Public colleges and universities in New Mexico automatically award the Opportunity Scholarship to students who are eligible when they enroll and register for classes, so there is no separate scholarship application to fill out. However, you should let your financial aid advisor know that you plan to take advantage of the Opportunity Scholarship so they can help you stay on track.

To qualify for the New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship, you will need to:

• Enroll part time or full time at a New Mexico public college or university. The minimum credit hour requirement is six hours and the maximum is 18 hours.
• Achieve and maintain a 2.5 grade point average (GPA).
• Enroll in at least six credit hours every fall and spring semester.
• Please note that students with disabilities may qualify for reduced credit hour requirements and additional semesters of the scholarship.

To qualify for the Lottery Scholarship, you will need to:

• Enroll full time at a New Mexico public college or university within 16 months of high school graduation, or completion of a high school equivalency or home school certificate. Full time means:
  • 15 credit hours at a four-year university
  • 12 credit hours at a community college
• Achieve and maintain a 2.5 grade point average (GPA).
• Maintain full-time enrollment every fall and spring semesters.

Please note that students with disabilities may qualify for reduced credit hour requirements and additional semesters of the scholarship.

The Opportunity Scholarship pays for 100% of tuition and course-specific fees up to $50 per credit hour.

The Lottery Scholarship pays for 100% of tuition. Students receiving the Lottery Scholarship for tuition can receive supplemental assistance from the Opportunity Scholarship for course-specific fees

Students who are establishing eligibility for the Lottery Scholarship in their first semester may be eligible to have their first semester tuition paid for through bridge scholarships provided by their college or university, through the Opportunity Scholarship, or a combination of these. Talk to your financial aid advisor about how you can work together to cover the first semester.

Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is not required to receive state scholarships. However, we strongly encourage you to complete it to access federal aid such as Pell Grants that can be used for college costs beyond tuition and fees, including books, housing, and transportation.

Eligibility for state financial aid programs and eligibility for federal financial aid programs are considered separately. You do not need to complete a FAFSA or be eligible for federal financial aid in order to qualify for state Lottery and Opportunity Scholarship programs.

Out-of-state members of an American Indian Nation, Tribe or Pueblo, located wholly or partially in New Mexico, can qualify regardless of the state they live in. You school may ask for an official letter from your Nation, Tribe or Pueblo documenting your membership.

There are 29 participating public colleges and universities in New Mexico where you can use the Lottery and Opportunity Scholarships:

• Central New Mexico Community College
• Clovis Community College
• Diné College
• Doña Ana Community College (NMSU)
• Eastern New Mexico University – Portales
• Eastern New Mexico University – Ruidoso
• Eastern New Mexico University – Roswell
• Institute of American Indian Arts
• Luna Community College
• Mesalands Community College
• Navajo Technical University
• New Mexico Highlands University
• New Mexico Junior College
• New Mexico Military Institute
• New Mexico State University – Las Cruces
• New Mexico State University – Alamogordo
• New Mexico State University – Grants
• New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
• Northern New Mexico College
• San Juan College
• Santa Fe Community College
• Southwest Indian Polytechnic Institute
• Southeast New Mexico College (formerly NMSU – Carlsbad)
• The University of New Mexico – Albuquerque
• The University of New Mexico – Los Alamos
• The University of New Mexico- Taos
• The University of New Mexico – Gallup
• The University of New Mexico – Valencia
• Western New Mexico University

If you have not yet completed your first bachelor’s degree and you don’t have more than 160 attempted credit hours on your transcript from previous college attendance, you can use the Opportunity Scholarship to complete your degree.

If you lose or suspect you are about to lose eligibility for the Lottery Scholarship for an exceptional circumstance, you should contact your financial aid officer right away to let them know about your situation. You may be able to submit a petition to reestablish eligibility if your school approves you to do so. Otherwise, you will need to wait two years from the time you lost eligibility for the Lottery Scholarship to be eligible for the Opportunity Scholarship.