Higher Education Scholarships & Enrollment
Figure: State spending for Higher Education Scholarships has dramatically increased from 2019 to 2024, in large part due to the Opportunity Scholarship.
Figure: Total headcount of all enrolled students approximately 21 days after the first day of classes. 2020 and 2021 enrollments reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education enrollment.
Data Source: NM Postsecondary Census Enrollment Trends Fall 2015-2024, hed.nm.gov
Legislative Lottery Scholarship (LLSS)
The Legislative Lottery Scholarship (LLSS) provides up to 100% of tuition support for eligible students was fully funded for FY24. The LLSS is offered to NM high school graduates who enroll at a NM institution of higher education within 18 months after high school graduation and who complete 15 credit hours at a university or 12 credit hours at community college or branch campus, with at least a 2.5 grade point average in their first semester. Beginning with their second semester these students are awarded the LLSS, which covers up to 100% of tuition.
Opportunity Scholarship
Started in FY23, the Legislature funds the Opportunity Scholarship, which covers the full cost of tuition and fees for eligible students. Recent high school graduates on a lottery scholarship track can be awarded the Opportunity Scholarship, after other institutional aid is awarded, in their first semester to cover tuition and fees. After earning the LLSS, the Opportunity Scholarship covers any unfunded tuition and fees. Returning adult students are also eligible for the Opportunity Scholarship if they are New Mexico residents, enroll for at least 6 credit hours in a program that leads to a job of high need in New Mexico, and maintain at least a 2.5 grade point average.
The initial impact of the Opportunity Scholarship led to the first increase in college enrollment in over 12 years, increasing overall by about 4%.
Higher Education Trust Fund
Signed into law by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in 2024, the Higher Education Trust Fund authorized $959 million via the Tax Stabilization Fund to provide ongoing state support for tuition-free education and state financial aid. This Fund will sustain funding for the Opportunity and Lottery Scholarships for the foreseeable future.
Tuition-free college for New Mexicans
With the New Mexico Opportunity and Lottery Scholarships, there are options for New Mexicans to pursue college and career training without worrying about the cost of tuition and fees. Click here to learn more!