Seattle Promise Scholarship — Seattle Colleges

Seattle Promise is a local program that lets graduating seniors from Seattle public high schools attend North Seattle, Seattle Central, or South Seattle College with up to two years of tuition support. It is not an unrestricted check for any university or a federal grant. Seattle Colleges administers the program with Seattle Public Schools and the City of Seattle; its funding base is the voter-approved Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy. A local renewal approved in November 2025 extended the program through 2032, but each student’s benefit depends on completing the steps and staying eligible.

For the Class of 2027, Seattle Colleges says seniors attending Seattle public high schools may apply regardless of GPA, income, or country of birth. There are two separate applications: Seattle Promise and admission to the chosen college. The published deadline for both is February 13, 2027. Students then need FAFSA or WASFA by April 30, 2027, and a complete campus financial-aid file by July 30. An incomplete file can prevent the award from being processed even when the student meets the school eligibility rule.

Enrollment timing also matters. The current timeline calls for starting full time in fall 2027 with at least 12 credits. For the Class of 2027, Readiness Academy is scheduled for May and June, and Campus Connect for August and September. These are preparation, registration, and transition milestones—not optional ceremonies to skip without checking with the Promise team. Students who took Running Start or earned college credits in high school may remain eligible under certain conditions; the family page describes a limit tied to fewer than 90 college-level credits and not having completed a first associate degree. Confirm your record with staff before assuming dual-credit work makes you ineligible.

“Up to two years free” refers to tuition, not a complete cost-of-living package. The program applies federal, state, and institutional grants first, then Promise dollars to eligible remaining tuition. Seattle Colleges materials also distinguish equity support, which may help qualifying students with books, supplies, transportation, or other costs; those elements are not automatic for everyone. Ask financial aid for a budget that separates tuition, fees, books, transportation, housing, and food, and ask which direct charges the scholarship does not cover. Career programs or different calendars may carry costs that the tuition portion does not erase.

Start at the official Seattle Promise portal and the admissions process for one of the three colleges. Check that your high school appears eligible, submit through your own account, and keep confirmations. If you cannot file FAFSA, the program identifies WASFA as an option for certain students; there is no need to pay a private form-filler. Campus financial aid must complete the review and explain missing documents. Seattle Colleges publishes Promise@seattlecolleges.edu for program questions; request written confirmation if you changed schools, have prior credits, paused study, or had difficulty meeting a date. The scholarship can open a college pathway, but it does not guarantee admission to a capped program or automatically pay costs beyond tuition.

Who it serves and what it can cover: Up to two years of tuition at North Seattle, Seattle Central, or South Seattle College for graduating seniors from Seattle public high schools; eligibility is not based on GPA, income, or birthplace, but requires FAFSA or WASFA, admission, and full-time enrollment.

How to apply or get help: Online application administered with Seattle Colleges. Published Class of 2027 dates: Promise and admissions applications by February 13, 2027; FAFSA/WASFA by April 30; complete aid file by July 30. Questions: Promise@seattlecolleges.edu. For case-specific questions, contact the program or financial-aid office named on its official page.

Official application and program information