by November 1st. Every year about 400 Banneker/Key Semifinalists are invited to campus in the spring for an interview before the 150 finalists of the full Banneker/Key are selected. All Banneker/Key Semifinalists are offered admission into the University Honors Program.

There are two award levels for Banneker/Key Scholarships. The first award level covers the cost of tuition, mandatory fees, room and board, and a book allowance each year for four years. The second award level provides $8,000 towards tuition and a book allowance for in-state students or $12,000 towards tuition and a book allowance for out-or-state students.

For further information on this award please review the Banneker/Key Scholarship Program Policy.