Maryland Education Section 18-304

      (a)      (1)      Except as provided in § 18-307 of this subtitle, the Office shall determine the amount of each Educational Excellence Award based on the financial need of the applicant.

            (2)      In determining the amount of financial need, the Office shall consider regional cost-of-living differences.

      (b)      (1)      Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, an Educational Excellence Award may be awarded in $100 increments and the award for a single year may not be less than $400 or more than $3,000.

            (2)      (i)      All applicants who fulfill the requirements established in § 18-303(a) and (b) of this subtitle shall receive a Guaranteed Access Grant.

                  (ii)      The amount of a Guaranteed Access Grant shall be equal to 100 percent of the student's financial need as determined by the Office, not to exceed the equivalent annual expenses of a full-time resident undergraduate at the 4-year public institution of higher education within the University System of Maryland, other than the University of Maryland University College and University of Maryland, Baltimore, with the highest annual expenses for a full-time resident undergraduate.