Maryland
This state page integrates student data, economic contributions, state policies, effective practices, and other resources to learn about and better support the state’s undocumented, other immigrant, and international students in higher education.
We classify Maryland as a Comprehensive Access state in terms of inclusive in-state tuition and state financial aid policies for undocumented students. The Portal tracks state policies for undocumented students on in-state tuition, state financial aid, professional and occupational licensure, and driver licenses.
State Data
Higher education in the U.S. benefits from the participation of immigrant and international students. First and second-generation individuals comprise 31% of all students enrolled in higher education, a growing figure that underscores the importance of immigrant-origin students in the classroom and our workforce.
| All Students in Higher Education in Maryland | 431,608 |
| First-Generation Immigrant Students | 54,752 |
| Second-Generation Immigrant Students | 95,672 |
| International Students | 23,305 |
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Note: First-generation immigrants were born abroad and immigrated to the U.S. Second-generation immigrants are U.S.-born individuals with at least one immigrant parent. First-generation immigrants include undocumented immigrants. First-generation immigrants do not include international students on a visa. |
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The U.S. is home to more than 510,000 undocumented students enrolled in higher education. In their pursuit of higher education, undocumented students actively ready themselves to fill critical skill shortages and become better positioned to support their families, communities, and the U.S. economy.
| Undocumented Students in Higher Education | 11,282 |
| Undocumented Students Graduating High School Each Year | 3,000 |
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Note: Undocumented students are a sub-group of first-generation students. |
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International students comprise only 5.9 percent of all students in higher education, but provide significant economic, academic and cultural contributions that enrich learning, enrollment and funding opportunities for American students. The topline enrollment number is based on October 2025 data from SEVIS.
| International Students in Higher Education | 23,305 |
| Economic Contributions of International Students in the State | $1 billion |
| Jobs Supported by International Students in the State | 9,858 |
| OPT Participants from State's Institutions (2024) | 6,920 |
| Annual OPT Retention Rate (2022) | 33.75% |
| Retention rate range, 2008-2022 (highest and lowest) | 33.8-51.5% |
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Note: Optional Practical Training participants are a subgroup of international students. |
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Immigrant residents, including undocumented immigrants and DACA-eligible residents, play an important role in the state's economy, contributing spending power and paying federal, state, and local taxes.
| All Immigrant Residents in Maryland | 1,052,163 |
| Immigrant Share of Total Population | 17.0% |
| Undocumented Immigrants in State | 240,299 |
| DACA-Eligible Residents in State | 12,450 |
| Spending Power of DACA-Eligible Residents | $407.9 million |
| DACA-Eligible Residents Federal Tax Contributions | $75.2 million |
| DACA-Eligible Residents State and Local Tax Contributions | $55.8 million |
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Note: DACA-eligible residents are a sub-group of undocumented immigrant residents. |
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Higher education helps prepare all students, including immigrant and international students, to fill critical career and skills needs.
| State Immigrant Workers Fill Critical Skills Needs | |
| Share of STEM Workers Who Are First-Generation Immigrants | 24.1% |
| Share of Nurses Who Are First-Generation Immigrants | 24.4% |
| Share of Health Aides Who Are First-Generation Immigrants | 39.3% |
| First-Generation Immigrant Faculty and Staff in Colleges, Universities and Professional Schools | 24,921 |
| Share of First-Generation Immigrants With a Postsecondary Credential | 31% |
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Note: First-generation immigrants were born abroad and immigrated to the U.S. |
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You can find additional state data, including by congressional district, in the following resources by immigrant population (AIC) and international students (NAFSA).
State Policies
Evaluating Access for Undocumented & Refugee Students
State policies in four key areas – in state tuition, state financial aid, professional and occupational licensure, and driver licenses – play an important role in expanding access to higher education and workforce development for undocumented students. The section below on in-state tuition also includes policies related to refugee students.
In-State Tuition & State Financial Aid Access and Affordability
Comprehensive: Policies provide statewide access to in-state tuition and some state financial aid or scholarships for the state's resident DACA recipients and undocumented students.
Professional & Occupational Licensure Workforce Entry & Eligibility
Accessible: Policies allow undocumented individuals to obtain occupational licensure in one or more professions regardless of their immigration status, provided that they meet all other requirements.
Driver Licenses & Identification Mobility
Comprehensive: Policies provide the state’s undocumented residents with access to driver licenses and/or state identification regardless of immigration status.
Enacted Policies
Maryland provides eligible undocumented residents, including DACA recipients, with access to in-state tuition, state financial aid, and driver licenses and state identification.
Maryland Senate Bill (S.B.) 167, signed into law on May 10, 2011, allows eligible undocumented students, including DACA recipients, to pay in-state tuition at the state’s public colleges and universities if they attend a community college first. On February 4, 2019, (S.B) 0537 was signed into law and removed the requirement that a student must first attend community college and lifted the requirement that student must attend three years of high school to qualify for in-state tuition.
