Financial Aid in Colorado
College Costing You a Bundle?
Colorado is known for its amazing skiing, indulgent hot springs, and focus on healthy living. It's a good place to go to school, too, as there are a number of scholarships and grants available to those who expect to study in the state.
Need-Based
The College in Colorado Scholarship is open to all high school students who are state residents, have maintained a 2.5 GPA during grades 9-12, and completed coursework as proscribed by the application requirements. Up to $1,500 annually is offered to financially needy students (determined by their Free Application for Federal Student Aid form and family income) who will be attending a Colorado college.
If you are planning to attend Colorado State University and intend to study abroad, why not apply for Colorado State University Aid to help you? Recipients must prove financial need by filling out a Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) and discussing their monetary requirements with a university financial aid representative.
Created in the memory of Gilbert Martinez, a Vietnam veteran, coal miner, and PhD candidate, the Colorado Educational Services & Development Association Diversity Scholarship (CESDA) has helped support many college bound students during the past 30+ years. To date, over $20,000 has been distributed to economically disadvantaged Colorado high school students to assist them in paying for their higher education costs.
The Colorado Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (CLEAP) is a grant that is given to students who can prove they have a "substantial" financial need. State and federal funds are matched dollar-for-dollar up to $1000 annually. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credit hours and must also complete the FAFSA forms.
Another needs-based grant is the Colorado Student Grant (CSG). Awards are based on financial necessity; hence, they range from $500-$5,000. Eligibility is based on the FAFSA forms.
State residents can also find Federal and State Aid such as the Colorado Student Undergraduate Grant, the Graduate Grant, and State Student Incentive Grant. Check with your guidance counselor or the financial rep at your college or university for more information or application forms.
Merit-Based
The Colorado Council Volunteerism/Community Service Scholarship assists Colorado high school seniors who expect to attend a college or university within the state. Eight recipients receive $1,000 apiece based on their volunteerism/community service records and backgrounds and a 2.5 GPA.
If you've performed particularly well from an academic standpoint during your high school years, you can apply for the Colorado Northwestern Community College (CNCC) scholarships. For instance, the CNCC Academic Scholarship awards $1,500 to recipients who have graduated within the top 16-25% of their high school classes. Similarly, the CNCC Presidential Honors Scholarship of $2,000 plus an on-campus room is awarded to valedictorians or salutatorians. If you keep your GPA above 3.0 and 3.25, respectively, you can renew both these scholarships annually.
Profession-Based
If you're planning to study horticulture, floriculture, turf grass management, landscape horticulture, plant pathology, botany, or landscape architecture/design, you can apply for the College Undergraduate Level Scholarship from the Colorado Garden and Home Show. One award is given each year and covers the full resident tuition, books, and fees for one year for an accredited Colorado college.
Miscellaneous
As a survivor of childhood cancer, you can apply for monies offered through The Stephen T. Marchello Scholarship Foundation. This nonprofit organization offers funds to high school graduates from Arizona, California, Colorado, and Montana. Amounts vary, but are usually $1,000 or more. See other cancer related scholarships.
If you're planning on studying overseas, the Denver Council on Foreign Relations offers $1,000 to a graduate of a rural Colorado high school. See more scholarships dealing with student travel.
Non-traditional students (such as adults returning to college or GED recipients) pursuing a degree at certain colleges in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, or Wyoming, may be eligible for the Daniels Opportunity Scholarship. Monies are given out by the universities and not through the fund; thus, you'll need to apply through your school's department of student financial aid. See other scholarships for non-traditional students.
