Prospective & New Students

Interested in becoming a Terp?

Here are some helpful tips and tricks to keep in mind:


PREPARE

Be sure to review our requirements and checklist before you begin your application. You can apply to UMD via Common App or MyCoalition.

COMPLETE

Mark your calendar for UMD’s early action deadline, November 1. Applying by this deadline gives you priority consideration for admission, merit-based scholarships and invitations to special programs.

Deadlines

FAQs

CONFIRM

After submitting your application, you will be directed to create a Terps Application Portal account to track the status of your application materials. You are responsible for confirming the receipt of all required materials.

Important Application Information

What does "Early Action Deadline" mean? 

An early action deadline is a nonexclusive, nonrestrictive, priority deadline.  Students applying to Maryland are free to apply to as many universities as they would like, as this deadline is not binding.  Applying by November 1 means you took action sooner, and you will hear from us by the end of January with an admissions decision.

The early action deadline is non-binding; these applicants will have until the date listed in the "Enrollment Confirmation Deadline" column on our Admissions website to confirm their enrollment.

For priority consideration, applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by the early action deadline where applicable. Freshmen who apply by November 1 for the fall semester will receive priority consideration for admission to the university, merit-based scholarships and invitations to special programs. Transfer students who apply by the early action deadline for the fall semester will receive priority consideration for admission to the university and merit-based scholarships. Applications received after the regular deadline will be considered on a rolling, space-available basis.

Financial Aid

Students and their families are encouraged to begin working on their FAFSA paperwork to identify the best solution for their financial needs.

Test Scores

As a result of the unprecedented disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, UMD recognizes that many students will not be able to access the SAT and ACT tests that are traditionally required in order to apply for admission. Therefore, UMD will be SAT/ACT optional for Fall 2022 applicants. Additional information can be found on our Future Terps Updates page.

Campus Visits

During the COVID-19 pandemic, visits and tours may be unavailable. However, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions is offering a number of virtual events and programs throughout the semester. Find out more information on virtual Open Houses and webinars via the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Questions? 

Visit the Apply Maryland FAQ site, or email us at admitbsos@umd.edu. Be sure to follow us on Instagram - @BSOSUMD!

Applying to Maryland?

Interested in a Particular Major?

Feel free to explore videos and other resources to learn more about everything BSOS has to offer.

Additional Resources

Explore websites and additional resources provided by each department.

Videos

Criminology & Criminal Justice
Government & Politics
Economics
Psychology
Hearing & Speech Science, Geographical Sciences, and Environmental Sciences & P…
Sociology, Anthropology, and African American Studies

Accepted to Maryland?

Virtual Commencement with Darryll Pines and The Terrapin

Welcome to the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences!

Congratulations on your college decision, and welcome to the University of Maryland. We hope you are just as excited as we are!

 

As you look forward to the fall semester, please visit the Orientation website to register for New Student Orientation and find your First-Year to-do list. You can also visit the Feller Center website to learn more about the advising and career opportunities available to you in BSOS.

If you are interested in visiting campus for a daily visit or an open house, check out the Admissions Events Calendar.

Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @bsosumd and on Facebook at facebook.com/bsosumd to learn more about our students, programs, events, research, and more.

If you have any questions about joining BSOS in the fall, please feel free to reach out to us at admitbsos@umd.edu and we will be more than happy to help.

TerrapinSTRONG

Campus aerial

BSOS TerrapinSTRONG Together

TerrapinSTRONG affirms our campus mission, culture, and values as a diverse, united, proud, thoughtful, inclusive, accountable, and empowered community that works to positively impact our globally-connected society. The goals of TerrapinSTRONG onboarding are to ensure that all new community members feel welcomed to the University of Maryland; learn some of our history; understand our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion; and come to know more about our traditions. All new students, faculty, and staff will participate in TerrapinSTRONG as part of their orientation. Following this experience, new Terps are further welcomed by their college with programming on opportunities to become TerrapinSTRONG. BSOS TerrapinSTRONG will be delivered to our first-time BSOS students (Freshmen and Transfers) via one of three different experiences: UNIV 100 and BSOS 361.

BSOS College Scholarships

The College offers several scholarships to current BSOS students (below). Each scholarship has individual eligibility criteria. Scholarship awards are granted one time for the Fall semester. 

