scholarships for tuition-free college degrees

College enrollment in New Mexico had a 4.2% increase this spring compared with 2024, reflecting the second consecutive year of growth, the state Higher Education Department announced on Tuesday.

HED says more than 5,000 additional students are attending higher education institutions across the state, growth officials attribute to the state’s Opportunity and Lottery scholarships.

According to the state, close to 30 two-year and four-year higher education institutions participate in the Opportunity Scholarship program, which covers fees and program costs for certificate and degree programs for New Mexico residents who plan to enroll in at least six credit hours at one of the state’s public college or universities. The Legislature approved the Opportunity Scholarship, which Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham championed, in 2022.

Eligible residents for the state’s Lottery Scholarship must be enrolled full time in a New Mexico public college or university within 16 months of graduation and maintain a 2.5 grade point average. The state in 2021 restored the Lottery Scholarship to provide 100% of tuition, following reduced coverage implemented in 2016. Last year, the governor signed Senate Bill 159, which created a close to $1 billion trust fund and scholarship program fund for the state’s tuition-free programs.

“The Opportunity and Lottery scholarships are fulfilling their goal of empowering tens of thousands of New Mexicans to pursue a college education at no cost for tuition and create a more prosperous future for themselves and their families,” Higher Education Secretary Stephanie M. Rodriguez said in a statement. “As we always say, there is no wrong door to higher education in New Mexico, and we are dedicated to supporting programs that broaden opportunities for our state.”

In a recent interview with Source NM, Lujan Grisham cited the state’s investment in both early childhood and higher education as accomplishments from her tenure as governor. “No state in the nation has our cradle to career system,” she said.