It’s that time of year when high school seniors are determining their next steps after graduation:
- go straight into the workforce
- focus on learning a trade
- pursue a two or four year degree at a college or university
For Oregon residents starting a degree at an Oregon community college, we recommend exploring the Oregon PromiseGrant.
The state grant is intended to help cover tuition at any Oregon community college for recent high school graduates or GED® test graduates. It was launched by legislation passed in 2015; however, it remains a little known program.
Full eligibility details can be found online at https://oregonstudentaid.gov/oregon-promise.aspx. General eligibility requirements include:
- recent Oregon high school graduate or GED® test graduate
- 50 cumulative high school GPA (or a 145 grade on all GED® tests)
- Oregon resident for at least 12 months prior to college attendance
- attending an Oregon community college by a required start term
The Oregon Promise will cover up to 12 credits per term and up to 90 college credits attempted. It covers the average tuition charged by an Oregon community college. If a particular community college cost is higher or lower than the average, the student either pays the difference for a higher fee or the Oregon Promise pays up to the college’s actual tuition cost. The Oregon Promise does not cover items such as books, fees, or housing.
In this day and age of rising college tuition costs, the Oregon Promise offers assistance to graduating seniors and their parents to reduce the overall cost of higher education.