To become a Columbus Promise Scholar, students in the class of 2024 must:
There will be workshops in your high school building held over the next few months to help you complete these items. If you need help, please get in touch with the I Know I Can College Advising Manager or a School Counselor in your high school building.
All students who graduate from a Columbus City Schools high school in 2022, 2023, or 2024 are eligible to become a Columbus Promise scholar. You MUST apply for Columbus Promise during your senior year of high school. There are no GPA requirements, no financial need requirements, and no immigration status requirements.
To receive the scholarship, students must be enrolled in Columbus State Community College with a minimum of 6 credit hours per semester.
The Columbus Promise Scholarship covers tuition and fees after the Pell Grant (if eligible) and any tuition-restricted scholarship(s) for up to six semesters of consecutive enrollment, with summer enrollment optional. A stipend of $500 per semester is also provided.
While all Promise students must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each academic year, Pell Grant eligibility is not required to receive the award.
Columbus Promise scholars also receive access to an on-campus advisor to help provide educational and career guidance and encourage scholars to stay on track.
The Priority Deadline to apply is May 15, 2024.
The Final Deadline to apply AND complete pre-enrollment steps is July 15, 2024.
The earlier you apply, the earlier you’ll find out you’re eligible for Columbus Promise and be able to take the next steps toward receiving your Columbus Promise award and enrolling for autumn semester.
There are many benefits to applying early! Complete your application by the May 15th priority deadline to:
In addition to covering the cost of tuition and fees, the program will grant students a scholarship of $500 that they can use for books or other expenses.
Columbus Promise students can work while attending college as long as they enroll in the minimum six (6) credit hours each semester and maintain continuous enrollment in autumn and spring semesters (summer enrollment is optional). Columbus Promise Advisors are on campus to help students make a plan for success around their work and college responsibilities.
Yes, when you apply, you can share your status at that time. All CCS graduates in the classes of 2022, 2023, and 2024, regardless of immigration status, are eligible for the program.
If you are a member of the class of 2024 and graduate in the spring or summer, then you are eligible. Students are encouraged to apply by the priority deadline of May 15, 2024. Application and enrollment confirmation must be completed by July 15, 2024.
The Columbus Promise program is currently open to every student in Columbus City Schools who graduates from Columbus City Schools in 2022, 2023, or 2024. All eligible students must complete the FAFSA, but there are no specific student or family income requirements.
Yes, Columbus State Community College offers support services. Once accepted into the Columbus Promise program, advisors are available to help learn more about these.
If you’re enrolled in Columbus City Schools, will graduate from a Columbus City Schools High School, and can meet the other eligibility requirements above, then you are eligible.
Yes, you’re still welcome to be part of the program. If you come in with a lot of college credits already, you might be able to graduate early – you can talk to your Promise Advisor about it when you make your college plan!
The Columbus Promise program requires students to remain continuously enrolled in autumn and spring semesters (summer enrollment is optional). If you have a compelling need to take a semester off, talk to your Columbus Promise Advisor about appealing the continuous enrollment requirement based on special circumstances.
Students are required to enroll in the immediate fall following their high school graduation. If you have a compelling need to delay your start, an exception may be possible. Once you complete the Columbus Promise application and receive confirmation that you are eligible for The Columbus Promise Scholarship award, you can reach out to [email protected] about appealing the requirement to enroll in the fall.
This program is only open to students graduating from a Columbus City Schools High School.
Yes! However, you will need to complete separate applications for those programs as well as meet all their requirements.
Check out more information on Weiler Scholars, Health Careers Opportunity Program, and the Honors Program.
The Columbus Promise has been launched as a three-year pilot, available to Columbus City Schools students in the classes of 2022, 2023, and 2024. Our hope is to expand the program to make it possible to extend Promise to more students in the future.
Getting a college education can help you get a good job. You have a lot of options, from short certificate programs that can help you get a job after one or two semesters of study to longer programs. We encourage you to explore the Columbus State Community College website and learn more about its programs. Currently, programs are divided into pathways that you can explore here:
You can also get an associate degree and use it to transfer to a four-year university to get a bachelor’s degree.
Currently, the Columbus Promise only includes Columbus State Community College, which does not award bachelor’s degrees. However, Columbus State can help you complete your associate degree and then transfer. In fact, Columbus State has nine universities that agree to accept all students who meet certain basic criteria; you can learn more here.