What Colorado Families Should Know About COF

If your student is planning to attend a Colorado public college or university, the College Opportunity Fund (COF) is one of the simplest ways to reduce tuition. Yet many Colorado families never apply, leaving money on the table every semester.

What is COF?

COF is a state-funded program that provides a stipend to eligible undergraduate students attending participating Colorado public institutions and some private colleges. The stipend is applied directly to your student's tuition bill, reducing the amount your family pays out of pocket.

How much does it save?

The per-credit-hour stipend amount is set by the state and can change year to year. For a full-time student taking 15 credits per semester, the savings can add up to several hundred dollars per year. Over four years, that is meaningful money that does not need to be borrowed or earned through a part-time job.

Who qualifies?

To qualify, your student must be a Colorado resident, enrolled in an eligible undergraduate program at a participating institution, and have applied for the stipend through the COF portal. Students must also authorize the college to apply the stipend each term.

How to apply

Your student can create an account on the College Opportunity Fund website, complete the application, and then authorize the stipend through their college's student portal. It takes about ten minutes, but many families simply forget.

Why this matters

COF is one of the few financial aid programs that requires almost no effort beyond a short application. If your student is attending a Colorado public college and has not applied, it is worth doing today. During a 30-minute college planning conversation, we can walk your family through COF and other Colorado-specific opportunities.