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Hood College · Maryland

Hood scholarships and merit aid

Hood College awards more than $6 million a year in automatic-consideration merit scholarships topping out at $30,000, plus four competitive full-tuition Chair of the Board awards, percent-of-tuition transfer scholarships, and a full-tuition Hood Advantage grant for low-income Marylanders.

Verified Jul 20262 months ago

The short answer

Is Hood worth a closer look?

Hood may be worth checking, but its awards do not follow a simple grades-and-scores chart. Start with the published scholarships below.

Merit tiers13See who qualifies
Research checkedJul 2026By our research team

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Published scholarships

These amounts and requirements come from the school’s own published pages. Open an award to see who qualifies and how to keep it.

$30,000

Trustee Scholarship

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Who qualifies

All applicants automatically considered; awards based on classroom achievement, analytical thinking, talent/creativity and potential. No GPA/test grid published.

How to keep it

Renewable throughout the student's undergraduate career (eight semesters or completion of the bachelor's degree, whichever comes first); must be enrolled full-time (minimum of 12 credits per semester) and maintain satisfactory academic progress.

Notes

Top tier of Hood's first-year merit ladder; no separate application required.

Source

$28,000

Presidential Scholarship

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Who qualifies

All applicants automatically considered; no GPA/test grid published.

How to keep it

Renewable for eight semesters or completion of the bachelor's degree, whichever comes first; full-time enrollment (minimum 12 credits) and satisfactory academic progress required.

Notes

Second tier of the first-year merit ladder.

Source

$24,000

Dean Scholarship

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Who qualifies

All applicants automatically considered; no GPA/test grid published.

How to keep it

Renewable for eight semesters or completion of the bachelor's degree, whichever comes first; full-time enrollment (minimum 12 credits) and satisfactory academic progress required.

Notes

Third tier of the first-year merit ladder.

Source

$20,000

Leadership Award

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See who qualifies
Who qualifies

All applicants automatically considered; no GPA/test grid published.

How to keep it

Renewable for eight semesters or completion of the bachelor's degree, whichever comes first; full-time enrollment (minimum 12 credits) and satisfactory academic progress required.

Notes

Fourth tier of the first-year merit ladder.

Source

$15,000

Achievement Award

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See who qualifies
Who qualifies

All applicants automatically considered; no GPA/test grid published.

How to keep it

Renewable for eight semesters or completion of the bachelor's degree, whichever comes first; full-time enrollment (minimum 12 credits) and satisfactory academic progress required.

Notes

Fifth tier of the first-year merit ladder.

Source

$2,000

Pillar Scholarship

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See who qualifies
Who qualifies

All applicants automatically considered; no GPA/test grid published.

How to keep it

Renewable for eight semesters or completion of the bachelor's degree, whichever comes first; full-time enrollment (minimum 12 credits) and satisfactory academic progress required.

Notes

Lowest tier of the first-year merit ladder; the page notes it began with Fall 2024.

Source

Full tuition

Chair of the Board Scholarship

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See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Competitive: all first-year students accepted to Hood by January 15 are considered; candidates invited to Scholars' Day in February including a scholarship interview. Four awards per entering class.

How to keep it

Renewable annually, up to four years, provided the recipient maintains a GPA of no less than 3.5 and makes satisfactory progress toward a bachelor's degree.

Notes

Tuition only — not a full ride. All Scholars' Day attendees who are not selected still receive $5,000 in additional scholarship funds plus a $2,000 stipend account usable after their second year for research, study abroad or related educational expenses.

Source

One-half of tuition

Founders' Scholarship (transfer)

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See who qualifies
Who qualifies

All transfer applicants automatically considered; no GPA grid published. Award is a percent of tuition (not including fees, room or board).

How to keep it

Renewable for the number of semesters indicated in the student's acceptance letter; must achieve the minimum semester GPA, maintain satisfactory academic progress and be enrolled full-time. Two consecutive semesters below the minimum GPA results in reduction to or elimination of the award; the original amount can be recovered by achieving the required semester GPA.

Notes

Page lists $21,250 as the dollar value but states this is 'Based on 2021-2022 tuition'; the actual dollar amount changes annually with tuition.

Source

One-third of tuition

Trailblazer Scholarship (transfer)

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See who qualifies
Who qualifies

All transfer applicants automatically considered; no GPA grid published. Percent of tuition, not including fees, room or board.

How to keep it

Renewable for the number of semesters indicated in the student's acceptance letter; minimum semester GPA, satisfactory academic progress and full-time enrollment required. Two consecutive semesters below the minimum GPA results in reduction to or elimination of the award.

Notes

Page lists $18,170 'Based on 2021-2022 tuition'; dollar value changes annually with tuition.

Source

One-quarter of tuition

Recognition Award (transfer)

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See who qualifies
Who qualifies

All transfer applicants automatically considered; no GPA grid published. Percent of tuition, not including fees, room or board.

