Financial Aid Options for Eligible Colorado Residents

EmpowerEd is a state-funded program, administered by the Colorado Department of Higher Education, that provides financial assistance at participating in-state public institutions of higher education for students who experienced homelessness, as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance Act, while enrolled at a Colorado high school. 

Students who meet the criteria are eligible to have the remaining cost of attendance (after scholarships, grants and other financial aid awards have been applied) covered through this program for up to 132 semester credit hours or 198 quarter credit hours.

Visit the EmpowerEd page for details and application instructions.

The FosterEd program pays for the total cost of attendance for qualifying students who attend public institutions of higher education within Colorado. This state-funding program pays for the remaining balance of the total cost of attendance after scholarships, grants, and other financial aid awards have been applied. To qualify for this program, students must have been in foster care or in non-certified kinship care in Colorado on or after their 13th birthday.

Visit the FosterEd page for details and application instructions.