NM governor announces plan to make college free for state residents

The new program, called the New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship, would provide 100% of tuition and fees for state residents with a high school diploma or equivalency. 

"This program is an absolute game-changer for New Mexico,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said. “Higher education in this state, a victim of the recession, has been starved in recent years. We are pivoting to a robust reinvestment in higher learning – specifically and directly in our students. By covering the last dollar of tuition and fees, by making college significantly more accessible to New Mexicans of every income, of every background, of every age, we are putting students first." 

The scholarship would cover any tuition and fees not paid for by the New Mexico Lottery Scholarship, which requires a 2.5 GPA. The money would come from legislative appropriations, with an estimated cost of $25 to $35 million. 

The plan still needs to be approved by the state legislature. New Mexico would be the second state in the country to establish tuition-free college. 

The program would benefit an estimated 55,000 students per year. If approved, current students would be eligible for tuition assistance for future semesters. 

For more information about the scholarship, click here. 

Today I’m thrilled to announce a huge development for New Mexico higher education – we’re going to make college tuition-free for New Mexico students. #NewMexicoOpportunity pic.twitter.com/mRTsnKevIA

— Michelle Lujan Grisham (@GovMLG) September 18, 2019