Trends in financial aid to students in Maryland colleges and universities are reported. Attention is directed to the distribution of different types of aid to undergraduate and graduate students, and financial aid awarded by type of institution. Characteristics of recipients of Guaranteed Student Loans, General State Scholarships, and Senatorial Scholarships are identified, along with the income distribution of undergraduate recipients of Pell Grants. Information is also provided on state actions on financial aid during 1982-1985, the history of state financial aid programs since 1970, the proposed federal fiscal year 1986 budget, and the impact of proposed changes. Included are descriptions of seven federal and 16 state student financial aid programs, detailed aid data for 1982-1983 and 1983-1984, and four-year trend data by type of institution, as well as for the University of Maryland, Morgan State University, and St. Mary's College. Among findings are that: in 1983-1984 undergraduate students received the largest amount of aid from loans (42.1 percent), followed by grants (32.7 percent), scholarships (14.9 percent), and employment (10.4 percent); and graduate students received about a third of their aid in 1983-1984 from grants, scholarships, and fellowships (33.8 percent), employment (33.6 percent), and loans (32.6 percent). (SW)