Financial Aid and Awards
When does the Smith School notify me if I receive an award?
If you are granted a financial award and/or a graduation assistantship, you will be notified in your initial admissions letter.
How does the Smith School determine who receives an award?
The Financial Awards Committee utilizes a holistic process when evaluating students for merit funding. The committee reviews all aspects of the application (academic history, GMAT & GRE performance, recommendation letters, essays, work experience and leadership potential) to determine if a candidate is competitive for consideration.
How is my financial award posted?
Your funds will be divided equally between your fall and spring semester. Please note that the financial award may be posted as a scholarship or tuition reduction. If you are receiving any other financial tuition benefits (employer benefits, veteran’s benefits, external scholarships, etc.) please contact Smith Billing and Financial Aid via email at smithfinancials@umd.edu as your award may impact your overall financial situation.
If I do not receive a financial award from the Smith School, do I have other options to fund my studies?
You are welcome to apply for graduate assistantships outside the Smith School, and elsewhere on the University of Maryland campus. A list of current assistantship openings is available online.
If you are a US permanent resident or US citizen, you are eligible to apply for federal student financial aid. Information is available online here from the UMD Office of Student Financial Aid.
In addition, you can find more information on financing options by using the Scholarship Search and Graduate Student Specific Scholarships provided by the UMD Office of Student Financial Aid. There are also thousands of scholarship opportunities available outside the Smith School which can be found by researching online. We suggest starting here.
Admission and Course Registration
When will I register for my MBA classes?
MBA class registration takes place in the summer during June and July. You will be contacted via email in June with registration instructions. You will register for your courses online.
What academic preparations should I make now? Do you recommend any classes?
The MBA program curriculum requires that students complete academic pre-skills online prior to the start of classes. You will receive information in June outlining the details of the course and instructions on how to register. If you feel as though you can benefit from taking a course at your local university or college, we recommend courses such as Calculus, Statistics, Accounting, Finance or Business Math.
When does orientation begin for new students?
Orientation occurs in August and events are mandatory. Check the Orientation Information section on this website for more details. For planning purposes, please be settled and ready to start orientation by early August. At this time, Orientation dates have not been finalized but will be communicated later on. We will send you exact details once they are confirmed.
Official Transcripts
How do I submit my final official transcripts and when are they due?
Final official transcripts from all previous academic institutions showing evidence of date and award of degree must be received prior to the start of the Fall 2024 semester or future registration will not be possible. If your transcript does not state that a degree was granted, an attested copy of your diploma/degree certificate is also required.
Please mail your official unopened transcript to the Graduate School at:
The Graduate School
University of Maryland
2123 Lee Building
7809 Regents Drive
College Park, MD 20742-5121
USA
Official electronic transcripts may be sent directly from your institution to the following email address:
gradschool@umd.edu
If you have any questions about the transcript requirement, please contact the Graduate School at 1-800-245-4723 or via email at gradschool@umd.edu.