Colorado Second Chance Scholarship
Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI), Colorado Department of Higher Education
Up to $5,000 a year for up to 4 years for Coloradans released from a Division of Youth Services commitment facility within the last 5 years.
- How much
- Up to $5,000 per year, for up to 4 years
- Who qualifies
- Committed to and released from a Colorado Division of Youth Services (juvenile correctional) facility within the past five years
- Colorado resident (ASSET-eligible students included); enrolled, accepted, or planning to apply to an eligible Colorado public college.
- For students starting college, undergrads, trade school students, adults going back to school
- Need-based: your FAFSA decides how much you get.
- When to apply
- Apply any time Rolling; the page's table ties each application deadline to the planned enrollment term (e.g. early September for spring, early January for summer, February for fall).
- How to apply
- Apply through the COSI Application Portal (cosi.smapply.io)
- Applications submitted elsewhere are not considered
- What you'll need
- state application
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (cdhe.colorado.gov) and page 2
The details
Pays up to $5,000 per year for up to four years toward tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation, licensing/certification test fees and program supplies at eligible Colorado public colleges, with support services (advising, financial literacy, career advising) at participating schools. Students who complete a certificate or associate degree can request supplemental funding when accepted into an associate or bachelor's program, if funds allow.
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.