Child Care Scholarship Program | Division of Early Childhood
Maryland families may receive a state scholarship toward child care costs, but current funding limits mean new awards are handled through a waitlist as spaces become available.
Maryland’s Child Care Scholarship (CCS) Program helps eligible families pay for child care and early education. The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), through its Division of Early Childhood, manages the program with the centralized Child Care Scholarship Central 2 vendor, also called CCS Central 2. Older materials may call the same benefit Child Care Subsidy, Purchase of Care, or a voucher.
There is an important current limitation. The official program page says that CCS is operating with a waitlist because demand is greater than available funding. It also says that MSDE has begun awarding scholarships to a small number of families on that waitlist as spaces become available. Families experiencing homelessness may now be eligible if they meet the other program rules. This means the application route is still active, but submitting an application does not promise an immediate award or an open child care slot.
For that reason, this page uses rolling in the deadline field. There is no published annual closing date for families to meet, and the official page continues to direct applicants to the CCS Family Portal. The waitlist and funding limit are the practical constraints. Check the official source before making child care arrangements, because the order and speed of an award can depend on available funding, your eligibility category, documentation, and provider capacity.
Maryland Child Care Scholarship at a glance
| Detail | Current information |
|---|---|
| Program | Maryland Child Care Scholarship Program |
| Administered by | Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Early Childhood |
| Application status | Applications remain available through the CCS Family Portal; the program is operating with a waitlist and limited awards as spaces become available |
| Deadline | Rolling; no fixed application deadline is published on the official program page |
| Child age | Younger than 13, or age 13 through 19 with a qualifying disability |
| Activity requirement | Parent or caregiver is working/employed, in approved training, or attending school; both parents in the same household must meet the rules |
| Income route | TCA or SSI participation, or household income below the applicable CCS income guideline |
| Benefit | A state scholarship rate paid toward eligible child care, less the family’s assigned copayment and any uncovered amount |
| Provider options | Maryland registered family child care home, Maryland licensed child care center, or an approved informal provider, depending on scholarship type |
| Fast Track | Eligible applicants may receive a temporary 60-day scholarship while the full review is completed |
| Official program page | Maryland Child Care Scholarship Program |
What the scholarship pays
The scholarship is not a cash payment sent to the parent. The official explanation says that the scholarship identifies the rate the State will pay toward care and the family copayment assigned under State rules. Once care begins, the provider submits an invoice and is reimbursed for the scholarship portion. The parent pays the assigned copayment directly to the provider and is also responsible for any tuition or additional fee left after the scholarship and copayment are applied.
The amount is not one flat award for every Maryland family. MSDE publishes regional scholarship rates that vary by county region, the child’s age, and whether care is provided in a family child care home or a center. The current rate table lists, among other examples, weekly rates of $170.00 for a child age 2 to 4 in a family child care home in region Z and $553.29 for an infant in a child care center in region X. Those figures are examples from the official table, not a promise that every family or provider will receive that amount. Review the official scholarship-rate table for the region and care category that apply to your child.
The official program page describes three scholarship arrangements:
- A temporary scholarship can provide 60 days of help while CCS Central 2 reviews the complete application. It can be used with a Maryland registered family child care home or Maryland licensed child care center.
- A full, formal scholarship can be used with an eligible registered family child care home or licensed center after the full review.
- An informal scholarship can support care by a relative in the relative’s home or the child’s home, or by a non-relative in the child’s home, when the arrangement meets the program’s requirements.
The provider still matters. The program page directs families to participating providers, including providers connected with Maryland EXCELS, and notes that the scholarship can be used for before- and after-school child care. Ask the provider how it handles the state-assigned copayment, its own tuition, attendance records, and any amount that is not covered by the scholarship. Get those payment terms in writing before care begins.
Who can qualify
The current official eligibility list is more specific than the old description of a general income-based subsidy. A family generally must meet each applicable requirement below:
The family must be a Maryland resident. The parent or caregiver must be working or employed, attending school, or participating in an approved training program. When both parents live in the same household, MSDE says both parents must meet the eligibility requirements.
The family must either receive Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or fall below the applicable CCS income guideline. The official page separates an initial income scale for families without an active scholarship from a continuation income scale used for changes and redeterminations.
The child receiving care must be younger than 13. An individual from age 13 through 19 may qualify when they have a qualifying disability. The fast-track materials describe a qualifying disability as a condition that makes the child physically or mentally incapable of age-appropriate self-care, as verified through the state’s required professional determination.
Each child requesting care must be a U.S. citizen or qualified alien. A parent does not have to be a U.S. citizen. This does not eliminate the documentation requirement: the application still asks for proof of the child’s status and identity for household members.
The family must be willing to meet Maryland immunization standards or provide documentation supporting an exemption. This is a current program condition and should be addressed early if a child’s records are incomplete.
The applicant must provide identity documentation for the household and a photo ID for the head of household. The official page also calls for proof of address and proof of the activity that creates the need for care.
