Columbus Promise Scholarship

Columbus Promise is a partnership among the City of Columbus, Columbus City Schools, I Know I Can, and Columbus State Community College. The scholarship is designed to lower the cost of starting at Columbus State; it is not open to every young person who lives in the city. The key criterion is graduating from a Columbus City Schools high school and applying during senior year.

For the Class of 2027, the official site says the application portal will open in early 2027. The Application Process page says all three steps must be completed by July 15; the FAQ lists May 15 as a priority date for activities, orientation, and better course selection. These dates serve different purposes, so students should recheck the cohort calendar when the application opens and avoid treating the priority date and final deadline as interchangeable.

The scholarship pays tuition and fees after Pell Grant, if applicable, and other tuition-restricted scholarships are applied. It can support up to six consecutive semesters; summer is optional but counts toward the six if used. Scholars also receive up to $500 per semester for books or other educational expenses and access to advising, career guidance, and support services. Pell eligibility is not required, although students must file the FAFSA every year; the program sets no minimum GPA, financial-need, or immigration-status requirement.

The official application path includes admission to Columbus State, the FAFSA, and the Columbus Promise form through the I Know I Can portal. They may be completed in any order but must meet the published dates; schools offer workshops, and students are encouraged to ask an I Know I Can College Advising Manager or school counselor for help. Students must begin at Columbus State in the fall immediately after graduation; the FAQ lists at least six credits per semester to receive the scholarship.

To keep the award, program materials also call for continuous fall and spring enrollment, satisfactory academic progress (SAP), required student-success programming, advisor meetings, and at least 15 earned program credits each academic year. The FAQ lists nine credits per term to maintain scholar status, while other sections describe six credits as the minimum to receive the scholarship: confirm the exact load with an advisor. Students who fail or withdraw late from a course may have to repay its tuition cost, so discuss course changes before dropping.

Who it serves and what it can cover: Only for Columbus City Schools graduates; living in Columbus alone is not enough. No minimum GPA, financial-need, immigration-status, or Pell eligibility requirement. Students must apply during senior year, file the FAFSA annually, and start at Columbus State. It covers tuition and fees after Pell and tuition-restricted scholarships for up to six semesters, plus a $500-per-semester stipend.

How to apply or get help: The Class of 2027 application portal is expected to open in early 2027. The process page lists July 15 as the deadline; the FAQ also names May 15 as a priority date for planning benefits. Confirm the cohort calendar when the portal opens. For help, contact an I Know I Can advising manager or school counselor. For case-specific questions, contact the program or financial-aid office named on its official page.

Official application and program information