Colorado Promise: Two Free Years of College Expanded
Colorado Department of Higher Education (with the Colorado Department of Revenue)
Refundable state tax credit that pays back your out-of-pocket tuition and fees for up to your first 65 credits at a Colorado public college if family income is $90,000 or less.
- How much
- Reimbursement of out-of-pocket tuition and fees for up to 65 credits
- Who qualifies
- Qualify for in-state tuition (includes ASSET students); completed high school/GED after Jan 1, 2024 (or was an enrolled college student in Fall 2024); enroll at a Colorado public college within two academic years of high school; family AGI $90,000 or less on the FAFSA/CASFA; working toward a degree or certificate; per term start with <66 credits, complete 6+ credits, term GPA 2.5+.
- For high school seniors, students starting college, undergrads, trade school students
- Need-based: your FAFSA decides how much you get.
- When to apply
- Apply any time FAFSA/CASFA each year, ideally before January 15; colleges notify by January 31; claim on the next Colorado tax return.
- How to apply
- No application
- Complete the FAFSA or CASFA every year (before January 15), make sure your college has your transcripts, meet the per-term credit and GPA rules, then file a Colorado state tax return the following year to claim the credit
- What you'll need
- FAFSA only
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (cdhe.colorado.gov), page 2 and page 3
The details
A refundable Colorado income tax credit that reimburses the tuition and fees you paid out of pocket (after scholarships, grants and institutional aid; loan-paid amounts count) for up to the first 65 college credits at any Colorado public college, community college, area technical college or local district college. Credits earned in high school (concurrent enrollment/ASCENT, AP, IB) and military credit don't count toward the 65. Each term you must start with fewer than 66 credits, complete at least 6 credits and earn a term GPA of 2.5+. Your college determines eligibility and notifies you by January 31 of the credit amount for the prior calendar year; the student (not a parent) claims it by filing a Colorado income tax return. Works alongside college-specific promise programs.
More money from Colorado
- CTE Grant (Tuition Assistance for Short CTE Certificates)Up to $7,395 (2025-26; equal to the maximum Pell Grant)
- COSI Matching Student Scholarships (Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative)Varies by local program
- College Opportunity Fund (COF) Stipend$116 per credit hour at public colleges; $58 per credit hour at participating private colleges (2026-27)
- Colorado Graduate GrantVaries; set by your college
- Colorado Student GrantVaries by college; at proprietary schools Level 1 students get $1,000-$5,000 per year (2025-26 guidelines)
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Arizona, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, Wyoming
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.