How to keep it

Renewable for the number of semesters indicated in the student's acceptance letter; minimum semester GPA, satisfactory academic progress and full-time enrollment required. Two consecutive semesters below the minimum GPA results in reduction to or elimination of the award.

Notes

Page lists $14,128 'Based on 2021-2022 tuition'; dollar value changes annually with tuition.

Source

Full tuition

Hood Advantage Program

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GPA
3.0 (high school)
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

Maryland resident; family household income of $50,000 or less; apply as a first-year, full-time undergraduate; complete the FAFSA listing Hood (school code 002076). Students who qualify automatically receive the program as part of their financial aid package.

How to keep it

The Hood Advantage Program covers tuition for up to four years.

Notes

Need-based full-tuition grant rather than a pure merit award; the page's coverage bullets also list 'Room and board' and 'Books and other personal supplies' alongside 'Full cost of tuition ($45,000+)', but the program description says it 'covers tuition' — coverage scope is ambiguous (see Section C).

Source

$33,000-Full tuition

Miss America's Teen and Miss Maryland's Teen Scholarship

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See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Participation in the Miss Maryland's Teen or Miss America's Teen programs automatically qualifies you for a scholarship: four-year full tuition for winners of Miss Maryland's and Miss America's Teen; $33,000 for local titleholders in the Miss Maryland's Teen competition.

How to keep it

Full-tuition award for winners is four-year; the $33,000 local-titleholder scholarship is renewable for four years.

Notes

Available to eligible students enrolling at Hood starting in the fall 2026 academic year. Contact bamonti@hood.edu.

Source

$33,000-Full tuition

Distinguished Young Women Scholarship

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See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Full-tuition scholarship for the Distinguished Young Women state winner; $33K annual scholarships for all participants.

Notes

Renewal terms not stated on the page; the $33K awards are described as 'annual'. Contact the director of admission at bamonti@hood.edu.

Source

See what could change an award

Rules that could change the answer

These are the rules we would flag for your family. Each comes from Hood's published information.

  • Renewal ruleTrustee Scholarship: renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out

    Renewable throughout the student's undergraduate career (eight semesters or completion of the bachelor's degree, whichever comes first); must be enrolled full-time (minimum of 12 credits per semester) and maintain satisfactory academic progress. A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.

  • Outside awardsDifferent aid types are displaced differently

    Hood treats loans, work-study, and institutional grant under different rules. The same $5,000 outside award can land against any of them depending on category.

What families often miss

  1. Hood's FAQ states outside scholarships must be reported and 'may reduce the amount of a student's loan or work commitment. They may also reduce a portion of the College's grant aid' — so a private award can displace Hood grant money, not just loans.

  2. The Chair of the Board Scholarship covers 'all tuition costs'; the transfer page states explicitly that top awards are 'a percent of tuition (not including fees, room or board).' Fees (about $1,100/yr in 2026-27), housing and food remain the family's responsibility.

  3. Only first-year students who have been accepted to Hood College by January 15 are considered, with Scholars' Day held in February — applying late removes you from the only full-tuition merit competition.

  4. Transfer scholarships carry a minimum semester GPA set in the acceptance letter; one bad semester triggers a warning, and 'two consecutive semesters below the minimum grade point average will result in a reduction to or elimination of the award.' (It can be recovered by hitting the required GPA again.)

  5. That award has a steeper renewal cliff: it is renewable only if the recipient 'maintains a GPA of no less than 3.5,' versus general satisfactory academic progress for the regular merit ladder.

  6. Hood's FAQ says 'Students are required to complete the FAFSA each year to determine federal aid, state aid and institutional aid,' and scholarships are limited to the first eight semesters of full-time enrollment (minimum 12 credits).

  7. The listed $21,250 / $18,170 / $14,128 values are 'Based on 2021-2022 tuition'; the awards are actually one-half, one-third and one-quarter of current tuition and 'will change annually based upon the tuition.'

  8. The COA page warns that students living off campus without parents and independent students 'cannot receive more than the cost of attendance from any combination of institutional, federal, state or private funding source,' including merit aid, tuition benefits, ROTC awards and RA contracts.

  9. The page headline says 'Full-tuition grants' and that the program 'covers tuition for up to four years,' even though its bullets also mention room and board and books; families should confirm exactly what is covered, and note the income ($50,000 or less), Maryland-residency, 3.0 GPA and first-year-applicant gates.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Strong students who want sizable merit aid without extra applications — every applicant is automatically reviewed, and 98 percent of Hood students receive some form of merit-based aid. Top academic applicants who are admitted by January 15 can compete for one of four full-tuition Chair of the Board Scholarships, and Maryland students with household income of $50,000 or less and a 3.0 GPA can get full tuition through the Hood Advantage Program.