To qualify for in-state tuition, undocumented students must meet the following conditions:
- Attended a public or nonpublic Maryland secondary school
- Graduated from a Maryland secondary school or received a GED;
- Registers as a student in college no later than 6 years after graduating from high school or receiving the equivalent of a high school diploma.
- Provide documentation that the student or the student’s parent or legal guardian has filed an annual Maryland income tax return for two years the individual attended a high school in the state (Change happened 05/26/26)
- Sign an affidavit stating that they will apply for permanent residency within 30 days of becoming eligible.
- In the case of an individual who is required to register with the Selective Service System, provides to the public institution of higher education documentation that the individual has complied with the registration requirement.
Refugee In-State Tuition: To be eligible for in-state tuition, noncitizens must have the “legal ability under Federal and Maryland law to live permanently and without interruption in Maryland.” See the University System of Maryland VIII-2.70 Policy on Student Classification for Admission and Tuition Purposes.
For community colleges, “An individual’s immigration status may not preclude award of Maryland residency under this policy if the individual has the legal capacity to establish domicile in Maryland.” COMAR § 13B.07.02.03
Maryland Senate Bill (S.B.) 532, enacted on May 26, 2018, and House Bill (H.B.) 262 extend eligibility for state financial aid to undocumented students, including DACA recipients, who meet the conditions for in-state tuition and complete the MHEC One-App for undocumented students.
Beginning with the 2019-2020 award year, qualified children of undocumented immigrants who are eligible for in-state tuition under §15–106.8 of the MD Education Article also are now eligible to apply for various State financial aid grants and scholarships. Read the Maryland State Financial Aid Application (MSFAA) User Guide, for more information.
Maryland extends financial aid to both public and private postsecondary institutions.
Senate Bill187/House Bill 454 were signed into law on May 3, 2023. These bills prohibit health occupation boards from requiring that an applicant provide proof that the applicant is lawfully present, has a social security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number as a condition for licensure, certification, or registration.
HB 0380 was signed by the governor on April 9, 2024. The legislation prohibits the State Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Board from requiring an applicant to provide proof that the applicant is lawfully present in the U.S. or have a Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number as a condition for licensure or certification. The legislation is effective October 1, 2024.
Maryland Professional Licensure Requirements & Business Registration
To learn more about professional/occupational licensure requirements, review TheDream.US & Immigrant Finance Resource guide here.
To learn more about state business and tax registration requirements, review TheDream.US & Immigrant Finance Resource guide here.
The information in these guides is based on outreach to the state’s specific licensing boards and each state’s business and tax agencies from April to July 2023 and is subject to change. To get up to date information on requirements, individuals should verify with the appropriate state agency.
Policies provide the state’s undocumented residents with access to driver licenses and/or state identification regardless of their immigration status.
Undocumented immigrants living in Maryland are eligible to obtain a driver license. Senate Bill (S.B.) 715, signed into law on May 2, 2013, provides undocumented immigrants the ability to apply for non-compliant driver’s licenses or state identification cards. Undocumented residents must meet certain requirements to apply for a driver license, including obtaining an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) and filing Maryland income taxes for the 2 years before seeking a driver’s license.
Narratives
The following narratives highlight stories of immigrant, refugee, and international students, alumni, and scholars, including in their own words or as shared publicly.
Student Narrative: Johanna Vazquez Coto
Born in El Salvador, Johanna Vasquez now has a degree in Early Childhood Education and supports young children through the education system to succeed no matter their background.
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Effective Practices and State Resources
Spotlight on effective practices and policy, research, or community-based state resources.
Access to higher education for refugees: the Maryland, District of Columbia, and Virginia area
This 2023 report presents findings from a Community Engaged Research (CEnR) project with Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSSNCA). It examines the challenges and opportunities refugees face in accessing higher education in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
Continue ReadingReframing Higher Education for Refugees: Pathways, Policies, and Community Cultural Wealth
This article examines refugee access to postsecondary education in the U.S. through the lens of the UNHCR’s “15 by 30” initiative and the Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) framework. Drawing on focus groups and surveys with refugees in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., the study challenges deficit-based narratives.
Continue ReadingImmigrant-Origin Students in U.S. Higher Education (Updated September 2024)
This report analyzes the impact of immigrant-origin students on the higher education sector. Immigrant-origin students include first-generation immigrants born abroad and second-generation immigrants, U.S.-born children with one or more immigrant parents. These students are integral to the mission of higher education and to the future of our national economy. Immigrant-origin students drive enrollment growth on campuses, help power the future-trained workforce and economy, increase diversity, and strengthen U.S. national security.
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