Vaccine Scholarship: $1M Tuition Announced For Immunized Students

COLLEGE PARK, MD — Maryland will give away $1 million in scholarships to vaccinated minors, Gov. Larry Hogan announced Wednesday. The drawing will award a $50,000 college grant to 20 inoculated residents, aged 12 to 17. The effort, called the VaxU Scholarship Promotion, starts Monday and continues through Labor Day.

"Promotions like this are just one more way that we are reinforcing the importance of getting every single Marylander that we can vaccinated against COVID-19, especially our young people," Gov. Larry Hogan said in a press release. "If any of our 12- to 17-year-olds or their parents needed another good reason, then now they can get vaccinated for a chance to win a $50,000 college scholarship."

Drawings

State officials will randomly select two winners per week for eight weeks. Authorities will draw four names on Labor Day, Sept. 6, to cap off the contest.

Participants who meet the age requirement, live in Maryland and are immunized in the state will automatically be entered into the competition. Anybody who has already gotten the shot and checks all these boxes will also be considered.

The Maryland Department of Health and the Maryland Higher Education Commission will notify the winners. The lucky students can stay anonymous, but the state will share their home city or county.

"The governor’s announcement represents a perfect marriage," University System of Maryland Chancellor Jay A. Perman added in the release. "We’re helping secure the health of our young people while giving them a low- or no-cost college education."

Scholarships

Hogan mentioned that $50,000 is enough to cover four years of tuition and fees at an in-state public college. Winners who eventually choose a private or out-of-state school can transfer the money to their future institution.

Victors aged 12 to 14 will get a Four-Year Maryland Prepaid College Trust Account. Those 15 to 17 will get a contribution to a Maryland College Investment Plan through Maryland529.

Grants from the American Rescue Plan will pay for the initiative.

"Higher education provides opportunities for the next generation of Marylanders to tackle the grand challenges of our time and thrive in an ever-evolving world," University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines stated. "The promise of higher education opportunities as an incentive to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is an outstanding effort from Governor Hogan."

Promotions

The push is similar to the $2 Million VaxCash Promotion, which awarded $40,000 to a new inoculated Marylander for 40 straight days. The final drawing on Independence Day sent $4000,000 to a Baltimore man who chose to stay anonymous.

"This is an outstanding and innovative approach to incentivize our youth to learn more about the countless higher education opportunities that are available to them here in Maryland," commented James D. Fielder, secretary of the Maryland Higher Education Commission. "We are proud to continue paving the way for access and success of their higher education goals."

Youth Vaccination Rate

More than 75 percent of Maryland adults have gotten at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, but younger residents are still lagging behind.

About 88 percent of the state's seniors have at least one shot. In comparison, 51 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds have received an immunization. Minors have been eligible for less time, however.

"When a Marylander who is 12-17 years old is vaccinated, they, their family, friends, and countless others are protected from COVID-19," Mayland Department of Health Secretary Dennis R. Schrader noted. "Those young community members become role models to their peers who are still unvaccinated."

The Pfizer-BioNTech inoculation is cleared for emergency use in residents 12 and older. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson shots are still only available to locals 18 and up.

Immunization appointments are available on this website. More information on the scholarship promotion is posted here.

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