In addition, the College manages other scholarships open to BSOS and all UMD students (scroll down to Other Undergraduate Scholarships to review). These scholarships have individual eligibility requirements and may have different due dates than the general BSOS scholarship application.

Scroll down for details about the Sebastian Herbstein Memorial Scholarship in Fiction Writing (open to all UMD students, due date March 20), the The Jay G. Cohen Memorial Student Opportunities Endowed Scholarship Fund (open to all UMD students, due date March 31), and the Terp DREAM Scholarship (open to all UMD students, due date April 7).
 

BSOS Scholarships

Eligibility Requirements

  • Have completed at least one semester (Fall 2022 or earlier) at the University of Maryland.
  • Plan to attend the University of Maryland during the Fall 2023 semester - Students graduating Spring 2023 are not eligible to apply.
  • Be enrolled in a BSOS major or BSOS track within a shared major (e.g. ENSP, NEUR, SDSC).
  • Submit all application materials by the due date (see below). Incomplete applications will not be considered.
  • Meet and maintain the original scholarship qualifications; if not met at the time of Fall 2023 funds disbursement, the scholarship will not be awarded.

Application Requirements

  1. Transcript (official or unofficial) – Student’s cumulative GPA from the University of Maryland will be considered
  2. Resume (1-2 pages)
  3. Short Bio (250 words or less) – Include year of study, major, other activities relevant to scholarship and professional activities
  4. Short Answer (250 words or less. Note: each scholarship asks a unique question. You must submit answers for every scholarship to which you are applying)
  5. Academic Reference – Name and email of one University of Maryland faculty or staff member who can speak on behalf of your academic performance and candidacy for a scholarship based on the qualifications set forth. (Note: you should request permission to list this person as your reference, but they will not need to submit a letter.)
  6. Statement of Financial Need – Brief personal statement regarding your financial need, if any, and how a scholarship would benefit you. (Note: you do not need to receive financial aid/assistance to qualify for a scholarship)
  7. Financial Aid Awards Statement – This is only required if you receive any form of financial assistance (other scholarships, loans, grants, etc.). Your statement (current year), if applicable, may be viewed by visiting http://www.testudo.umd.edu/, clicking on "Financial Aid" (in the left menu bar), then click on "MY FINAID ACCOUNT," then navigate to the Access Financial Aid Portal (green button), then “Print” (under the “Financial Aid Offer” tab in the top menu bar). 

The application for the Fall 2023 undergraduate BSOS College scholarships is now open. 

Applications for the BSOS College Scholarships are due Friday, March 24, 2023, 11:59 PM.

Other Undergraduate Scholarships

The Sebastian Herbstein Memorial Scholarship in Fiction Writing will be awarded to an undergraduate student engaged in any major or discipline of study at the University of Maryland who shares Sebastian’s passion for fiction writing and excellence in storytelling.

Two cash prizes, $900 for first prize and $500 for second prize, will be awarded for works of short fiction of 5,000 words or less. At the discretion of the judges, an honorable mention might also be recognized. In accepting the award, the recipients will provide information on how the monetary prize will be used in pursuit of creative writing. The winning pieces will be posted on the Sebastian Herbstein Memorial Award Website, together with a photograph and short bio of the winners. The award winners may list the honor in her or his resumes.

Learn more about the Sebastian Herbstein Memorial Scholarship here. Due date for applications is Monday, March 20, 2023 at 5 PM.

This Scholarship is not open for Fall 2023 applications.

Mr. Matthew Fishlinger '07 and Mr. William J. Fishlinger '71 established the Fishlinger Family Endowed Scholarship in June 2017 to provide merit-based scholarships for undergraduate students in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. This scholarship is intended to provide an annual, merit-based scholarship to a high achieving BSOS undergraduate student who has been deeply impacted by personal or medical challenges. This scholarship is renewable through the recipient's senior year, provided they maintain their good academic standing (3.2 GPA or higher). The monetary award for this scholarship for the 2022-23 academic year is: $12,000.

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered: 

  • Currently enrolled BSOS undergraduate student. Preference given to rising sophomores, majoring in Government & Politics, but all BSOS majors may apply.
  • Exhibit exemplary academic standing, as evidenced by a GPA of 3.2 or higher.
  • Exhibit financial need, as evidenced by submission of Financial Aid Offer Statement and Personal Statement of Financial Need.

