The College Opportunity Fund (COF)

 

 

 

The College Opportunity Trust Fund (COF), created by the Colorado Legislature, provides a stipend to eligible undergraduate students. The stipend pays a portion of your total in-state tuition when you attend a Colorado public institution or a participating private institution.

Eligible undergraduate students must apply, be admitted and enroll at a participating institution. Both new and continuing students are eligible for the stipend.

Qualifying students may use the stipend for eligible undergraduate classes. The stipend is paid on a per credit hour basis to the institution at which the student is enrolled. The credit-hour amount will be set annually by the General Assembly.

What is a COF stipend?

"Stipend" means the amount of money per credit hour paid by the State of Colorado on behalf of an eligible undergraduate student who is attending a Colorado institution of higher education.

Who is eligible?

Students classified as in-state students for tuition purposes and enrolled at an in-state institution of higher education.

Note: "Eligible Undergraduate Student" does not include students enrolled in an off-campus, extended campus, or continuing education class not supported by state general fund moneys, except as approved by the CCHE (Colorado Commission on Higher Education.).

Will the College Opportunity Fund pay for all of a student's courses?

No, the following courses will NOT be paid for by the College Opportunity Fund:

• courses taken for "no credit" or audit
• international baccalaureate courses
• advanced placement courses
• graduate courses
• ASC Extended Studies courses, except face-to-face classes in the Elementary Education Teacher Preparation Program (EETPP) and Rural Education Access Program (REAP)

What will the College Opportunity Fund pay for?

If a student applies and qualifies for the stipend, it pays $86 per credit hour of tuition on eligible courses for the 2006-2007 academic year. A student who fails to apply and authorize the stipend will have to pay the full tuition billed to their account, which includes COF tuition of $86 per credit hour.

How many credit hours will be paid for by the stipend?

"Accrued hours" refers to the total number of college credits a student has earned at ASC, as well as any other Colorado higher education institution. The COF stipend covers the first 145 credits towards an undergraduate degree on eligible courses. An institutional waiver for credits exceeding the 145-credit limit can be obtained through Academic Affairs at Adams State College.

How do students apply for the College Opportunity Fund?

Students can apply for the stipend by completing the on-line stipend application at www.CollegeinColorado.org. When the stipend application is completed, a stipend account is created for the student that will allow tracking of COF eligible credit hours.

Does the College Opportunity Fund replace financial aid?

The College Opportunity Fund stipend is not need-based or a grant and does not impact eligibility for student financial aid. It is a payment from the State of Colorado made directly to the student's institution on his/her behalf to cover part of the costs of higher education. The stipend does not cover the student's share of in-state tuition. The stipend offsets the student's COF tuition assessment only. Any financial aid received will be applied to the student's share of in-state tuition.

Will the student receive a check?

No, the College Opportunity Fund stipend is paid directly to the institution or institutions where the student is enrolled. The stipend will be applied and noted on the student account.

After a student completes the stipend application, what else must they do?

Completing the stipend application is all that is required to apply for the Stipend. Students must authorize the stipend each semester online at the Community College of Aurora website at www.ccaurora.edu.

 

What is authorization? How do I do it?

You authorize your college to request the stipend funding on your behalf from your COF stipend account. Authorization is done when you register for your classes and is part of the registration process on the college's registration screens. If you have any problems finding this information or if you have registered for classes but do not know if you have authorized the college to request your COF stipend, contact your college.

 

Do I have to reapply each year?

No. You only apply once. When you complete the stipend application you create an account with 145 available undergraduate hours. You can receive stipend funding for these hours at any participating college in the state of Colorado.

 

I am transferring from one college to another. How do I transfer my College Opportunity Fund account to my new college?

When you applied for the stipend and created your COF stipend account, we did not ask you for any college information. That's because students transfer from one college to another, or take classes at more than one college during a semester. You can use your stipend funding as long as you are enrolled in a Colorado public college or private college that is participating in the stipend program. When you register for your classes you authorize your college to request the stipend funding on your behalf. Your authorization is the trigger for your college to request the funding from your COF stipend account.

Where can students address additional questions about the College Opportunity Fund or this website?

• CollegeInColorado.org or call 303-305-3394.