AURORA | Recent Aurora Public Schools graduates who took college courses while in high school can still enroll at Community College of Aurora this fall with the potential to receive up to three years of tuition-free classes through a new scholarship program.

The Momentum Scholarship is available to 2026 graduates of APS high schools who completed at least one concurrent enrollment course through CCA and meet other eligibility requirements, CCA officials said in a statement Friday.

Fall classes begin Aug. 17.

Students must enroll full time at CCA, taking between 12 and 18 credit hours, enroll in courses eligible for financial aid and qualify for state or federal financial aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or Colorado Application for State Financial Aid.

There is no separate application for the Momentum Scholarship. Eligible students automatically receive full tuition coverage for their certificate or associate degree, with the scholarship applied around the 12th day of classes, according to CCA officials.

Students can receive the scholarship for up to three years as long as they remain eligible.

CCA is offering “Momentum Monday” workshops to help students determine their eligibility and complete the enrollment process.

The scholarship was first announced this year as a way to reduce the cost of higher education for APS students who had already participated in CCA’s concurrent enrollment program.

“Taking advantage of concurrent enrollment opportunities during high school will truly become transformative for our students,” APS Superintendent Michael Giles said in a statement. “This new partnership solidifies the educational pathway from high school to higher education.”

The college said the scholarship is intended to help students earn a certificate or associate degree with less student loan debt.

According to 2023 state data cited by CCA, 49.3% of Colorado college graduates seeking bachelor degrees had student loan debt, compared with 29.3% of CCA graduates.

Momentum Scholarship recipients also have access to CCA programs and support services intended to prepare students for employment after graduation or to transfer to a four-year college or university.

“The second most common reason students leave college is affordability,” Clair E. Collins, CCA’s vice president of enrollment success and completion, said in the release. “The Momentum Scholarship addresses this barrier by keeping costs down, helping students build academic momentum, and allowing them to continue their education in the same community where they graduate from high school.”

Click here for details about the scholarship. 

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