The following materials must be submitted to complete your scholarship application:
 

  1. Transcript (official or unofficial) – Student’s cumulative GPA from the University of Maryland will be considered
  2. Resume (1-2 pages)
  3. Short Bio (250 words or less) – Include year of study, major, other activities relevant to scholarship and professional activities
  4. Short Answer (250 words or less) – Please describe your medical or personal hardship and how that has affected your educational and career goals?
  5. Academic Reference – Name and email of one University of Maryland faculty or staff member who can speak on behalf of your academic performance and candidacy for a scholarship based on the qualifications set forth. (Note: you should request permission to list this person as your reference, but they will not need to submit a letter.)
  6. Statement of Financial Need – Brief personal statement regarding your financial need, if any, and how a scholarship would benefit you. (Note: you do not need to receive financial aid/assistance to qualify for a scholarship)
  7. Financial Aid Awards Statement – This is only required if you receive any form of financial assistance (other scholarships, loans, grants, etc.). Your statement, if applicable, may be viewed by visiting http://www.testudo.umd.edu/, clicking on "Financials" (in the left menu bar), then "Show me my Financial Aid Status" (green button), then “Print Your Award Information” (under the “Awards” tab in the top menu bar).

Questions regarding this scholarship or the application process should be directed to bsos-scholarships@umd.edu.

The Jay G. Cohen Memorial Student Opportunities Endowed Scholarship Fund provides support to undergraduate University of Maryland students who have a strong interest in pursuing a career as an attorney. This fund supports costs related to the preparation and application for law school. Funds may support costs for part (or all) of an LSAT preparation course and/or additional expenses incidental to the law school admissions process (e.g. application fees, transportation for visits, etc.) The monetary award for the is variable, typically ranging from $250 to $1,500.

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered:

  • Exhibit exemplary academic standing, as evidenced by a GPA of 3.3 or higher.
  • Have completed at least 75 credits at the University (including transfer and Advanced Placement credits)
  • Exhibit demonstrated financial need, as evidenced by submission of Personal Statement of Financial Need.
  • Intent to pursue law school after graduation
  • Preference given to students with junior class standing. 

The application is now open. Due date for applications is Friday, March 31, 2023 at 5 PM.

The following materials must be submitted to complete your scholarship application:

  1. Transcript (official or unofficial) – Student’s cumulative GPA from the University of Maryland will be considered
  2. Resume (1-2 pages)
  3. Short Bio (250 words or less) – Include year of study, major, other activities relevant to scholarship and professional activities
  4. Short Answer (250 words or less) – Briefly, describe your career goals and explain how receiving this aid supports your goals. Ultimately, list how you plan to directly use these funds. (i.e. LSAT prep, LSAT registration, law school application fees, etc.) 
  5. Academic Reference – Name and email of one University of Maryland faculty or staff member who can speak on behalf of your academic performance and candidacy for a scholarship based on the qualifications set forth. (Note: you should request permission to list this person as your reference, but they will not need to submit a letter.)
  6. Statement of Financial Need – Brief personal statement regarding your financial need, if any, and how a scholarship would benefit you. 

Questions regarding this scholarship or the application process should be directed to bsos-scholarships@umd.edu and Greg J. Shaffer, Esq., Associate Director, Pre-Law Advising, gshaffer@umd.edu. 

The Terp DREAM Scholarship Fund is intended to provide scholarships to undergraduate, undocumented, first-generation college students who have completed at least one semester at the University of Maryland. This scholarship will provide support to undergraduate students who also have prevalent financial need. Multiple scholarships will be distributed. The monetary award for these scholarships for the 2023-24 academic year will range between $250-500. 

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered:

  • Currently enrolled undergraduate student, continuing their studies in 2023-2024. 
  • Exhibits demonstrated path in completing undergraduate degree. 
  • Exhibits financial need, as evidenced by submission of Personal Statement of Financial Need.
  • Does not qualify for FAFSA
  • Does not have permanent residency (green card) or citizenship in the U.S.
  • Is a first-generation college student 

The application is now open. Applications are due by April 7, 2023 at 5PM.

