FREE TUITION

Morgan DeVries was a senior at Pueblo South High School when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, prompting her to envision a career in public health.

Now, DeVries is majoring in the field at CSU Pueblo and hopes to become a public health professional advocating for people with limited resources.

This year, she is among 68 students attending CSU Pueblo with help from a scholarship program that provides free tuition for those from low-income families.

The program – called Colorado Promise – began during the 2022-2023 academic year, building on aid earlier offered for students. It is part of a national trend that seeks to improve access to higher education by offering free tuition for qualified low-income students. At CSU Pueblo, the average Colorado Promise scholarship is $1,200 per student.

Colorado State University in Fort Collins has offered a similar program for 13 years. Called the CSU Tuition Assistance Grant, the aid program uses federal, state, and institutional funds to cover 50 percent to 100 percent of tuition for qualified students from low-income households. More than 4,000 students receive the help each year at CSU; the average grant per student is $5,400.

Both programs provide “last-dollar scholarships” – meaning they cover the tuition costs left after other aid and scholarships have been applied, said Kristyn White Davis, vice president for enrollment management and extended studies at CSU Pueblo.

“It’s overwhelmingly important,” DeVries said of her support. “Finances are the first thing everyone tends to worry about with college.”

Owen Morgan, a freshman at CSU Pueblo, is using his Colorado Promise scholarship to pursue a career in nursing. Morgan said the aid he’s receiving is essential to his college attendance.

“It’s an honor and a blessing that it can help my family and me financially. It takes a little off the shoulders,” he said. “Earning a degree is a big thing, especially in nursing. I think it opens up my career pathways. If I didn’t go to college, I wouldn’t have those options, so the support is just a blessing.”

White Davis said CSU Pueblo also offers free on-campus housing for students who qualify – another important way the university is working to ensure college access.

“I’m proud that the CSU System is keeping access and affordability in front of a student population that might otherwise see college costs as prohibitive,” she said. “Our message for students is, ‘We can help you manage the costs.’”

Information about CSU Pueblo’s Colorado Promise and Colorado State University’s Tuition Assistance Grant is available on university websites.

Photo at top: CSU Pueblo.