New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship
Resources
- CNM Opportunity Eligible Certificate List
- NMHED Lottery & Opportunity Scholarships PDF
- Reach Higher NM is an interactive resource guide to students and families through the college-going process.
The Opportunity Scholarship is awarded during the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters starting the 2022-2023 academic year.
The Opportunity Scholarship will cover up to 100% of tuition and required fees and up to $50 per credit hour for course specific fees. There is no application required for the Opportunity Scholarship. If you meet the eligibility criteria, our Scholarship team will work with you to award the scholarship.
For 2022-2023 The Fast track programs, CNM Online College, Law Enforcement Academy will be covered at $126.00 per credit hour. Electroneurodiagnostic Technology program will be covered at $171.00 per credit hour.
You can visit the New Mexico Higher Education Department website for more information.
Eligibility
- Be a resident of New Mexico.
- Have a high school diploma, GED, or received a high school equivalency credential
- Recent graduate learners must have graduated from an accredited NM high school or complete a PED approved home school program.
- For recent graduate learners, enroll 12 credits hours but no more than 18 credits hours for the Fall and Spring semester.
- For continuing students, enrolled in at least six credit hours, but no more than 18 credit hours in the Fall or Spring semester.
- Consecutive enrollment for Fall and Spring terms. Summer term is optional and will pay a minimum of 3, but not more than 9, credit hours.
- Maintain at least a 2.5 grade point average (GPA) beginning with the first semester receiving the scholarship
- Do not exceed 90 attempted credit hours for completion of an Associate Degree
- The scholarship covers up to 90 credit hours for an Associate degree and 160 credit hours for a Bachelors Degree.
- Students who currently have an Associate Degree or Bachelors Degree are not eligible at CNM.
- Non-credit programs are not eligible
- Students are encouraged, but are not required, to complete a FAFSA.
High School Requirement
- Opportunity Scholarship recipients must have a high school diploma, GED, or received a high school equivalency credential.
- If you haven’t already, you must submit documentation that shows you have graduated high school or received a high school equivalent (GED, HiSET, etc.) to CNM’s Admissions office.
- You can submit this documentation to CNM by email (admissions@cnm.edu) or bring it by any CNM One Stop location (hours and locations here).
- Additional Resources for Requesting Your High School Credential
- If you do not have your high school credential on hand, reach out to your high school to request a copy. These are some additional resources for requesting your documents:
- If you earned a high school diploma, Parchment may have a copy.
- Parchment Web site:https://www.parchment.com/
- Parchment support: https://www.parchment.com/chat-support/
- How to set up a Parchment account: https://www.cnm.edu/depts/enrollment/academic-records/transcripts/parchment-self-registered-1.pdf
- If you earned a GED or high school equivalency (HSE):
- Order your credential from the Diploma Sender Web site
- If you earned a high school diploma, Parchment may have a copy.
- If you do not have your high school credential on hand, reach out to your high school to request a copy. These are some additional resources for requesting your documents:
Continuing Eligibility
- Maintains a 2.5 cumulative GPA
- We are currently reviewing students who fell below a 2.5 GPA prior to Fall 2022.
- Maintains Consecutive enrollment
- Consecutive enrollment for Fall and Spring terms. Summer term is optional and will pay a minimum of 3, but not more than 9, credit hours.
- Meets earned credit hour criteria
Transfer Students
- Must submit, to CNM, a New Mexico Scholarship Transfer Transcript, to be completed by the institution from which you are transferring.
- Meet all eligibility requirements, listed above.
- Transfer hours are included in 90 credit hour maximum.
Duration of the Scholarship
- Scholarships may continue for an eligible student for up to 90 attempted credit hours or the completion of an Associate Degree.
- Once an Associate Degree is obtained, the student will no longer be eligible at CNM and can continue towards a Bachelors Degree at a university.
- For recent graduate learners, enroll full-time (at least 12 credit hours no more than 18 credit hours for fall and spring semester) in a credit-bearing 2-year program.
Recent Graduate Learners
During the 16 months after graduation, a recent graduate learner may attend a public post-secondary educational institution or tribal college prior to their initial semester less than-full time without affecting future program eligibility, as long as a 2.5 GPA is maintained. Once a recent graduate learner is enrolled and attends full-time during the 16 months after graduation, the recent graduate learner shall be considered to have commenced the initial semester and must meet the initial semester eligibility requirements. Recent graduate learners must have graduated from an accredited NM high school or complete a PED approved home school program.
Probationary Status
Accepting Spring 2023 Opportunity appeals. No longer accepting Fall 2022 appeals.
You can apply for probationary status if you can't meet the Opportunity Scholarship requirements because of an exceptional mitigating circumstance beyond your control. Fill out the Request for Probationary Status form, attach the required documentation, then submit to Scholarship Services for review.
- A probation period is allowed for exceptional circumstances on a per semester basis. A leave of absence can be renewable yearly at the higher
education institution. - The scholarship may be renewed two years after losing eligibility and exhausting an allowable probation period.
- If a probationary appeal is not granted, reinstatement of Opportunity can be petitioned no sooner than two years following the end of the semester when eligibility was lost.
Calculate Your Qualifying Term
New Mexico high school graduates or New Mexico high school equivalency recipients will have up to sixteen months from the date you receive your high school credential to begin your post-secondary education and complete your Qualifying Term.
Calculate your qualifying term (Excel Sheet)
Note: Qualifying term can be completed in Fall or Spring only.