FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Scholarship Opportunities
What scholarships are available through DC CAP this year?
We offer one scholarship:
🤝 University Partner Scholarship Program:
The University Partner Scholarship is a competitive program made possible through collaborations with our university partner institutions.
The scholarship includes:
- Annual award of $5,000-$7,500 from DC CAP, renewable for up to five years
- Additional scholarship funding from university partners, significantly reducing direct student costs at the partner institution
- Comprehensive student success coaching throughout your college journey
- Requirement to apply for FAFSA and secure DCTAG to offset costs further
⚠️ Note: Scholarships are NOT transferable
How do I keep my scholarship each year?
To keep your DC CAP scholarship, you must earn at least 24 credits each school year and keep a college GPA of 2.5 or higher. Credits are the points you earn for each class you pass. Some partner colleges have higher rules for their own scholarship money. If we match you with a college, we will tell you its rules.
How does the University Partner matching process work?
The University Partner Scholarship uses a collaborative matching process that aligns students with partner institutions based on mutual preferences:
- Students may select up to three DC CAP university partner preferences in their application, in order of preference.
- University partners review eligible candidates, determine who has applied and has been admitted to their institutions, and indicate their preferences for the next scholar cohort.
- Final matches are determined based on both student and university preferences. If more than one university indicates preference for an applicant, the applicant is matched with the university ranked highest on the applicants list that still has a spot.
⚠️ Note: Applicants must be admitted to the university to be considered for a scholarship. Each university has its own application and deadline, so apply to each one too
💡 Useful Tips:
We strongly encourage applicants to:
- Starting October 15, a student can explore our partner colleges in the College Navigator at navigator.dccap.org. They can see what jobs pay in the D.C. area and which programs at our partner colleges lead to them.
- Use DC CAP resources on the applicant platform
- Read each partner college's website. Applicants can find links in their student portal at apply.dccap.org and on our website.
- Join an online campus visit this fall.
- Talk with someone at the university partner's admissions office (the office that decides who gets in).
- Use the DC CAP tips and tools in their student portal at apply.dccap.org.
⚠️ Important: There are limited scholarship cohort spots at each institution. If matched with a university, your offer is specific to that institution and cannot be transferred to another partner institution. There are no exceptions to this rule.
How competitive are these scholarships?
DC CAP receives many qualified applicants annually and can only award a limited number of scholarships. As a result, many qualified students will not be selected.
⚠️ Note: Scholarship award decisions are final and not subject to appeal. While we understand this may be disappointing, all requests for appeals will be referred to this policy.
Eligibility Requirements
What are the eligibility requirements for the University Partner Scholarship?
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Reside in the District of Columbia
- Earn a high school cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher
- Be a senior at a public or public charter school in the District of Columbia
- Demonstrate eligibility for DC TAG (please visit https://osse.dc.gov/dctag for more information about DC TAG eligibility)
- Demonstrate eligibility for Federal Pell Grant (DC CAP Scholarship selection prioritizes financial need, as demonstrated by the FAFSA – please visit https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa for more information about FAFSA)
- Apply to and be admitted by partner institution(s)
Application Process
What documentation do I need to provide with my application?
All applicants must submit:
- Recent high school transcript showing current cumulative GPA
- Their FAFSA Submission Summary, the short report they receive after they submit the FAFSA (the free form for federal college aid). We use it to see an applicant's financial need.
⚠️ Note: DC CAP prioritizes applicants who demonstrate financial need, based on the FAFSA FSS
Are test scores (SAT, ACT) required?
Test scores are optional for the DC CAP application. However, many University Partners have their own test score requirements for admission and scholarship consideration. Please review each partner's specific requirements on our website.
When are the key application deadlines?
- Wednesday, September 23: The FAFSA opened. Applicants can fill it out now.
- Thursday, October 15: Registration opens at apply.dccap.org. The College Navigator launches the same day.
- Monday, January 4: The DC CAP application opens. If you have not signed up yet, you can sign up and apply then.
- Monday, February 1: DC TAG (college money for DC students) application opens at dconeapp.dc.gov.
- Monday, March 1, 11:59 p.m.: The DC CAP application is due.
- Monday, March 29: We email applicants our decisions.
- Tuesday, April 13: If an applicant is selected, they must accept their admission at the University Partner (tell the partner they are attending in the fall), apply for DC TAG, and accept thair DC CAP scholarship by this day.
- Wednesday, April 14: We begin to offer open spots to applicants that have been waitlisted.
- Monday, May 3: If we offer an applicant a scholarship from the waitlist, they must accept it by this day.
📧 Note: Email is the official communication channel of DC CAP. We will send application information through the email provided by each student at registration. Please use an email address that is checked on a regular basis.
💡 Students interested in the University Partner Scholarship Program must also apply directly to partner institutions by their individual admission deadlines. Many partners accept the Common App, and fee waivers are available for qualifying students.
Can I update my application after submission?
⚠️ Once submitted, application content cannot be edited. You will be prompted to confirm all information within each section before final submission. If you discover an error after submission, please contact us via the "Request for Information" link in your student portal at apply.dccap.org.
DC CAP VS. DCTAG: IMPORTANT DISTINCTIONS
What is the difference between DC CAP and DCTAG?
🎓 DC CAP (District of Columbia College Access Program) - DC CAP is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping DC students prepare for, enroll in, and graduate from college.
⚠️ DC CAP is not affiliated with DC city government, DC Public Schools, or the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE).
🏛️ DCTAG (District of Columbia Tuition Assistance Grant) -DCTAG is a federal program administered by OSSE that provides grants of up to $10,000 per academic year ($50,000 lifetime) to eligible DC residents attending:
Public universities and colleges nationwide
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
Private non-profit colleges and universities in the Washington, DC metropolitan area
How do I apply for DC TAG and who is eligible?
🗓️ The DCTAG application launches in February. Students apply through the DC OneApp at dconeapp.dc.gov.
To be eligible, you must:
Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
Have been a DC resident for at least 12 consecutive months prior to beginning freshman year
Be enrolled at an eligible institution: see https://osse.dc.gov/collegesuniversities for a list of DC TAG eligible colleges and universities
For complete eligibility requirements and to apply, visit: https://osse.dc.gov/dctag
📋 Final Notes About DCTAG:
⚠️ DC TAG award letters are required to finalize DC CAP scholarship offers. We cannot process your scholarship funds without this documentation.
To renew your DCTAG award, you must continue to reside in the District of Columbia throughout your undergraduate studies. Please review the eligibility criteria above for renewing your DCTAG award, as this is critical to understanding your financial aid options.
What if I get DC TAG my first year and lose it later?
Students keep their scholarship, and it stays the same amount as long as they meet DC CAP's rules to keep it each year.
If I lose DC TAG, will DC CAP pay the difference?
No, DC CAP does not pay the difference. Your DC CAP scholarship stays the same as long as you meet our rules each year. Without DC TAG, your total aid goes down, so you may have to pay more.
Getting Help
What if apply.dccap.org isn't working?
- Read these questions and answers first.
- If you can sign in, click the "Request for Information" link in your student portal. Tell us what went wrong, step by step.
- If you can't sign in, email us at support@dccap.org.
- If you forgot your password, simply reset it at the apply.dccap.org login page!
How do I reach DC CAP?
- Email: support@dccap.org
- Student portal: Use the "Request for Information" link at apply.dccap.org.