Selected Promise Programs

These are some of the programs that are mentioned throughout the handbook. For our complete database of community- and institution-based programs, see the Promise Programs Database.

Statewide programs

Arkansas Future Grant

The Arkansas Future Grant was established by the state legislature in 2017 and is available to qualifying students enrolled in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) or regional high demand area of study. It covers tuition and fees for associate and certificate degree programs in the covered fields at Arkansas public institutions. To be eligible, students must have graduated from an Arkansas high school, received an equivalent diploma approved by the Department of Career Education, or have been a resident of Arkansas for three years.

Michigan Reconnect

Michigan Reconnect was established in 2021 by the state legislature and is funded through annual budgetary appropriations. The program allows any Michigan resident over the age of 25 without a college degree to attend community college in their district tuition free. (Residents who live outside a community college district pay a small supplement.) Scholarships cover associate degrees or Pell-eligible skill certification programs and are awarded on a last-dollar basis.

New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship

The New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship was established in 2020 and expanded in 2022. Paid for by the “opportunity scholarship fund” of the state treasury, the first-dollar program covers up to 100% of tuition and fees for an associate, bachelor's, or certificate degree at 29 participating New Mexico public colleges, universities, and technical schools. Eligible students must be New Mexico residents, must have a high school diploma or equivalent, and they must maintain a 2.5 GPA while in college. Students of all ages are covered by the program.

New York State’s Excelsior Scholarship

The Excelsior Scholarship Program began in 2017 and provides a last-dollar scholarship to all State University of New York and City University of New York institutions for all resident students with a household income below $125,000. The program’s funding comes from the annual state budget. Excelsior was the first statewide Promise program to include four-year public colleges as well as two-year colleges. The program requires that students complete their degree (associate or bachelor’s degree) in two to four years and stay in New York to work for the same number of years they used the scholarship. If they fail to meet this requirement, their scholarships are converted to loans. There is also a full-time attendance requirement for receipt of the scholarship.

Oregon Promise

Launched in 2015, the Oregon Promise is a state-funded student grant program that pays for tuition at the state’s community colleges. It incorporates an unusual funding structure—a “middle-dollar” award that guarantees a minimum grant for students whose tuition is fully covered by other forms of aid, mainly Pell grants. The minimum grant was originally $1,000 per year for full-time students, but starting with the 2022–2023 school year, it has been increased to $2,000 per year. Eligibility requirements include a 2.0 GPA in high school (reduced from 2.5), and residency within the state. In some years there have been family income limits, with funding going to lower-income students, but in 2021 and 2022 there was no income limit.

Tennessee Promise

The Tennessee Promise was announced in 2014 and implemented in 2015. It built upon Knox Achieves, a last-dollar, privately funded, tuition-free program launched in 2018 in Knox County and gradually expanded to 27 counties under the name tnAchieves. State policymakers expanded the tnAchieves model statewide in 2015, drawing on reserve funds from the state lottery system. All recent high school graduates are eligible, provided they enroll in college immediately following graduation, complete community service requirements, and participate in a mentoring program. Eligible postsecondary institutions include the state’s community colleges, colleges of applied technology, and partnering four-year institutions offering associate degrees.

Tennessee Reconnect

Tennessee Reconnect was established in 2017. It is a last-dollar scholarship that covers the cost of tuition for an associate degree for eligible independent adults over the age of 23. Scholarship recipients can attend community colleges, colleges of applied technology, or partnering public and private four-year institutions that offer associate degrees. To be eligible, prospective students must be residents of Tennessee, qualify as independent on FAFSA forms, must not already have an associate or bachelor’s degree, and cannot be in default on their student loans.

The Washington College Grant

The Washington College Grant was passed by the state legislature in 2019 and was implemented in 2020. The means-tested grant covers tuition for eligible students from low- and moderate-income families attending in-state public universities, colleges, and technical schools. The grant amount varies based on income, family size, and school or program cost. Eligible students may also attend approved private institutions and receive scholarship funds in an amount comparable to the cost of tuition at public institutions.

Local Programs

Dallas County Promise

Announced in 2017 and implemented in 2018, The Dallas County Promise is a coalition of school districts, colleges, universities, employers, and communities that have joined forces to help more students finish college and begin careers. The scholarship is available to all graduates of more than 65 participating public high schools across 11 school districts in Dallas County. Students can receive a last-dollar scholarship to attend one of the program’s partner institutions, with pathways available for certificates, bachelor’s, and associate degrees. Award amounts and specific eligibility requirements vary by institution, but all students, regardless of financial need or academic achievement, can attend the area’s community college.

Denver Scholarship Foundation

The Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) was announced in 2006 and began in 2007, made possible by a $50 million private donation and a citywide fundraising challenge. The program allows eligible Denver Public Schools graduates who meet financial need requirements to receive a last-dollar scholarship of up to $3,600 a year for four years. The scholarship can be used at nonprofit technical colleges, community colleges, and public and private universities that partner with DSF. Depending on GPA, students will receive scholarships of different durations and amounts to different types of institutions. DSF established and has staffed Future Centers, one-stop college-access centers, in many high schools to help students plan for college and apply for additional financial aid.

