DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG)

DCTAG helps District of Columbia residents afford college outside the District, since DC has no state university system of its own. At public colleges and universities across the country, it pays the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition. Beginning in 2026-27 the annual cap rises from $10,000 to $15,000 and the lifetime cap from $50,000 to $75,000. Students at private four-year HBCUs nationwide or private nonprofit colleges in the DC region can receive up to $3,750 a year, with an $18,750 lifetime limit. Applicants must have been domiciled in DC for 12 consecutive months before starting college and keep that domicile, hold a high school diploma or equivalent earned within 15 years of the first award year, and be working toward a first undergraduate degree at least half time with satisfactory progress. Income must fall under the program's published maximum. Students must reapply every year through the DC OneApp and FAFSA, with supporting documents.