EmpowerEd
Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE)
Covers the full remaining cost of attendance at Colorado public colleges for students who experienced homelessness (McKinney-Vento) during high school in Colorado.
- How much
- Full remaining cost of attendance after other aid
- Who qualifies
- Identified by school personnel as homeless under the federal McKinney-Vento Act while living in Colorado between the start of 9th grade and the end of 12th grade
- Age 17 to under 27; current Colorado resident; FAFSA or CASFA filed; enrolled at a Colorado public institution, local district college or area technical college toward a first credential of that type; satisfactory academic progress.
- For students starting college, undergrads, trade school students
- When to apply
- Open now · due January 15, 2027 Application opens March 1; roster deadlines Sept 1 (fall), Jan 15 (spring), June 1 (summer / last day for the academic year).
- How to apply
- Complete the FAFSA or CASFA, get accepted at a Colorado public college, and submit the 2026-27 EmpowerEd application (recent graduates also submit the Student Verification Form signed by their district's McKinney-Vento liaison)
- Reapply each year
- What you'll need
- state application + FAFSA
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (cdhe.colorado.gov) and page 2
The details
Last-dollar program (HB24-1403): after scholarships, grants and other aid, EmpowerEd pays the remaining cost of attendance (tuition, fees, housing, food, books, transportation, childcare where relevant, computer allowance, medical insurance) at participating Colorado public colleges, local district colleges and area technical colleges, for up to 132 attempted semester credits (198 quarter). For a first bachelor's, associate degree or certificate (cannot fund a second degree of the same type). Students reapply every year.
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 Promise: Two Free Years of College ExpandedReimbursement of out-of-pocket tuition and fees for up to 65 credits
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.