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Idaho Opportunity Scholarship and Idaho LAUNCH

Screen shot of Idaho Launch web page. Additional information in this post.

Click here to visit the web page for more information and links.

Recognizing the need for a well-educated workforce, Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter and the Idaho Legislature established the Opportunity Scholarship to remove barriers to higher education and prepare college/university graduates to enter the workforce.  The Opportunity Scholarship awards eligible applicants up to $3,500 per academic year and is renewable for up to four years.

The scholarship funds are available per academic year. Recipients must renew each year and are eligible to receive the scholarship for a maximum of four years.

Eligibility:

To qualify for the scholarship, a student must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Have an unweighted, cumulative GPA of 2.7 or above
  • Be an Idaho resident
  • Graduated or will graduate from an Idaho high school or its equivalent or Idaho home school (GED/HSE from Idaho)
  • Complete the State Board of Education scholarship application by March 1
  • FAFSA Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid by March 1
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress for financial aid purposes. (See program rules for more details.)

Must attend one of these eligible Idaho colleges or universities

  • Boise State University
  • Brigham Young University – Idaho
  • College of Idaho
  • Idaho State University
  • Lewis-Clark State College
  • Northwest Nazarene University
  • University of Idaho
  • Western Governors University

Community colleges in Idaho (including the College of Western Idaho, the College of Southern Idaho, the College of Eastern Idaho, and North Idaho College), will no longer be eligible institutions for new recipients of the Idaho Opportunity Scholarship after the 2023-24 academic year.

*If awardees—PRIOR TO JULY 1, 2023—renewed at or indicated (during their initial application) that they will be attending an Idaho community college, the Idaho Opportunity Scholarship award will still be accepted at those institutions.

Click here to visit the web page for more information and links. Scroll down the web page to learn more about this program.

Idaho LAUNCH is a grant program that provides students a one-time opportunity to have 80% of the tuition and fees at an eligible institution covered, up to a maximum amount of $8,000. With approximately 75 million dollars available for Idaho LAUNCH funding, it is possible for this program to offer between 9,000 and 10,000 awards per year!

Students can receive up to one-half of the initial grant award in the first year of a program. However, for programs that are less than 12 months in length, students can use the full awarded amount (80% of tuition and fees up to $8,000) in one year.

Important Dates

  • Idaho LAUNCH application opens: October 3
  • Initial applications due: November 30
  • Contingent Award letters sent by: December 31, March 31, and May 31
  • Idaho LAUNCH application closes: April 15