The following materials must be submitted to complete your scholarship application:

  1. Transcript (official or unofficial) – Student’s cumulative GPA from the University of Maryland will be considered
  2. Short Bio (250 words or less) – Include year of study, major, other activities relevant to scholarship and professional activities
  3. Short Answer (250 words or less) – Describe your educational and career goals and explain what or who has inspired or helped shape those goals.
  4. Academic Reference – Name and email of one University of Maryland faculty or staff member who can speak on behalf of your academic performance and candidacy for a scholarship based on the qualifications set forth. (Note: you should request permission to list this person as your reference, but they will not need to submit a letter.)
  5. Statement of Financial Need – Brief personal statement regarding your financial need, if any, and how a scholarship would benefit you. 

Questions regarding this scholarship or the application process should be directed to bsos-scholarships@umd.edu.

The Robert R. Satterfield LGBTQ+ Opportunities Endowed Scholarship was established in August 2016 by Mr. Robert R. Satterfield '95, that supports students who have demonstrated a commitment to promoting civil rights for and preventing discrimination against LGBTQ+ people are encouraged to apply for these scholarship opportunities. The recipient must be a full-time student, with a declared major in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. Sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students are eligible to apply. The monetary award is $1,500 for the 2022-2023 academic year.

The following materials must be submitted to complete your scholarship application:

  1. Transcript (official or unofficial) – Student’s cumulative GPA from the University of Maryland will be considered
  2. Resume (1-2 pages)
  3. Short Answer (250 words or less) – Either in your personal life or academic/career path, please share your demonstrated commitment to promoting civil rights for and preventing discrimination against LGBTQ+ people.

The application is now closed. This application should open in Spring 2023. 

Questions should be directed to bsos-scholarships@umd.edu.

These funds assist undergraduate BSOS majors engaged in experiential learning outside the classroom, including internships, research, conference attendance. 

The application is currently closed. If you are seeking funds for an unpaid Summer 2023 internship, please check out the Bright Futures Scholarship Fund through the Division of Student Affairs.  Applications accepted until 5 PM on Monday, May 8, 2023.

Learn more about BSOS Undergraduate Experience Funds here. 

The BSOS Summer Scholars program supports undergraduate students doing independent research projects with faculty in the summer. Recipients will gain a competitive edge when applying for graduate study, national scholarships, and other awards. Students may expand their research into an independent study or Honors thesis during the following fall semester. The program is modeled after, but separate from, the Maryland Center for Undergraduate Research (MCUR) Maryland Summer Scholars Program. It is expected that students apply for both MCUR and BSOS Summer Scholars, though they may only accept one. The BSOS Summer Scholars program runs annually in the Spring Semester.

There will be a maximum of four awards of $3,000 each. Due date for applying is February 22, 2023. 

Learn more about BSOS Summer Scholars here. 

Scholarships for BSOS students by nomination

The College of of Behavioral and Social Sciences "Be the Solution" Fund supports scholarships and awards for academically talented and engaged students.  These scholarships are supported, in part, by the generous donations of alumni, friends, and parents of the College. 

The “Be The Solution” Scholarship is awarded to a select group of rising seniors in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences who have demonstrated outstanding academic accomplishment at Maryland, as well as financial need. Students are nominated for this award by the College. No application materials are required.

The Townshend Scholarship is awarded to academically talented incoming freshmen in the College of Behavioral & Social Sciences. Students are notified of this award after they have been admitted to the University of Maryland, but prior to enrolling. No additional application materials are required beyond application to the University. This Scholarship is renewable annually for students who meet the scholarship's academic criteria. 

Departmental Scholarships

Check with your department's Director of Undergraduate Studies and advising staff for more information on departmental scholarships and awards:

Additional Information:

  • Students who have previously been awarded a College of Behavioral and Social Sciences scholarship may not reapply for the scholarship which they were awarded; however, past recipients are welcome to apply for other scholarships, if qualified.
  • Students may apply for more than one scholarship; however, they must meet the individual qualifications and submit separate short answer responses for each scholarship.
  • Scholarship recipients will be recognized at the college’s Scholarship Reception (to be held virtual or in-person) - date TBD annually.
  • Scholarship recipients will be asked to submit a Thank You note to the benefactor of the fund and record a short Thank You video message to accompany the note.

Questions regarding BSOS scholarships or the application process can be e-mailed to: bsos-scholarships@umd.edu.