How much DCTAG pays depends on your college. The DC Tuition Assistance Grant covers the difference between a public college's in-state and out-of-state tuition and fees, up to $15,000 a year -- so $15,000 is a ceiling, not a promise. At a flagship whose out-of-state premium runs $30,000 or $40,000, DCTAG pays the full $15,000 and you still owe the rest above the in-state price. At a school whose premium is $11,000, DCTAG pays about $11,000 and closes the gap entirely. For the program basics -- eligibility, the application, and the 2026 increase -- start with the DCTAG overview.
How the award is calculated
The federal law behind DCTAG directs payment of "the difference between the tuition and fees charged for in-State students and the tuition and fees charged for out-of-State students," capped at $15,000 a year and $75,000 over a lifetime. In practice:
- Gap ≤ $15,000: DCTAG covers the whole gap, and a DC student pays roughly what an in-state student pays.
- Gap > $15,000: DCTAG pays $15,000, and the rest of the out-of-state premium is yours (or your other aid's).
- Part-time: the payment is prorated.
What DCTAG pays at 25 public colleges on OSSE's 2026-27 list
The figures below use each college's 2024-25 published tuition and fees from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, the most recent year available. Your actual award uses the school's current rates, which have almost certainly risen since, so treat this as a guide to the shape of each school's gap, not a quote.
| College | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state | Gap | DCTAG at $15K cap | Gain vs. old $10K cap | Gap DCTAG doesn't cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Michigan | $17,736 | $60,946 | $43,210 | $15,000 | +$5,000 | $28,210 |
| University of Virginia | $21,803 | $59,512 | $37,709 | $15,000 | +$5,000 | $22,709 |
| UC Berkeley | $16,347 | $50,547 | $34,200 | $15,000 | +$5,000 | $19,200 |
| UCLA | $15,203 | $49,403 | $34,200 | $15,000 | +$5,000 | $19,200 |
| UNC-Chapel Hill | $8,994 | $41,203 | $32,209 | $15,000 | +$5,000 | $17,209 |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | $11,603 | $42,103 | $30,500 | $15,000 | +$5,000 | $15,500 |
| University of Maryland, College Park | $11,809 | $41,186 | $29,377 | $15,000 | +$5,000 | $14,377 |
| Ohio State | $13,244 | $40,022 | $26,778 | $15,000 | +$5,000 | $11,778 |
| William & Mary | $25,914 | $51,038 | $25,124 | $15,000 | +$5,000 | $10,124 |
| University of Delaware | $16,810 | $41,400 | $24,590 | $15,000 | +$5,000 | $9,590 |
| George Mason University | $14,220 | $38,688 | $24,468 | $15,000 | +$5,000 | $9,468 |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | $16,945 | $40,109 | $23,164 | $15,000 | +$5,000 | $8,164 |
| Georgia Tech | $12,058 | $34,484 | $22,426 | $15,000 | +$5,000 | $7,426 |
| Virginia Tech | $15,948 | $37,764 | $21,816 | $15,000 | +$5,000 | $6,816 |
| Penn State | $20,644 | $41,790 | $21,146 | $15,000 | +$5,000 | $6,146 |
| Rutgers-New Brunswick | $17,929 | $37,441 | $19,512 | $15,000 | +$5,000 | $4,512 |
| Towson University | $11,728 | $29,820 | $18,092 | $15,000 | +$5,000 | $3,092 |
| James Madison University | $14,250 | $31,604 | $17,354 | $15,000 | +$5,000 | $2,354 |
| Temple University | $23,011 | $38,958 | $15,947 | $15,000 | +$5,000 | $947 |
| North Carolina A&T | $6,813 | $20,673 | $13,860 | $13,860 | +$3,860 | $0 |
| Virginia State University | $10,043 | $22,650 | $12,607 | $12,607 | +$2,607 | $0 |
| Norfolk State University | $10,180 | $21,682 | $11,502 | $11,502 | +$1,502 | $0 |
| Morgan State University | $8,229 | $19,124 | $10,895 | $10,895 | +$895 | $0 |
| Bowie State University | $9,218 | $19,938 | $10,720 | $10,720 | +$720 | $0 |
| Delaware State University | $10,670 | $20,634 | $9,964 | $9,964 | +$0 | $0 |
Every college above appears on OSSE's 2026-27 participating list. Community colleges are left out because the federal data's "in-state" figure for them can reflect in-district rates, which would misstate the gap.
Who the $15,000 increase actually helps
The raise from $10,000 to $15,000 is worth the full $5,000 only where the out-of-state premium is $15,000 or more -- which, in this sample, means the big flagships and most large regional publics. It's worth much less at the public HBCUs closest to DC. At Morgan State and Bowie State, the 2024-25 gap was already under $11,000, so the new cap adds well under $1,000; at Delaware State, where the gap was under $10,000, the old cap already covered it.
That doesn't make those schools a worse deal -- the opposite. At Morgan, Bowie, Norfolk State, Virginia State, and NC A&T, DCTAG closes the gap completely, so a DC student pays about the in-state price. At Michigan or UVA, a DC student still pays more than $20,000 a year above in-state tuition even with the full grant.
What this means for you
- Check each school's current in-state and out-of-state tuition on its own website and subtract. That's your likely award, up to $15,000.
- At flagships, budget for the uncovered gap. At the most expensive publics, DCTAG covers well under half of the out-of-state premium -- see each flagship's 2026-27 out-of-state premium. D.C. isn't a member of any regional tuition exchange, so DCTAG is the main tool (which exchange each state can use).
- Don't overlook the publics where DCTAG closes the gap. They're effectively in-state for you.
- DCTAG isn't need-based, so it stacks with need-based aid, including federal grants and DC's Mayor's Scholars Undergraduate Program at participating area colleges.
- Comparing a private option? The private-college award works differently -- see DCTAG at private HBCUs and DC-area colleges.
Sources
- D.C. Code § 38-2702, Public school program — D.C. Law Library
- Mayor Bowser Celebrates 25 Years of DCTAG and First-Ever Increase in Annual Award (Feb. 26, 2026) — OSSE
- 2026-2027 DCTAG Eligible College/University List — OSSE
- College Scorecard: in-state and out-of-state tuition and fees, 2024-25 — U.S. Department of Education