Detroit Promise

The Detroit Promise began as the Detroit Scholarship Fund in 2013—a last-dollar program to cover the cost of tuition for eligible Detroit students at a group of regional community colleges. All high school graduates who have lived in Detroit for their junior and senior years are eligible for the Promise at two-year institutions. In 2016, an option to attend one of the state’s four-year institutions was added for students who meet a 3.0 high school GPA and testing requirements, graduate from a Detroit public high school, and have lived in the city for at least four years. In 2016, the program joined with the Detroit Promise Zone and was renamed the Detroit Promise. The Detroit Promise Path, a coaching and support program modeled on the CUNY ASAP program, is provided to all Detroit Promise students attending community college.

El Dorado Promise

The El Dorado Promise began in 2007. Funded by the Murphy Oil Corporation, the El Dorado Promise is a first-dollar, universal scholarship for El Dorado School District students. The scholarship can be used for up to five years after graduation toward tuition, fees, and other expenses at any accredited college or university in the United States. It covers both associate and bachelor’s degrees, as well as shorter-term credentials. The maximum amount awarded is the highest tuition at an Arkansas public university. Students must have been enrolled in El Dorado Public Schools since at least the ninth grade to be eligible, and there is a sliding scale for the scholarship benefit amount, with the most generous scholarships going to those students who have been in El Dorado Public Schools since kindergarten.

Kalamazoo Promise

The Kalamazoo Promise began in 2005 with a group of anonymous donors pledging to provide first-dollar tuition-and-fees scholarships to all Kalamazoo Public Schools (KPS) graduates in perpetuity. It is considered the first of the current generation of place-based, or Promise, programs and acted as the catalyst for a broader movement. KPS graduates who have been enrolled in and residents of the district for at least all four years of high school are eligible; there is a sliding scale for the scholarship benefit amount, with the most generous scholarships going to those students who have been in the district the longest. The Kalamazoo Promise can be used at more than 60 institutions in Michigan, including all public colleges and universities, 15 private colleges, the Michigan Career and Technical Institute, and several apprenticeship and trade programs.

New Haven Promise

The New Haven Promise was announced in 2010 and began in 2011. The program is funded by Yale University, Yale New Haven Hospital, and the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. The Promise provides New Haven Public Schools or approved charter schools graduates with a last-dollar tuition scholarship to in-state public two-year and four-year colleges and universities, or up to $2,500 annually at private schools. Eligible recipients must have a cumulative 3.0 GPA and 90% attendance record in high school, demonstrate a positive disciplinary record, and complete 40 hours of community service. Students must have been enrolled in an eligible school since at least the ninth grade, and there is a sliding scale for the scholarship benefit amount, with the most generous scholarships going to those students who have been in New Haven since kindergarten.

Oakland Promise

The Oakland Promise was announced and began in 2016. It is a cradle-to-career initiative that provides educational programming, mentorship, and financial resources to help young people access and thrive in higher education. The Oakland Promise provides college scholarships to all qualifying students from low-income backgrounds. To be eligible for assistance, students must graduate from an Oakland public or charter high school, maintain a 2.0 GPA, and complete a FAFSA form to demonstrate financial need. Students pursuing a technical certificate or associate degree can receive a $1,000 scholarship for two years, and students enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program can receive the same amount for four years. There are a limited number of larger scholarships for four-year students that can amount to up to $16,000.

Pittsburgh Promise

The Pittsburgh Promise was announced in 2006 and implemented in 2008, with major funding in the form of a challenge grant from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, to be met with contributions from area foundations, businesses, and other private donors. Program terms and award amounts have evolved. Currently, graduates of Pittsburgh Public Schools who hold a 2.5 GPA, have a 90% attendance record, and have at least four years of enrollment and residency are eligible to receive the Pittsburgh Promise, a last-dollar scholarship of up to $5,000 per year, applied against the full cost of attendance. Support components include Promise ambassadors in each high school, a coaching program in three high schools, college and career fairs, and an Executive Scholars program that connects scholarship recipients to local businesses. The Promise is guaranteed through the graduating class of 2028.

Richmond Promise

The Richmond Promise is a community-wide college success and scholarship program that was announced in 2015 and began in 2016. The Richmond Promise provides funding of up to $1,500 a year to graduates of any public, charter, or private high school in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. The scholarship can be used at any two-year, four-year, or Career Technical Education postsecondary institution and is renewable for up to six years, depending on a student’s path. The program also provides support to students around the high school-to-college transition and through college with mentorships and student success programming. The scholarship was initially funded through a community investment agreement between the city and the Chevron Corporation and now also receives support from area foundations and corporations.

Say Yes to Education: Buffalo

The Say Yes to Education Buffalo program was announced in 2011 and began in 2013. (Similar Say Yes models are in place in Syracuse and Cleveland.) Say Yes Buffalo provides comprehensive, cradle-to-career supports, including a scholarship component, to increase the rates of high school and postsecondary completion and transition to employment. The program is available to recent Buffalo public or charter school graduates who spent at least their last three years in the school district. The last-dollar, universal scholarship can be used toward tuition at State University of New York or City University of New York partner colleges. Additional grants worth $2,000 are available to students demonstrating further financial need. Scholarships are also available at private partner colleges, although their value varies based on financial need.

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