CHESLA Opportunity Scholarship
Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority (CHESLA)
$3,000 full-time or $1,500 half-time, by random drawing, for Connecticut graduate students and DACA students at Connecticut nonprofit colleges.
- How much
- $3,000 full-time; $1,500 at least half-time
- Who qualifies
- Connecticut resident enrolled at least half-time in good standing at an eligible Connecticut nonprofit degree-granting college; not in default on a CHESLA loan. Undergraduates qualify only through the DACA category.
- For undergrads, grad students
- Graduate students: U.S. citizen, permanent resident or current DACA; non-graduate applicants: current DACA approval
- When to apply
- Opens later Annual; opens July 1; random drawing, winners notified in August.
- How to apply
- Apply on CHESLA's portal when it opens July 1, take the financial literacy quiz, and if drawn, provide eligibility documents (or have your school send them)
- What you'll need
- state application
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (chesla.org)
The details
Awarded by random drawing among eligible applicants who pass a financial literacy quiz: $3,000 full-time, $1,500 at least half-time; $100,000 in total. Open to (1) Connecticut graduate students (U.S. citizen, permanent resident or DACA) and (2) Connecticut DACA students at any level, at an eligible Connecticut nonprofit degree-granting college. The 2026-27 application is closed; it reopens July 1, 2027, and winners are emailed in August.
More money from Connecticut
- Roberta B. Willis Scholarship – Need and Merit-Based ScholarshipUp to $5,250 a year for a four-year program; up to $4,650 a year for a two-year program
- Roberta B. Willis Scholarship – Need-Based GrantUp to $4,500 for full-time study (part-time prorated)
- CHESLA Undergraduate Scholarship$3,000 full-time; $1,500 at least half-time
- CHESLA Certificate Scholarship$1,250
- Connecticut Tuition Waiver for Residents 62 and OlderFull tuition (space-available unless in a degree program at UConn/CSU)
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island
- 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.