Tuition-Free College for New Mexico

With the New Mexico Opportunity and Lottery Scholarships, there are options for New Mexico residents of all ages to pursue college and career training tuition-free. After reviewing the eligibility criteria, your first step is to apply to a New Mexico public college and university and enroll in at least six credit hours toward a credit-bearing career training certificate, associate degree, or bachelor’s degree. You should also complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible to see if you are eligible to receive federal grants that can help with other college costs, such as books, materials, housing, and transportation. 

If you are an established New Mexico resident & plan to enroll in at least 6 credit hours at a public college or university in NM toward a training certificate, associate degree, or bachelor's degree, you may qualify. 

There is no application for the scholarship. If you are an eligible student enrolled in any New Mexico public college or university, the financial aid office at your school will work with you to award the scholarship.

The Opportunity Scholarship can be used to cover up to 100% of tuition and required fees at any New Mexico public college or university.

Yes! If you qualify to receive federal aid such as a Pell Grant, you can put this money toward other college costs like books, housing, meal plans, transportation, etc. You can complete the FAFSA by following the link below:

FAFSA® Application | Federal Student Aid

There are 29 participating two-year and four-year colleges for this program.  You can see a full list on our website here: 

Find a College or University

Yes! If you have less than 90 credit hours on your transcript toward an associate degree or less than 160 toward a bachelor's degree, you may qualify.

If you have not yet finished your degree, you may be eligible if you enroll in at least 6 credit hours and maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA going forward.