The DC Futures Program has several stages through its program year. As additional information becomes available, this page and related content will be updated.
The DC Futures Program (DC Futures) partners with three colleges/universities. Institutions may not apply to be eligible for their students to participate in the DC Futures Program. The three DC Futures Program partner universities are:
- Catholic University of America
- Trinity Washington University
- University of the District of Columbia/University of the District of Columbia – Community College
These partner universities and colleges manage three components of the DC Futures Program for enrolled DC Futures participants: scholarship awards, emergency fund requests and prior year unpaid balance requests.
Scholarship Responsibilities of Partner Universities
OSSE requests that each partner university provide support to DC Futures participants through its financial aid office by sharing the opportunity with eligible students. Student eligibility requirements can be found here.
If you represent one of the DC Futures partner universities and would like to discuss the program or the invoice process, please contact the DC Futures Program Manager Melanie Fleming at [email protected] or (202) 741-6406.
Partner College and University Payment Process
The partner university payment process is managed in the Application for Postsecondary Studies (APS).
Invoicing and Payments
OSSE will provide DC Futures Program funding directly to each partner university. Partner universities are required to submit a completed payment request (invoice) for each DC Futures participant each semester, with a detailed cost breakdown.
OSSE provides payment requests (invoices) each semester to each partner university in the form of a list of accepted DC Futures participants (as indicated on the DC Futures participant’s application). OSSE requests that each partner university review and confirm the enrollment and major of each DC Futures participant on the list provided as soon as possible to avoid delays in DC Futures participant course registration timeline. Partner universities may follow-up with a request for payment the day after the course add/drop deadline for the partner university each semester. To ensure payment is completed in a timely manner, OSSE will include, with the original payment request, language indicating that the partner university must submit final invoices no later than Feb. 1 following the fall semester, and no later than Aug. 1 following the spring semester.
OSSE is not responsible for a partner college/university’s failure to properly and/or promptly request payment on behalf of a DC Futures participant. It is the participant’s responsibility to work with their college or university to ensure its timely and proper submission of their payment request to OSSE. Untimely or improperly submitted payment requests may prevent an eligible DC Futures participant from receiving their DC Futures award on time or at all.
Scholarship Repayment
There are two instances in which DC Futures Program staff may identify the need for a partner university to reimburse OSSE for a DC Futures award:
- OSSE may calculate lifetime or annual award timelines and amounts and find that a DC Futures participant has received more than the maximum award amount allowed. In this case, OSSE will request repayment from the university that the student most recently attended.
- If a DC Futures participant is included on a payment request from a partner university, and is found to be not enrolled at the partner university, or is found to be enrolled in a major that is not on the approved DC Futures Approved Major list, OSSE will notify the partner university of the reimbursement amount required.
Partner College and University Responsibilities
Partner colleges and universities will be required to complete a program participation agreement (PPA) with OSSE to outline terms of participation, data and reporting requirements, and other policies related to partner college or university participation in DC Futures.
Partner colleges and universities must agree to not request from or charge any DC Futures participant a fee for processing or handling any application, form, or data required to determine a participant’s eligibility for, and amount of, financial assistance, including reimbursement to OSSE for amounts that exceed the lifetime and annual DC Futures Program award amounts and timelines.
Partner College and University Appeals of Reimbursement Requests
If a partner university receives a reimbursement request from OSSE, the university may appeal the request within 15 days of the request’s upload in the APS system. OSSE will respond in the APS system with a determination for each appeal within 15 days of receiving a partner university’s appeal request.
DC Futures funding is designed to be a last dollar award and eligible participants, through their partner university’s financial aid office, must demonstrate they have exhausted all other funding available to them.
DC Futures Program Point of Contact
For more information or questions, please contact the DC Futures Program Office via email at [email protected] or (202) 727-2824.
Partner College and University Responsibilities for Emergency Fund and Previous Year Unpaid Balance Payments
In August 2022, OSSE executed memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with the three university partners, wherein the universities agreed to support their enrolled DC Futures students requests for emergency funds to cover up to $2,000 in emergency expenses (for each year of DC Futures participation) in addition to a one-time request to pay a previously unpaid balance at another college or university (up to $1,000). Due to funding constraints, starting in the 2025-26 academic year the total annual amount available for both the emergency funds and previous year unpaid balance payments will be $1,000 per DC Futures participant.
University and collegepartners are responsible for:
(1) determining eligibility of student participants and conducting outreach for the emergency fund requests and previous years’ unpaid balance (PYUB) at another college or university payments among DC Futures students enrolled at the partner college or university;
(2) managing DC Futures student payment request processes for both the emergency funds and previous years’ unpaid balance payments, including developing and implementing review and approval processes for both types of requests;
(3) managing the disbursement of funds, as available, based on the application materials provided for DC Futures students enrolled at the partner college or university;
(4) managing funds received from OSSE in accordance with District of Columbia and federal guidance and fulfilling related reporting requirements;
(5) partnering with OSSE and other entities to identify program improvements; and
(6) submitting reports to OSSE as requested.
The emergency funds and previous years’ unpaid balance payments are available to any DC Futures student enrolled at a partner college or university during the fiscal year. In most fiscal years, this will include two award year groups at two time periods. If participants use their emergency funds to pay a previous year’s unpaid balance it will reduce the amount available for other emergencies. Participants have access to up to $1,000 annually to be used for emergencies or a previous year’s unpaid balance.
In FY25, partner colleges and universities are required to notify DC Futures participants enrolled at the partner university of the availability of emergency funds, the process for requesting funds, and any required documentation. Partner universities may receive up to the amounts in the charts below, by fiscal year.
| College/University | Fixed Cost | Emergency Fund + Tuition Balance Expenses | FY25 Total Amount in MOU for DV |
| Catholic | $4,300.00 | $81,700.00 | $86,000.00 |
| Trinity | $10,075.00 | $191,425.00 | $201,500.00 |
| UDC | $10,625.00 | $201,875.00 | $212,500.00 |
| Total | $25,000.00 | $475,000.00 | $500,000.00 |
| College/University | Fixed Cost | Emergency Fund + Tuition Balance Expenses | FY24 Total Amount in MOU for DV |
| Catholic | $45,000.00 | $154,400.00 | $199,400.00 |
| Trinity | $45,000.00 | $318,450.00 | $363,450.00 |
| UDC | $45,000.00 | $492,150.00 | $537,150.00 |
| Total | $135,000.00 | $965,000.00 | $1,100,000.00 |
| IHE | Fixed Cost | Emergency Fund + Tuition Balance Expenses | FY23 Total Amount in MOU for DV |
| Catholic | $45,000.00 | $249,580.49 | $294,580.49 |
| Trinity | $45,000.00 | $452,138.57 | $497,138.57 |
| UDC | $45,000.00 | $397,881.94 | $442,881.94 |
| Total | $135,000.00 | $1,099,601.00 | $1,234,601.00 |
Questions regarding the MOUs should be directed to Kimberly Romero at [email protected].