The Edward T. & Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program provides student financial assistance to the children, step-children, and surviving spouses (who have not remarried) due to their relationship to an eligible deceased or 100% disabled military service member, veteran, or public safety employee or volunteer, and veterans with a 25% or greater service-related disability attending a Maryland postsecondary institution.
The Jean B. Cryor Memorial Scholarship Program provides student financial assistance to the children, step-children, and surviving spouses (who have not remarried) of victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, attending a Maryland postsecondary institution.
Important Update:
The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) has announced changes that will affect the awarding and funding of the Edward T. & Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program and the Jean B. Cryor Memorial Scholarship Program for the 2026–2027 academic year.
Scholarship award amounts for the 2026–2027 academic year will be significantly lower than amounts awarded in previous years. Award amounts will be finalized in early Summer after MHEC confirms UMD’s funding allocation. Students are encouraged to complete the 2026-27 FAFSA to determine their eligibility for additional financial aid and consider alternative aid options.
To be considered for the Edward T. & Mary A. Conroy Memorial & Jean B. Cryor Memorial Scholarships at the University of Maryland, College Park, students must:
- Submit the application and all required supporting documents by July 15, 2026
- Be a Maryland resident or the dependent of a Maryland resident (except children, step-children, and surviving spouses of a public safety employee who died or was disabled in the line of duty)
- Applications must be submitted via: MHEC Conroy & Cryor Scholarship Application Submission Portal.
Please note: Applications will be reviewed in the order received. Initial award recipients will be awarded by mid-August. Please review the eligibility requirements, initial awarding, and waitlist process, scholarship renewals, and disbursement in the sections below for more information.
Applicants must be:
- Admitted to UMD as a degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate student.
- Enrolled or plans to enroll at least half-time (6+ credits for undergraduates, 6+ credits or 24 units for graduate students) during the Fall or Spring semester.
- At least 16 years old.
- A Maryland resident or dependent of a Maryland resident at the time of application, except for the following individuals:
- A child, stepchild, or surviving spouse of any State or Local Public Safety Employee killed in the line of duty, or who is 100% disabled after an injury in the line of duty.
- A Disabled Public Safety Employee.
Qualifying Conditions:
- The child, stepchild, or surviving spouse (who has not remarried) of a member of the United States military who died as a result of military service or who suffered a service-connected 100% permanent disability as a result of military service.
- A United States military veteran who has a service-connected disability of 25% or greater and has exhausted or is no longer eligible for federal veterans' educational benefits.
- The son, daughter, stepchild, or surviving spouse of a victim of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks
- A POW/MIA of the Vietnam Conflict or his/her son, daughter, or stepchild, and was a resident of this State at the time the person was declared to be a prisoner of war or missing in action.
- A State or local public safety employee or volunteer who was 100% disabled in the line of duty.
- The son, daughter, stepchild, or surviving spouse (who has not remarried) of a State or local public safety employee or volunteer who died in the line of duty or who was 100% disabled in the line of duty.
- The son, daughter, stepchild, or surviving spouse (who has not remarried) of a school employee who died or sustained an injury in the line of duty that rendered the school employee 100% disabled as a result of an act of violence in the line of duty.
- Awards and award amounts are subject to the availability of funds. Submission of an application does not guarantee the awarding of this scholarship.
- Renewal scholarship awards are prioritized before initial applicants. If funds remain after awarding renewals, initial applicants will be awarded based on the date on which a complete application, with all supporting documents, was received by our office.
- Eligible initial applicants who are unable to receive an award due to limited funds will be placed on a waiting list. Waitlisted applicants will be awarded as funds become available, prioritized by the date on which a complete application was received.
- Award amounts cannot exceed the student’s annual tuition and mandatory fees, including the Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer semesters, up to $14,086 for the 2026-27 academic year.
- Veteran Applicants: Maryland law limits the number of Conroy & Cryor Scholarships an institution can award to eligible veterans. MHEC will determine UMD’s eligibility to award the 2026-27 Conroy & Cryor scholarship for eligible veterans by August 2026. Funding is not guaranteed for veteran applicants.
- Renewal awardees are not required to reapply each year. The Edward T. & Mary A. Conroy Memorial & Jean B. Cryor Memorial Scholarship may be renewed on an annual basis for up to five years of full-time study (12+ credits per semester) or eight years of part-time study (6-11 credits per semester) or a combination of both if the recipient:
- Is enrolled at least part-time
- Continues to meet all other eligibility requirements
- Renewal scholarships will be awarded in early July.
- Students must be enrolled at least half-time (6+ credits for undergraduates, 24+ units for graduates) during the Fall or Spring semesters to receive a disbursement.
- A portion of the awarded Conroy & Cryor Scholarship may be deferred for the Winter and Summer semesters at the student’s request. Requests must be submitted in writing to umdfinaid@umd.edu prior to the term for which the funds are being requested.
- Conroy & Cryor Scholarship awards may be reduced or canceled in the following situations:
- Changes in enrollment before the end of the semester’s schedule adjustment (add/drop) period.
- If the student receives other student financial aid, including grants, scholarships, or waivers, that exceeds the annual cost of attendance.
- Receipt of Veterans’ education benefits.