The income numbers currently displayed by MSDE are maximum annual income figures. For the initial scale used for new applications, the page lists $76,117 for a family of 2, $94,026 for a family of 3, $111,936 for a family of 4, $129,846 for a family of 5, $147,756 for a family of 6, and $167,904 for a family of 12. The page also lists a higher continuation scale for families already receiving services, including $86,266 for a family of 2, $126,861 for a family of 4, and $190,292 for a family of 12. These are not a substitute for the official table: household composition and whether the application is initial or continuation determine which column applies, and the page says income must be below the applicable scale.
Families experiencing homelessness should still document their situation and submit an application. The current MSDE notice says that such families may be eligible under the updated rules if they meet the other program requirements. It does not mean every application bypasses the waitlist or that the other requirements disappear.
How to apply now
Use the CCS Family Portal. Registration in the CCS Family Portal is required for new and existing families.
1. Confirm the need for care and identify a provider
Before submitting, write down the work, school, or training activity that requires care, including the days and hours. If you already have a provider, collect its name and contact details and confirm that it participates in an eligible scholarship arrangement. A provider’s acceptance of CCS does not guarantee a place, so ask about openings separately. If you need informal care, confirm that the proposed caregiver can use the informal scholarship route before relying on that arrangement.
2. Create a CCS Family Portal account
Register at the official portal and follow the prompts for a new account. Keep the login information secure. The official program page directs applicants to the short Fast Track application first. The portal is also where CCS Central 2 sends requests for the full application and additional documents.
3. Submit the three Fast Track documents
The official sequence asks the applicant to complete the Fast Track application and submit:
- proof of employment or enrollment in school or approved training;
- proof of Maryland residency, such as a utility bill or lease; and
- proof of income.
CCS Central 2 says it processes the Fast Track application within three business days. If the applicant is eligible, MSDE can issue a temporary 60-day scholarship while the full application is reviewed. This is a bridge to the full determination, not a guarantee that the full scholarship will be approved.
4. Complete the full review promptly
The official instructions say that the additional information for a full scholarship should be provided within 15 days of submitting the Fast Track application. Prepare the full set before the Fast Track decision arrives. It includes the CCS application, the most recent four consecutive weeks of pay stubs for working household members or equivalent income evidence, proof of identity, proof of the approved work/school/training activity, proof of all other income, proof of address, and documentation of the child’s citizenship or qualified-alien status. Include immunization or exemption documentation and any benefit statements requested by CCS Central 2.
If you are a student or trainee, use a schedule or enrollment document that shows the days and hours of the activity. If income fluctuates, provide the consecutive pay stubs and explain other income sources rather than uploading a single unusually low pay period. If a document is unclear or unavailable, use the portal message system or the official CCS contact route to ask what substitute evidence is accepted.
5. Respond to the waitlist and provider steps
Because the program currently has a waitlist, save the application confirmation and check the portal for status messages. A waitlisted application is not the same as an approval. Do not promise a provider that scholarship payments will begin until CCS Central 2 has issued the applicable scholarship and the provider has completed its part of the agreement.
Once a scholarship is issued, review the approved rate, assigned copayment, provider information, start date, and any uncovered tuition. Give the provider the scholarship information and ask how attendance and invoices will be handled. Keep copies of the approval and every document submitted.
Costs and provider questions to ask
The state-assigned copayment is only one part of the family’s possible bill. The provider may charge tuition above the reimbursement amount, and the family remains responsible for the difference. Ask these questions before accepting a place:
- What is the provider’s full weekly or monthly tuition for my child’s age and schedule?
- What scholarship rate will be applied, and what copayment will I owe?
- Is there an additional fee beyond the scholarship and state-assigned copayment?
- Is the provider registered or licensed for the scholarship type being requested?
- How will absences, schedule changes, late pickup, meals, supplies, and before- or after-school hours be charged?
- Who will tell CCS Central 2 if the child changes providers or the household activity changes?
Families receiving TCA or SSI have a $0 copayment under the current program explanation. Other families should wait for the amount assigned in their scholarship notice instead of assuming it will be zero. The official page also says the copayment for each child decreases when a family receives scholarships for more than one child, but the family can still owe uncovered tuition or an additional provider fee.
What to keep in mind
The most important update is the funding status. This is a current application opportunity with a real waitlist, not an ordinary open enrollment period. Apply through the official portal if you believe you qualify, but plan for the possibility that an award will wait for available funding. Keep searching for an eligible provider while the application is processed, and do not withdraw a child from existing care until the scholarship and provider arrangement are confirmed.
The official MSDE page is the controlling source for the application route, eligibility documents, income table, and current status. Recheck it before uploading sensitive documents or signing a provider agreement, because MSDE says some site links are being updated. The program page also links to the consumer guide, eligibility checklist, scholarship rates, Fast Track FAQs, forms, and customer support materials.
Start here: Child Care Scholarship Program | Division of Early Childhood.