This post was updated on March 6, 2024. It was originally published on May 3, 2019.
Important Note: The DCTAG application opens on March 11, 2024, instead of the usual February 1st. This is because—you guessed it—the FAFSA was delayed. You must submit the FAFSA before applying for DCTAG.
Do Washington D.C. Residents Get In-State College Tuition in All States?
This is the most common question I hear when I give our college funding workshop, Little-Known Secrets of Paying for College.
The short answer is…. No!
But there is a good reason why this myth is propagated. If you reside in D.C., you may qualify for a tuition grant through the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant Program (DCTAG), which, depending on what school you go to and what aid package you receive, might lower your tuition to in-state rates.
But this is rare. Back when the DCTAG Program was created in 1999, it provided an enormous benefit and often matched, or came close to matching, in-state costs. As college costs have skyrocketed in the past two decades, however, the grant values have remained roughly the same. It can still cover the whole difference at a few select schools, but in general, D.C. residents will still pay more than in-state residents without any other forms of aid.
Fortunately, there are other strategies you can combine with DCTAG to lower out-of-state costs.
DCTAG Explained
Since Washington D.C. has no public university except for UDC, DCTAG assists D.C. residents by defraying the cost of out-of-state tuition. For public schools, the program will help cover the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition for up to $10,000 a year for 6 years, with a lifetime maximum of $50,000.
Legislation to increase this number to $15,000 annually is in the works, but we are waiting for implementation.
In addition, undergraduate students who choose to attend private colleges and universities in the D.C. metropolitan area as well as those who choose to attend any private Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) throughout the nation, are eligible to receive a grant for up to $2,500 a year for six years, with a lifetime maximum of $12,500.
You can also use the program for community college. The maximum annual award for two-year community colleges is also $2,500, with a lifetime maximum of $10,000.
How Does the DCTAG Program Actually Work?
Let’s use a popular public school to explain this. Imagine that you live in DC and have chosen to attend the University of Virginia (UVA). In-state tuition at UVA for first-year students is about $16,000, and out-of-state is about $54,000.
The DCTAG would pay up to $10,000 to help cover the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition, and you are responsible for the remaining balance. In this case, not taking into account any financial aid, you would still be responsible for paying $38,000 out-of-pocket. And we are just talking about tuition. Tack on another $20,000 for the full cost of attendance (room, board, etc.).
Ok, so UVA is quite expensive for non-residents compared to other schools. You’ll often find a larger non-resident premium with brand-name flagship schools.
READ: How Out-of-State Students Can Get In-State Tuition
The good news is that there are more affordable options out there. What if you chose to attend the University of South Florida instead? Out-of-state tuition at South Florida is about $17,000 compared to $6,000 for in-state tuition. If you received the full grant of $10,000, your tuition bill would come close to the in-state rates—not too shabby.
Obviously, attending these schools can still be costly, but a $10,000 grant is nothing to scoff at, especially when combined with other forms of financial aid.
Qualifying for DCTAG
So how do you go about obtaining the grant?
First off, there is an income limit for qualification, which, although lenient, has dropped precipitously in the last five years. If your child starts college in Fall 2024, your taxable income must be less than $589,167 to qualify.
Source: DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG) | OSSE
You must submit the FAFSA and provide proof of US citizenship or legal residency and a minimum 12-month DC residency BEFORE applying for DCTAG.
READ: 6 Major Changes to the FAFSA
The next step is checking to see if the schools to which you are applying are part of the DCTAG program. The program has over 300 participating colleges and universities. Here is the 2022-2023 list of participating colleges.
When Should You Apply for DCTAG?
The DCTAG program’s open application period TYPICALLY opens on February 1st and runs until early to mid-September.
For the 2024-2025 award year, DCTAG will open later than usual due to the FAFSA delay. The application opens on March 11, 2024, and closes on September 6, 2024.
DCTAG operates on a first-come-first-served basis, so apply as soon as you can. Like the FAFSA, you must apply for DCTAG every year to be considered for this grant.
A note on the DCTAG website: Although it’s not the most intuitive site out there, the information you need is all there–keep looking for it.
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