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Top Colorado Scholarships in 2022
Colorado, nicknamed the Centennial State, is known for its beautiful mountain ranges, forests, rivers, and deserts. As a student in Colorado, you could take advantage of these natural wonders by going on a ski trip over winter break or conducting field studies for a biology course.
Whether you are an in-state resident or out-of-state student who wants to go to school in Colorado, there are some great Colorado scholarships to apply for! Keep on reading to learn more about the eligibility, award amounts, and deadlines for these top Colorado scholarships!
Also see: UC-Boulder scholarships
Jump ahead to:
- Colorado student loan debt snapshot
- Top Colorado scholarships
- Merit scholarships at Colorado colleges and universities
- Additional Colorado resources
- Frequently asked questions
- Keep on reading
Colorado student loan debt snapshot
According to the Department of Education, Colorado residents owe $28.5 billion in federal student loan debt, with 774,000 student borrowers owing $36,822 on average (those numbers do not include private loans). Over 52% of loan borrowers are under the age of 35. As you are starting your higher education journey, remember that scholarships allow students to take less loans. Make sure that you apply to as many as you qualify for!
Related: Scholarships360’s free scholarship search tool
Top Colorado scholarships
Clinton J. Helton Manufacturing Scholarship
- Eligibility: Full-time undergraduate student enrolled in a degree program in manufacturing engineering or technology, or other closely related engineering discipline. Preference given to students attending Colorado State University or any of the University of Colorado campuses. Must have a 3.0+ GPA. Must have completed 30+ college credit hours
- Amount: Varies
- Deadline: February 1 annually. Opens November 1 annually
SME Foundation Denver Scholarship
- Eligibility: Must be seeking an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering, manufacturing technology, or a closely related field of study. Must have a 2.5+ GPA. First preference given to applicants who are residents of Colorado. Second preference given to applicants who are seeking their education from a college or university in Colorado
- Amount: Varies
- Deadline: February 1 annually. Opens November 1 annually
Pinnacol Foundation Scholarship
- Eligibility: Natural children, adopted children, stepchildren, or full dependents of workers injured/killed in a compensable work-related accident who were entitled to receive benefits under the Colorado Workers’ Compensation Act. Must be between the ages of 16 and 25. Must have a 2.0+ GPA
- Amount: Varies, averaging $4,700 per year
- Deadline: February 15 of each year. Opens November 1
Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute Scholarship
- Eligibility: US Citizens who reside in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Texas, Utah or Wyoming entering their junior or senior year looking for work in the coal industry are eligible
- Amount: $1,000+
- Deadline: March 1 of each year
Centennial Mental Health Center Scholarship
- Eligibility: Resident of Phillips, Sedgwick, Logan, Morgan, Washington, Yuma, Elbert, Lincoln, Cheyenne Wells, or Kit Carson County intent on completing at least a bachelor’s degree in a behavioral health-related field. Must enroll full-time
- Amount: $500 – $2,000 per year
- Deadline: Mid-March of each year
University of Colorado Boulder First Generation Scholarship
- Eligibility: Incoming first-years or transfer students to University of Colorado Boulder. Neither parent has a bachelor’s degree. Complete the FAFSA
- Amount: $4,000 for Colorado residents; $8,000 for out-of-state students
- Deadline: March 25 of each year (and FAFSA completed by deadline!)
Alice Hamilton Scholarship – Colorado Archaeological Society
- Eligibility: Students attending a college or university in Colorado with at least a half-time course load studying archeology or a cross-disciplinary field with an emphasis in Archaeology
- Amount: $200 – $1,000
- Deadline: March 31, 2022
The Alexander Foundation Scholarship
- Eligibility: Must be a resident of Colorado and identify as LGBTQ+. Must be pursuing a degree at an institution in Colorado. Selection for awards are based on merit, need, and service to the LGBTQ+ community
- Amount: $300 – $3,000
- Deadline: Mid to late March of each year
Partner Colorado Foundation Scholarship
- Eligibility: Permanent residents of Colorado aged 17-40 who reside principally in the state while attending school. Available to high school, college, and graduate students. Must enroll in at least 9 credit hours. Must maintain satisfactory academic progress
- Amount: Varies
- Deadline: April 30 of each year. Opens in January each year
Denver Scholarship Foundation Scholarship
- Eligibility: Attend a Denver Public Schools High School for all four consecutive years before graduation. Graduate high school with a 2.0+ GPA. Demonstrate financial need. Scholarship can be used at DSF’s College Partners in Colorado, including technical, community, and four-year colleges and universities
- Amount: $1,700 – $3,600
- Deadline: May 1 of each year. Opens in February annually
Colorado Educational Services and Development Association (CESDA) Scholarship
- Eligibility: Colorado graduating high school senior. Meet one of the following requirements: identify as a student of color, be a first generation student, and/or be a student with financial need. Enroll in at least 6 credit hours. Must have a 2.8+ GPA
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: June 1 of each year
ExxonMobil Engineering Scholarship
- Eligibility: Hispanic high school students in Colorado Springs who plan to attend a full-time engineering program to get a bachelor’s degree. Must have a 3.5+ GPA. Must have a 29+ ACT score or 1350+ SAT score.
