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DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG)

   

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DCTAG Application Deadline Update:  

The DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) application, or the DC OneApp, requires information from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine student eligibility for DCTAG. The US Department of Education announced that FASFA information, which has historically been made available in January, would be available starting in mid-March. While some information became available in mid-March, the DC TAG team understands that many students have not been able to successfully complete the FAFSA and others have not yet received information back from FAFSA to complete the DC TAG application. To accommodate these delays and ensure a smooth application process for students and families, the DCTAG application opened on March 11, 2024, and will remain open until Sept. 6, 2024.

Important DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) Eligibility Change:  

Effective as of the 2024-25 academic year, age (26 years of age or younger) will no longer be a DCTAG eligibility requirement. Instead, in addition to other established eligibility requirements, recipients must have earned a secondary credential (diploma or GED) within 15 years of the first year of a DCTAG award. To be eligible for DCTAG for the 2024-25 academic year, residents must have earned a secondary credential (diploma or GED) between 2009 and 2024 and meet all other established eligibility requirements. Applicants are required to report the year they received a secondary credential (diploma or GED) in the DCTAG application, which is a legally binding document. Further verification of the date of graduation will occur by Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) staff after the application is submitted. This policy change will have no impact on continuing DCTAG recipients.  All applicants must have been domiciled in DC for 12 months prior to their freshman year at a postsecondary institution to receive a DCTAG award. In addition, applicants who experienced a  three year or longer gap in their postsecondary education are required to submit documentation regarding DC residence/domicile for five years. 

Please contact the DCTAG office at (202) 727-2824 should you have any questions regarding these new changes.  

Student Eligibility

Who is eligible for DCTAG:

  • DCTAG applicants must meet ALL requirements (prior to yearly deadline) below to be deemed eligible:  
  • A US citizen or have an eligible non-citizenship status; 
  • One who is attending an eligible public or private college or university; 
  • A District of Columbia resident for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the applicant’s first time in college and maintain continued {domicile} throughout the applicant’s college matriculation (NOTE: Dependent students’ [under age 24] domicile is established through the parent or guardian); 
  • Not in a defaulted status with federal student loans; 
  • A high school graduate or a GED recipient; 
  • One who has earned a secondary credential (diploma or GED) within 15 years of the first year of a DCTAG award; 
  • Accepted for enrollment in, or working toward a first undergraduate degree on, at least, a half-time basis as a regular degree-seeking student; 
  • One who has not earned or received a bachelor's degree; 
  • One who is not a professional or graduate-level degree candidate; 
  • In compliance with Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as defined by the college/university of enrollment or accepted enrollment; and 
  • In compliance with DCTAG maximum income thresholds. To determine income level by award year and first year of postsecondary education, please review this guidance – DCTAG maximum income. If you have questions, please contact your DCTAG advisor.

Background

DCTAG was created by Congress in 1999 by the District of Columbia College Access Act; PL 106-98 and amended by DC College Access Improvement Act 2002 and DC College Access Improvement Act 2007 to expand higher education choices for college-bound residents of the District of Columbia.

Currently, DCTAG recipients attend more than 300 colleges and universities. To learn if your college or university participates in DCTAG, please visit our list of participating colleges and universities.

Domicile 

To be eligible for DCTAG, an applicant must have established domicile in the District of Columbia for at least 12 months preceding the commencement of freshman year attendance at an institution of higher education. For full eligibility requirements please see the DC Code, Title 38, Chapter 27 and DC Municipal Regulations, Title 29, Chapter 70. In the District of Columbia, the term domicile has the same meaning as term “residence” when used for the purposes of verifying eligibility to enroll in District public schools. 

Domicile is a person’s permanent place of dwelling. Consequently, domicile is a combination of two factors: (1) an actual residence and (2) an intent to remain. 

Federal law requires that applicants receiving DCTAG awards are domiciled within the District of Columbia. As individuals may obtain a PO Box in the District without demonstrating domicile, OSSE does not consider a PO Box an acceptable address. 

Service Contact: 
Kenneth McGhee, DCTAG Director
Contact Email: 
[email protected]
Contact Phone: 
(202) 481-3946
Contact TTY: 
711
Contact Suite #: 
Fifth Floor
Service Location: 

1050 First Street, NE

GIS Address: 
1050 First Street, NE
City: 
Washington
State: 
DC
Zip: 
20002
Related Content: 
Scholarships and Grants for Students

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