BOOST Application Now Open for 18-19 School Year

Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today (BOOST) Program Application

Electronic Application will be available from April through May 21, 2018, 5:00 pm.

Income Guidelines:
The BOOST Program provides scholarships for students who are eligible for the Free or Reduced-Price Meals program.  Awards are granted based on household income, with the lowest income served first. Click here to view the income thresholds for the program.

Application Requirements:
1. Students must have pursued enrollment in a potential participating nonpublic school. At the least, an application for admission must be submitted to the school before a BOOST application is submitted.

2. The BOOST application requires certain documentation to be scanned and uploaded as PDF files:

a). Documentation showing that the student has pursued enrollment in a potential participating nonpublic school. This documentation could include a letter of acceptance/continuation, a letter that the student is on the waiting list, or acknowledgement that an admissions application has been submitted. The list of potential participating schools is available in a link on the main BOOST web page.

b). Documentation of family size and income – Option 1:  If you filed an IRS Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ for 2017, that document should be uploaded into the application as a PDF file.

c). Documentation of family size and income – Option 2:  If you are not required to file a federal 1040 tax form or if you will not file by the BOOST application deadline, download this form: BOOST Alternate Form for Income Verification.

Complete the form and upload it into the application. 

You will also need to upload supporting official documentation as a PDF file.  Supporting documents may include a W-2 Wage and Tax Statement or a Budget Letter from your Local Department of Social Services if you are receiving public benefits.
You must attach a 1040 Tax Form or the BOOST Alternate Form for Income Verification or your application will not be considered.

d). If the student is in Informal Kinship Care, an affidavit verifying Informal Kinship Care must be submitted. Click here for the Informal Kinship Care affidavit form.

3. If you do not have Adobe Reader software to create and open PDF documents, click here to download it.

Here is the link to the application portal:  BOOST Application 2018-2019

If you submitted an application on or before May 21, 2018 and would like to Print it, click here for instructions.

Contact email: boost.msde@maryland.gov