High School ACCESS | Financial Support

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Explore the financial support and scholarship opportunities available to Continuing Education High School ACCESS students.

Need-Based High School ACCESS Fall & Spring Scholarship

The need-based High School ACCESS Fall & Spring Scholarship is for students in the High School ACCESS program with demonstrated financial need.

Scholarship Details

  • The maximum award will cover the tuition cost of one course, up to $2,500, with award amounts depending on a student’s credits.
  • High School ACCESS students with financial need will be eligible to receive the scholarship more than once, contingent on available funding.
  • Scholarships offered through CE are classified as general fund and are therefore compatible with VA benefits.

Students receiving this scholarship are also eligible to apply for the one-time Nondegree Scholarship during Summer Session.

Eligibility

  • Non-degree High School ACCESS students at CU Boulder who are not formally admitted to a degree program.
  • Must be enrolled in courses for credit offered through main campus, CE Evening Credit, and/or CE Online Credit.
  • Must attest and provide documentation of financial need.

Students receiving CU’s Tuition Assistance Benefit are not eligible.

How to Apply

To apply, complete the application:

Fall & Spring Need-Based High School ACCESS Scholarship Application 

Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis after the priority deadline and awarded based on available funds. The final deadline is the last day of classes for the term.

Applications submitted by the second Monday of each month will receive a response by the end of that month. If the application is received after the second Monday of the month, it will be reviewed the following month. 

Application Deadlines

  • Spring 2025 priority deadline: December 1, 2024

If you have questions or need additional information, please email us at hsaccess@colorado.edu. We are happy to help.

This scholarship is intended to benefit high school students who require financial assistance in order to take courses at CU Boulder. Students may demonstrate financial need in a variety of ways.

For help understanding and obtaining the types of documentation listed below, speak with a parent/guardian or contact a school counselor and/or trusted teacher.

Accepted documentation types:

  • A letter from a school counselor, teacher or other school personnel;
  • A letter from another organization your family is working with to secure resources;
  • Any other documentation confirming financial need such as participation in:
    • A free/reduced lunch plan
    • Boulder Valley School District’s Adelante program
    • McKinney-Vento support
    • Medicaid
    • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
    • Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
    • Supplemental Security Income Federal Pell Grants or Subsidized Student Loans (either an older sibling or yourself, if you are a high school senior)

Any documentation that is submitted will be used to determine your scholarship eligibility only and will be stored in a secure database. Only the Continuing Education Scholarship Committee Chair will access the protected information.

In addition to submitting proof of financial need, students must also answer the personal essay question listed below and submit it in the online portal along with their complete application.

Please tell us more about your interest in the subject(s) you wish to study at CU Boulder. We would like to know:

  1. What makes you passionate about this subject?
  2. Do you have any special goals that you hope to achieve through your class(es) this semester?
  3. What is the #1 reason that you want to attend CU Boulder?

Scholarship essays will be rated based on the following elements:

  1. Content (4 points): The essay fully addresses all portions of the prompt and has a central point that is interesting, original, substantial, and maybe even striking. The author uses concrete details to “show” rather than merely “tell” their story.
  2. Readability/Organization (3 points): The central idea is developed in the essay through well-chosen and appropriate language. The essay is organized and well-structured. There is a beginning, a body, and a conclusion and transitions help the paper flow smoothly. Introductory statements are interesting and appropriate. Concluding statements are satisfying.
  3. Tone (2 points): The essay is written in the authentic voice of the writer. It is compelling and interesting. The tone is consistent and shows effort/thought was put in.
  4. Grammar/Standard Language Use (1 point): Author has given thought to form, grammar, and structure and is writing at a college level of English.

Non-Degree Student Scholarship

Continuing Education offers scholarships for non-degree students for the fall, spring and summer terms.

Scholarship Details

  • The maximum award for the scholarship is $1,000, not to exceed 80% of the resident tuition rate of a three-credit course.
  • Students may be awarded a Non-Degree Student Scholarship only once during their time as a non-degree student.
  • Scholarships offered through CE are classified as general fund (i.e. compatible with VA benefits).

Eligibility

  • You must be a non-degree student at CU Boulder (not formally admitted to a degree program), which includes High School ACCESS students
  • You must be enrolled in courses for credit offered through main campus, CE Evening Credit, CE Online Credit, Applied Music or Summer Session. (Courses offered through the Extraordinary program, like CSPB or SLPP courses, are not eligible.)

How to Apply

To apply, complete the application along with a 250-500 word essay addressing your past educational history, your future educational and career goals, and the specific way in which the scholarship will assist you in meeting those goals.

Non-Degree Student Scholarship Application 

Application Deadlines

  • Spring 2025 priority deadline: January 27, 2025

Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis after the priority deadline and awarded based on available funds.

Scholarship Award Process

The award amount is based on available funding and a competitive essay review. Scholarship essays will be rated based on the following elements:

  1. Content (4 points): The essay fully addresses all portions of the prompt and has a central point that is interesting, original, substantial and maybe even striking. The author uses concrete details to “show” rather than merely “tell” their story.
  2. Readability/Organization (3 points): The central idea is developed in the essay through well-chosen and appropriate language. The essay is organized and well-structured. There is a beginning, a body and a conclusion and transitions help the paper flow smoothly. Introductory statements are interesting and appropriate. Concluding statements are satisfying.
  3. Tone (2 points): The essay is written in the authentic voice of the writer. It is compelling and interesting. The tone is consistent and shows effort/thought was put in.
  4. Grammar/Standard Language Use (1 point): Author has given thought to form, grammar and structure and is writing at a college level of English.

Awardees will be notified via the email given on the application.

If you have any questions or are unable to log into the appropriate application form, please contact us at ceadvise@colorado.edu.