Published yearly cost: Approximately $71,374 for 2025-2026. Source

Cost and graduation facts

Federal reporting on who actually enrolls at Hood, what they paid after aid, and what happened next — independent of anything the school markets.

Average annual net price by family income at Hood, academic year 2021-22
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$12,424
$30,001–$48,000$14,454
$48,001–$75,000$19,837
$75,001–$110,000$23,638
$110,001+$29,078
All income levels (average)$20,873

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees, AY 2022-23
$47,700
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$20,873

That works out to roughly a 66% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $61,219 (College Scorecard — a separate, federally reported figure, not the published cost of attendance shown above).

Outcomes for students who enrolled here

Graduation rate (150% of normal time), 2016 cohort
57%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
68%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$25,000 (~$265/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$57,089
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
44%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
70%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

Hood designates only its small Honors ($2,000), Legacy ($1,000) and — for transfers — Phi Theta Kappa ($2,000) awards as 'stackable' on top of a merit scholarship. Outside (private) scholarships must be reported and may reduce the student's loan or work commitment, and may also reduce a portion of Hood's own grant aid. Students living off campus (not with relatives) and independent students cannot receive aid above the cost of attendance from any combination of sources.

The first-year and transfer scholarship pages list specific 'Stackable Awards' (Honors, Legacy, Phi Theta Kappa) that 'may be awarded in addition to the above merit scholarships.' The Financial Aid FAQs state that outside scholarships may reduce a student's loan or work commitment and may also reduce a portion of the College's grant aid. The cost of attendance page adds a COA cap for off-campus/independent students covering all funding sources including merit aid.

Source

Other Hood scholarships worth checking

These awards can be harder to find. Each one has its own rules.

Amount$2,000EligibilityStudents admitted to the Hood College Honors Program (first-year and transfer).

Explicitly listed as a 'Stackable Award' that may be awarded in addition to the main merit scholarship. The Honors Program is the one award that requires an additional application per the Financial Aid FAQs.

Source

Amount$1,000EligibilityFull-time students whose parent, sibling or grandparent received a Hood bachelor's or master's degree.

Stackable on top of the main merit scholarship.

Source

Amount$2,000EligibilityFull-time transfer students who indicate their PTK induction cycle and institution on their Hood application.

Stackable on top of the transfer merit scholarship; you must flag PTK membership on the application.

Source

Amount$5,000 plus $2,000 stipend accountEligibilityAll Chair of the Board Scholarship candidates who attend Scholars' Day in February.

Even non-winners receive $5,000 in additional scholarship funds plus a $2,000 stipend account usable after sophomore year for research, study abroad or related educational expenses.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityStudents who successfully completed all requirements of the Teacher Academy of Maryland during high school.

Listed on Hood's Private Scholarships page as 'Given to students by Hood College.'

Source

Hood merit aid FAQ

  • Do I need a separate application for Hood's merit scholarships?

    No. All students applying for admission are automatically considered — 'No special application is required.' The only exception noted in Hood's FAQs is the Honors Program, which has its own application (Honors admits get a stackable $2,000 award).

  • What are the scholarship and financial-aid deadlines?

    To be considered for the full-tuition Chair of the Board Scholarship, you must be accepted to Hood by January 15 (Scholars' Day follows in February). Hood's preferred FAFSA filing deadline for incoming first-years is Feb. 15, and need-based grants (Pell, FSEOG, Hood Grants) give priority to FAFSAs filed by March 1.

  • How much are Hood's first-year merit scholarships?

    The published ladder is: Trustee $30,000, Presidential $28,000, Dean $24,000, Leadership $20,000, Achievement $15,000 and Pillar $2,000 per year, with stackable Honors ($2,000) and Legacy ($1,000) awards on top.

  • Are the scholarships renewable?

    Yes — for eight semesters or completion of the bachelor's degree, whichever comes first, as long as you stay enrolled full-time (minimum 12 credits per semester) and maintain satisfactory academic progress. The Chair of the Board Scholarship additionally requires a GPA of at least 3.5, and transfer scholarships require a minimum semester GPA stated in your acceptance letter.

  • What happens if I win an outside scholarship?

    You must notify the financial aid office. Outside scholarships may reduce your loan or work commitment, and may also reduce a portion of the College's grant aid.

  • Does 'full tuition' include housing and food?

    No. Hood's full-tuition awards cover tuition only — the transfer page states awards are a percent of tuition 'not including fees, room or board.' In 2026-27, full-time tuition is $24,900 per semester; fees, housing and meal plans are billed separately.

See sources and other schools

How Hood compares

  • 32 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use mixed displacement.

    Hood is in the small minority (32 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.

  • 665 of 749 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.

    Hood is one of them. The cohort minority (84 schools) only awards one-year scholarships, which means the four-year value families assume on a brochure quote isn't guaranteed at every school.

Sources used on this page

Every claim is checked against Hood’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.

Compare with similar schools

Keep exploring Hood merit aid