Frequently Asked Questions

An act of the Colorado State Legislature in May 2004 established a new way for the State to provide state tax dollar support for higher education at the undergraduate level. The state is no longer appropriating monies to institutions for undergraduate education, but providing direct funding to undergraduate students through the "College Opportunity Fund" or "COF." This program is also known as "vouchers" or "stipends." Starting in fall 2005, COF stipends will be applied to the university bills of in-state undergraduates. Here are answers to some questions students and parents have been asking about COF.

When does the voucher program begin?
The College Opportunity Fund (COF) voucher program begins on July 1, 2005 for the 2005-2006 academic year. It does not begin on July 1, 2004. The voucher program will not apply to the fall 2004 or the spring 2005 terms.

Who is eligible?
In-state undergraduate students will be eligible for vouchers. Degree-seeking, non-degree, and teacher licensure students classified as undergraduates will be eligible. Your age, your income, and your financial aid eligibility are irrelevant – students of all ages, all incomes, and all aid statuses will be eligible.

Do I need to apply for the voucher program?
You will be required to apply for the College Opportunity Fund voucher program. The state is currently developing the application process, which may be part of the process of registering for courses for fall 2005 and following terms.

How will the amount of the voucher be calculated?
Your voucher amount will be calculated based on the number of credit hours you register for each term. The amount of money per credit hour has yet to be determined by the State of Colorado. This amount may differ each year. It will be determined by the state legislature in spring 2005 for the coming academic year. The amount of the voucher per credit hour will be the same at all Colorado public institutions, including community colleges.

Will I receive a check?
No. Upon your authorization, your voucher amount will be sent by the state on your behalf directly to the institution you choose to attend. It will be applied directly to the total tuition charge on your university account. The voucher amount will not be mailed to your home or transferred to your bank account.

What will I pay?
The total tuition shown on your university bill will have two parts: The part paid on your behalf by the COF and the part you are personally responsible for. Any financial aid you receive will be applied to your share. You will pay total tuition MINUS the part paid on your behalf by COF MINUS any parts paid by financial aid. For example, if your total tuition is $2000, and COF pays $800 on your behalf, and a scholarship pays $500, you will pay 2000 - 800 - 500 = $700. These amounts are for illustration only.

Will the stipend cover the total amount of in-state tuition?
No. The student's share of the cost for undergraduate education is not expected to decrease from today's current rates. You can expect that both tuition rates and COF stipend values may change from year to year.

Do not assume that the total tuition amount (including a COF portion) for 2005-06 will be the same as 2003-04 or 2004-05 tuition, which does not include COF. For most institutions, the 2005-06 total tuition listed on the bill will exceed 2004-05 tuition.

Am I eligible for vouchers for as long as I am an undergraduate in Colorado?
No. COF vouchers will be capped at 145 cumulative attempted semester credit hours, with some exceptions. The Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) will track each student's hours over all Colorado institutions. CCHE will also estimate the number of COF hours remaining for students enrolled before fall term 2005. The cap does not include AP or IB credit earned while in high school.

How will the 145-hour cap work?
For students starting after July 1, 2005, it's a lifetime limit on attempted credit hours paid by COF. Hours taken outside Colorado or as an out-of-state student should not count in the cap. Earned hours from AP or IB will not count in the cap. For students starting after July 1, 2005, only hours paid by COF will count in the cap. Students taking undergraduate work after receipt of a bachelor's degree may have 30 more hours added to their limits. In addition, some waivers to the lifetime limit should be available.

For students enrolled before July 1, 2005, the lifetime limit will be set by CCHE based on hours taken as an undergrate before July 1, 2005.

Can I take courses after reaching the 145-hour cap?
Yes. The total in-state undergraduate tuition will be the same for hours over your limit, but there will be no COF stipend applied to the tuition for those hours.

Will students enrolled before July 1, 2005 be eligible for the full 145 hours?
Probably not. The state is developing methods of calculating the limit for each student, based on hours taken as an undergraduate before July 1, 2005.

What if I'm an undergraduate taking graduate courses?
Tuition charges for graduate-level courses taken by in-state undergraduates may or may not be covered. The university is working on this with the state.

Has the university received money from the state for undergraduate education before?
Yes. A portion of the state appropriations to the university received prior to COF was for financing the cost of undergraduate education. The COF program changes the state's financing of institutions to provide direct funding to undergraduate students. COF is also designed to increase public awareness that the state helps offset the costs of undergraduate education at public colleges and universities.

Are 'vouchers,' 'stipends,' and 'COF' the same thing?
Yes. The College Opportunity Fund program is variously known as COF, vouchers, stipends, and Senate Bill 04-189. Although the word "voucher" appears frequently in the press, it does not appear in Senate Bill 189 itself or on the CCHE web site, which both use the word "stipend" instead.

Where can I go for additional information?
Further information will be published for Mesa State students on this site in the future.

Details of the COF program are being determined by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) and the Colorado Access Network, formerly known as the Colorado Student Loan Program or CSLP. See the CCHE Q&A on COF. and the Colorado Access Network site on COF, which also includes a Q&A. Be advised that the various Q&A's posted do not all agree because implementation details are still in process. Address any further questions to the Colorado Access Network at rhaddock@cslp.org.