- Amount: $2,000 – $20,000
- Deadline: Opens in early summer and due the third week of July each year
Boettcher Scholarship
- Eligibility: Graduating Colorado high school seniors who lived in Colorado for their full junior and senior years of high school. Selection based on scholastic ability and intellectual curiosity, leadership and involvement, service to community and school, and outstanding character
- Amount: $20,000 per year
- Deadline: November 1 of senior year of high school. Opens in early September of each year
Merit scholarships at Colorado colleges and universities
University of Colorado Boulder
- Eligibility: Incoming first-year students to University of Colorado Boulder who are Colorado residents. Must have a 3.85+ high school GPA. Other considerations may include life experiences, personal background, activities, and responsibilities. Decision is made based on admission application
- Amount: $4,000
- Deadline: Apply to University of Colorado Boulder by January 15
Colorado Mountain College
- Eligibility: All students pursuing a degree at Colorado Mountain College are eligible to apply
- Amount: Varies
- Deadline: March 1
Colorado School of Mines
- Eligibility: All incoming first-years are considered upon admission. Decision is made based on admission application
- Amount: $1,000 – $5,000 for Colorado residents; $9,000 – $14,000 for out-of-state students
- Deadline: Apply and be admitted to Colorado School of Mines by May 1
Colorado College
- Eligibility: Incoming first-years at Colorado College. Decision is made based on admission application
- Amount: $2,500 – $5,000 per semester
- Deadline: Considered upon admission to Colorado college
University of Denver
- Eligibility: All students who apply for admission are considered. Must enroll full-time. Decision is made based on admission application
- Amount: $10,000 – $28,000
- Deadline: Considered upon admission to University of Denver
Western Colorado University
- Eligibility: All students who are admitted to Western Colorado University are considered. Must have a 3.35+ GPA
- Amount: $2,500 – $4,000 per year for Colorado residents; $8,000 – $10,000 per year for out-of-state students
- Deadline: Considered upon admission to Western Colorado University
Additional Colorado resources
Colorado Department of Higher Education financial aid resources
The Colorado Department of Higher Education has a library of resources on financial aid for students. Materials include web tutorials on types of student aid and responsible borrowing, state funding, and FAQs about the cost of higher education.
Celebrate the West Art Competition
High school-age students in Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming who submit an original two-dimensional art piece informed by their experience living in the West can win $200 – $1,500.
Colorado Women’s Education Foundation scholarship list
Colorado Women’s Education Foundation provides a list of scholarships for women that are great starting points in your search!
The Colorado Department of Higher Education financial aid resources
The Colorado Department of Higher Education has a library of resources on financial aid for students. Materials include web tutorials on types of student aid and responsible borrowing, state funding, and FAQs about the cost of higher education.
Colorado School of Public Health Latino Research & Policy Center scholarship resources
The Colorado School of Public Health Latino Research & Policy Center has a library of resources to help Latino students find scholarships and have strong applications.
FAFSA guide
On October 1st of every year, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opens nationwide. Colorado students should complete the FAFSA to be eligible for federal student aid as well as some scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Does Colorado offer free college?
Colorado does not offer free college. However, there are some scholarships, such as the Boettcher Scholarship, which provide full rides to colleges in Colorado. Other opportunities linked on this page offer opportunities to bring down the cost of attending college in Colorado.
How do you win the Boettcher Scholarship?
Colorado high school seniors who plan to attend college in-state can apply for the Boettcher Scholarship before November 1 of their senior year. It is a rigorous application process, but the reward of the scholarship is well worth it if you are a good fit! More information can be found on the Boettcher Foundation’s Boettcher Foundation’s website.
Does the University of Colorado at Boulder offer scholarships?
University of Colorado Boulder offers many different merit and need-based scholarships. Applicants are automatically considered for many of these scholarships when they apply. The University also offers a search tool to find additional opportunities.
What can you get a full ride scholarship for?
There are a wide range of full ride scholarships out there with many different criteria. Scholarships360 has a great guide to these scholarships.
