How much is the DC Tuition Assistance Grant in 2026-27?

Up to $15,000 a year, with a $75,000 lifetime cap, at eligible public colleges -- up from $10,000 and $50,000. At private HBCUs nationwide and private nonprofit colleges in the DC region, the maximum is $3,750 a year with an $18,750 lifetime cap, up from $2,500. Both increases start with the 2026-27 award year.

No. OSSE's FAQ states that your Student Aid Index has no impact on your DCTAG award, because DCTAG is not a need-based grant. There is an income ceiling, but it's high: for students who began college in or after 2019-20, family taxable income must be below $642,544 for the 2026-27 award year.

When is the DCTAG application deadline?

The 2026-27 application ran from February 2 to August 21, 2026, at 3 p.m., through the DC OneApp. OSSE hasn't announced 2027-28 dates yet; the last two cycles opened in the first week of February and closed in mid-to-late August. You must reapply every year.

Can I use DCTAG at the University of the District of Columbia?

No. OSSE states DCTAG can't be used at UDC, because District residents already pay in-state tuition there.

DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) 2026-27: Up to $15,000 a Year -- the First Increase in 25 Years

The DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) pays up to $15,000 a year toward the gap between in-state and out-of-state tuition when a District resident attends a public college outside DC -- the first increase in the program's 25-year history. Starting with the 2026-27 award year, the public-college maximum rose from $10,000 to $15,000 and the lifetime cap from $50,000 to $75,000, after Congress amended the program's law in February 2026. Students at private HBCUs and DC-area private colleges can now get up to $3,750 a year, up from $2,500.

Much of what's online still lists the old $10,000 and $2,500 figures -- including some of the Office of the State Superintendent of Education's (OSSE) own older materials. The numbers below come from OSSE's February 26, 2026 announcement and the amended DC Code.

Why DCTAG exists

DC has no state university system, so District students had no in-state tuition rate to fall back on outside the University of the District of Columbia. Congress created DCTAG in 1999 to give them one, in effect: the grant pays a participating public college the difference between its in-state and out-of-state tuition and fees on the student's behalf. Per OSSE, nearly 40,000 DC residents have received more than $716 million since the first awards in 2000-01, and more than 4,500 students were approved for 2025-26, the most in over five years.

DCTAG 2026-27 award amounts

Where you enroll	Annual maximum	Lifetime maximum	What it pays
Public colleges nationwide (participating)	$15,000 (was $10,000)	$75,000 (was $50,000)	The in-state/out-of-state tuition and fee gap, up to the cap
Private HBCUs nationwide, and private nonprofits in DC and nearby Maryland and Virginia	$3,750 (was $2,500)	$18,750	Tuition and fees, up to the cap
University of the District of Columbia	Not eligible	--	DC residents already pay in-state rates

Two details matter for what you actually receive:

At public colleges, you get the gap, not automatically $15,000. If a school's out-of-state premium is smaller than $15,000 -- common at regional publics and many public HBCUs -- the award is smaller too. See what DCTAG actually pays at 25 popular colleges.
The money goes to the school, not to you. It's paid against tuition and fees, and OSSE's FAQ says DCTAG itself never produces a refund check.

Payments are prorated for students enrolled less than full-time; you must be at least half-time to qualify at all.

Who's eligible

To receive DCTAG for 2026-27, OSSE says you must meet every one of these:

DC domicile for at least 12 consecutive months before starting college, maintained the entire time you're enrolled -- for dependent students under 24, established through a parent or legal guardian. This is where most applications run into trouble; see the domicile rules and accepted documents.
U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen, and not in default on a federal student loan.
High school diploma, GED, or National External Diploma Program credential earned within the last 15 years (2011-2026 for this cycle).
Enrolled at least half-time in a first undergraduate degree, with no bachelor's degree already earned.
Meeting your college's satisfactory academic progress standards.
Family taxable income below the cap for the year you started college: $642,544 if you started in or after 2019-20 (higher, older caps apply to earlier starters).

The income cap is high enough that it rarely matters, and OSSE is explicit that your FAFSA's Student Aid Index doesn't change your award. You still have to file the FAFSA every year, though -- OSSE uses it to confirm citizenship, Social Security numbers, and loan status, and a student selected for federal verification who doesn't finish it is ineligible.

How and when to apply

You apply through the DC OneApp (dconeapp.dc.gov) every year -- awards never carry over. For 2026-27, the application opened February 2, 2026 and closed August 21, 2026, at 3 p.m. OSSE hasn't posted 2027-28 dates; the prior cycle opened the first week of February 2025 and closed August 15, 2025, so plan on a similar February-to-August window.

The application needs three things uploaded together: one domicile-verification document, one recent proof-of-residency document, and your FAFSA Submission Summary. Once you're approved, your award letter appears under the Correspondence tab in the DC OneApp; you send it to your college's financial aid office, and OSSE says payment reaches the school within about 30 business days of the school's invoice. Participating colleges agree not to charge late fees or block access to classes or housing over the timing of a DCTAG payment, and per OSSE's FAQ, a school can't drop your classes when forthcoming DCTAG funds are your only outstanding balance.

Your college also has to be on OSSE's participating list -- 404 institutions for 2026-27. A college that isn't listed can sign up, but only voluntarily: OSSE's FAQ says to send the DCTAG office a financial aid contact at the school to start the process.

What this means for you

Do the math for each public college on your list. The award is capped at that school's out-of-state premium, so $15,000 is the ceiling, not the expected amount.
Look again at private HBCUs and DC-area private colleges. The $3,750 award is smaller, but it's up 50% -- see which private colleges qualify.
Stack it with need-based aid. DCTAG isn't need-based, so it sits alongside federal aid and DC's separate Mayor's Scholars Undergraduate Program, which is.
Compare neighbors: Virginia's VTAG works the opposite way -- it's for Virginia residents at private Virginia colleges.
Mark February and August. Reapply each year inside OSSE's window, and keep your DC domicile documented while you're away at school.
High-scoring DC juniors: DC shares the highest National Merit cutoff in the country -- see D.C.'s Semifinalist line, and how every DC high school compares on SAT college readiness.