Colorado Promise: Two Free Years of College Expanded
You’ve got potential. We’ve got a promise.
Introducing Colorado Promise – an income-qualified program that pays you back for up to 65 college credits.
It’s all about Colorado making higher education more affordable and more attainable for Colorado students and their families. We believe education beyond high school is an opportunity that all Coloradans should have, and finances should not be a barrier to pursuing your goals. That’s why Governor Jared Polis, the General Assembly, Colorado Department of Higher Education, and Colorado’s public institutions of higher education have partnered to create Colorado Promise: Two Free Years of College Expanded – the program builds on individual institutional promise programs (more on those below) and extends financial support to even more Colorado residents.
Attention, please be aware of the following:
- If you have questions about your eligibility for the 2025 tax year credit you will need to contact your institution. The Colorado Department of Higher Education is unable to determine student eligibility.
- If you have been notified by your institution that you are eligible to receive the Colorado Promise tax credit, DO NOT file your State of Colorado 2025 tax return until AFTER February 15th.
Atención, por favor, tengan en cuenta lo siguiente:
- Si tienes dudas sobre tu elegibilidad para el crédito fiscal del año 2025, tendrás que ponerte en contacto con tu institución. El Departamento de Educación Superior de Colorado no puede determinar la elegibilidad de los estudiantes.
- Si tu institución te ha notificado que eres elegible para recibir el crédito fiscal Colorado Promise, NO presentes tu declaración de impuestos del Estado de Colorado de 2025 hasta DESPUÉS del 15 de febrero.
At-a-glance
Get reimbursed for tuition and fees through a yearly refundable tax credit.
Attend any Colorado public postsecondary institution – community colleges, public four-year colleges, area technical colleges, or local district colleges.
Graduate with a certificate (or two), an associate degree, or complete half of a bachelor’s degree. Up to 65 credit hours.
No application needed. If you're eligible, you're automatically enrolled – you’re welcome.
Steps to success
1: Qualify
Enroll at a Colorado public college or university within two years of completing high school
Annually complete a FAFSA or CASFA
Household income of $90,000 or less
2: Perform
Begin a term with <66 credit hours
Complete at least six credit hours in each term
Earn a GPA of 2.5 or higher
3: Get reimbursed
Pay tuition and fees after all scholarships and grants
File a Colorado tax return the next year, even if you don’t normally pay taxes
You bring the grades. This is how we bring the bucks.
The reimbursement comes from a state tax credit which covers the amount you pay out of pocket for tuition and fees during the prior academic year. To claim the Colorado Promise reimbursement a student must file state taxes.
For example, the amount you pay after scholarships and grants for this calendar year gets reimbursed back to you when you file your state taxes the next year.
Make sure you have everything you need to qualify
Not sure you qualify, checkout the detailed overview of the eligibility requirements of Colorado Promise. You can also checkout our frequently asked questions to get insights into the program. You can also reach out to your financial aid office with any additional questions.
Where the promise starts
Colorado Promise: Two Free Years of College Expanded builds on the free college programs at colleges and universities to cover your costs. These school-specific promise programs may cover your tuition and other fees up front. That means you don’t have to pay a dime. And if there’s something your institutional promise program doesn’t cover, you can still receive the Colorado Promise tax credit to reimburse you for those out-of-pocket expenses*. Take time to explore each institution’s program and find the right fit to help you reach your goals.
*Wait, what? Yes, students can benefit from both an institutional promise program AND the Colorado Promise program at the same time.
It’s the end of the page, but not the end of the line.
If you don’t qualify for a promise program, no worries! Check out these other programs, services, and resources that can help you out. Do you still have questions? Shoot us a quick email and let us help! coloradopromise@dhe.state.co.us - The Department takes your personal information seriously, please do not include any personally identifiable information (PII), such as social security number, or date of birth, on emails.
CDHE staff also offer weekly office hours to help answer your questions, Monday's from 11am - 1pm Book time to meet with Dr. Baccei
Additional Colorado Promise Pages:
- Educational Partner Resource Page - resources for institutional and educational partners
- Student Eligibility - In-depth explanation of the eligibility criteria for Colorado Promise
- Student FAQ - Answers to frequently asked questions
- Institutional Promise Programs - Overview of each of the individual Colorado public postsecondary institutional promise programs