Golden Cap Award

The Golden Cap Award is a scholarship presented by the Division of Professional Studies in conjunction with the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) Graduate School. This award recognizes graduating undergraduate students who demonstrate creativity, personal expression, and forward-looking ambition through the design of their graduation cap.

Two (2) recipients will each be awarded a $2,000 scholarship to support enrollment in a UMBC graduate program beginning in Fall 2026.
The scholarship will be distributed in four equal installments of $500 across the following academic terms: (Fall 2026, Spring 2027, Fall 2027 and Spring 2028)

Eligibility Requirements
To qualify, applicants must:

• Be a current UMBC undergraduate student graduating in Spring 2026
• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (domestic student)
• Apply to and be admitted into a UMBC graduate program for Fall 2026
• Enroll in at least three (3) credits toward their graduate degree in Fall 2026

Scholarship Terms & Conditions

• The Golden Cap Award scholarship:
• Is non-transferable and may only be applied to eligible UMBC graduate programs
• Cannot be deferred to a future semester
• Will be disbursed across 4 consecutive semesters
• ($500 Fall 26, $500 Spring 27, $500 Fall 27, and $500 Spring 28)
• Will be applied as part of the student’s financial aid package and may affect other aid
• May be declined by the recipient
• Recipients must comply with all university policies and enrollment requirements.

Submission & Content Guidelines
By submitting an entry, participants acknowledge and agree that:

• Submitted materials must be original work created by the student
• Content must not include inappropriate, offensive, or copyrighted material without permission
• The Division of Professional Studies reserves the right to disqualify submissions that do not meet standards