DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG)
Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), District of Columbia
Pays up to $15,000 a year toward the out-of-state tuition gap at public colleges nationwide, or up to $3,750 a year at eligible private colleges, for DC residents.
- How much
- Up to $15,000 per year at public colleges ($75,000 lifetime); up to $3,750 per year at eligible private colleges ($18,750 lifetime) (2026-27)
- Who qualifies
- DC domicile for at least 12 consecutive months before first starting college, kept throughout college (under-24 dependents through parent/guardian); high school diploma or GED/NEDP earned within 15 years of the first DCTAG award (2011-2026 for 2026-27); first undergraduate degree, at least half-time, degree-seeking; no bachelor's degree; not in federal student loan default; satisfactory academic progress; family taxable income under the DCTAG cap (2026-27: $642,544 if college began in or after 2019-20; higher caps for earlier starters). College must be a DCTAG participating institution.
- For students starting college, undergrads
- US citizen or eligible noncitizen
- When to apply
- Opens later Annual; DC OneApp opens early February and closes in mid/late August (2026-27: Feb 2 to Aug 21, 2026 at 3 p.m.). No waitlist after the deadline.
- How to apply
- Each year: complete the DCTAG application in the DC OneApp (dconeapp.dc.gov, Google Chrome required), file the FAFSA and upload your FAFSA Submission Summary, and upload one domicile document (e.g. parent's DC D-40 tax return) plus one recent proof of DC residency, all at the same time, before the deadline
- Give your award letter to your college's financial aid office
- What you'll need
- state application + FAFSA
The details
Created by Congress in the District of Columbia College Access Act of 1999 (DC has no state university system, so DC residents get help paying out-of-state rates elsewhere). DCTAG is federally appropriated but run by DC's OSSE, so it is treated as DC's state program here. Two parts: (1) at public colleges and universities in the US, Guam and Puerto Rico it pays the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition, up to $15,000 per year ($7,500 per semester or $5,000 per quarter) and $75,000 lifetime; (2) at private nonprofit colleges in the DC metro area and private HBCUs nationwide it pays up to $3,750 per year ($1,875 per semester), $18,750 lifetime. Awards are reduced for less than full-time enrollment, paid straight to the college (no refund to the student), and limited to six years in all. Summer courses can be covered if the annual maximum was not used. Not usable at the University of the District of Columbia (DC residents already pay in-state there), for study abroad, or at for-profit colleges. Not need-based (SAI does not affect the award), but family taxable income must be under a cap (2026-27: under $642,544 for students who started college in or after 2019-20). Reapply every year.
More money from District of Columbia
- Mayor's Scholars Undergraduate ProgramUp to $4,000 per year (lifetime cap $16,000 for an associate degree, $24,000 for a bachelor's) (2026-27)
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Maryland, Virginia
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
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