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- calendar_today October 31, 2026
Free Tuition on the Line at UMD-Illinois Football Game
The University of Maryland (UMD) is introducing a new incentive to boost student engagement during home football games: a raffle awarding a free semester of tuition. The initiative will be featured during UMD's upcoming game against Illinois, taking place on Saturday, October 31, 2026.
How the Free Tuition Raffle Works
The raffle is open to students attending the game in person at College Park. During the fourth quarter, a QR code will be displayed on the stadium video board. Students can scan the code to enter the contest, but must be present in the stands at the time of the announcement to claim the prize.
Eligibility and Prize Details
The winner of the raffle will receive a semester's worth of tuition, equivalent to the rate paid by in-state students at UMD. Out-of-state students are also eligible; should one of them win, the prize will cover only the in-state tuition amount, with the winner responsible for the remaining difference. Part-time students in their final semester can participate, with the prize adjusted according to their tuition fees. NCAA rules render student-athletes and their immediate family members ineligible for the drawing.
Background: Addressing Student Attendance
The raffle comes as part of UMD's efforts to strengthen student football engagement and address declining attendance rates. So far this season, UMD has averaged 42,264 fans per home game, which ranks as the fourth fewest in the Big Ten Conference. "Attendance is hard at football games, you know, it’s a long game," said Rachel Palmer, assistant athletics director of fan development and marketing. "Students have a lot of priorities between class and studying, other clubs, other activities, and we just want to make sure that Maryland football games on seven Saturdays a year as one of their priorities."
Student and Staff Reactions
Students have expressed support for the raffle. Shane Spencer, a freshman from Cincinnati, Ohio, commented, "I’m an out-of-state student, so any amount of tuition that I could hope to win would be fantastic." However, some students noted the underlying challenge the raffle aims to address. "It’s pretty sad that we have to go out the way to give tuition or for our fans to stay," said De’Tavious Graves, a member of the UMD track and field team. "It shows how our fan base is not as, you know, strong, even though our team is losing."
Past Giveaways and New Incentives
While UMD has regularly offered other giveaways in the fourth quarter of home games, this semester’s tuition raffle marks the most significant prize to date. The initiative was conceived in August 2026 by Palmer and her colleagues as a way to encourage students to stay through the end of games and to increase overall engagement.
Looking Ahead
The new tuition raffle underscores the importance UMD is placing on both rewarding student fans and enhancing the college football game-day experience. As attendance numbers remain a focus in the Big Ten and across college football, innovative approaches like this may shape future student engagement efforts. Attending students on Saturday will be able to enter the raffle, with the results revealed in the fourth quarter.
Source: dcnewsnow.com.
