Frequently Asked Questions:

 

What is the Lottery Success Scholarship?

 

• The Lottery Success Scholarship pays 100% tuition for New Mexico high school graduates (or GED recipients) who want to attend a New Mexico public college or university.  The eligibility is determined in the student’s first semester. The Lottery Success Scholarship is a renewable full-tuition award, which may be received for up to eight consecutive semesters, beginning in the student’s second semester in college. 

 

Who is qualified for the Lottery Success Scholarship?

 

·        Students must be a New Mexico resident;

·        Must have graduated from a New Mexico public, accredited private school or have obtained a New Mexico GED;

·        Must be enrolled full-time (12 credit hours) at an eligible New Mexico public college or university, in the first regular semester immediately following high school graduation; and

·        Must obtain and maintain at least a cumulative 2.5 GPA.

 

What does the Lottery Success Scholarship cover?

 

·        The scholarship covers the cost of tuition only.  Students will still be required to pay additional educational expenses, such as student fees, books, room and board.

·        Eight consecutive semesters of eligibility beginning with the second semester of college enrollment;

 

How do students apply for the Lottery Success Scholarship?

 

·        Students are strongly encouraged to contact their institution’s Scholarship or Financial Aid office.  Some colleges may require the completion of the FAFSA, (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or a subsequent application process may be required at an individual institution.

 

If a student has graduated high school a few years ago and is planning to attend college, are they eligible for the Lottery Success Scholarship?

·        No, the Lottery Success Scholarship is intended for graduating seniors (or GED recipients) who immediately enter college.  Returning students are not eligible for the Lottery Success Scholarship.  Students should directly contact their Scholarship and Financial Aid offices for more information on other types of available funding.

 

If a student will be graduating high school this May and plans to enroll full time in the fall at the College of Santa Fe, are they eligible for the Lottery Success Scholarship?

 

·        No.  Only students enrolled at the following public post-secondary schools are eligible:

 

Central New Mexico Community College

Clovis Community College

Eastern New Mexico University - Main

Eastern New Mexico University - Roswell

Eastern New Mexico University - Ruidoso

Luna Community College

Mesalands Community College

New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology

New Mexico Highlands University

New Mexico Junior College

New Mexico Military Institute

New Mexico State University - Main

New Mexico State University - Alamogordo

New Mexico State University - Carlsbad

New Mexico State University - Dona Ana

New Mexico State University - Grants

Northern New Mexico College

San Juan College

Santa Fe Community College

The University of New Mexico - Main

The University of New Mexico - Gallup

The University of New Mexico - Los Alamos

The University of New Mexico - Taos

The University of New Mexico - Valencia

Western New Mexico University

 

If a student plans to enroll in the military after high school can they return to college to receive the Lottery Success Scholarship?

 

·        Yes. According to state regulations, students who, within 120 days of completion of a graduate equivalent diploma, begin service in the United States armed forces can establish eligibility for the scholarship during their first college semester if within 120 days of completion of honorable service or medical discharge from the service are accepted for entrance to and attend of the state educational institutions.  The New Mexico Higher Education Department encourages students to directly contact their college or university regarding proper paperwork that may need to be filed prior to military service.

 

If a New Mexico student attends a college out-of-state is he or she eligible for the Lottery Success Scholarship?

 

·        No, the Lottery Success Scholarship only applies to New Mexico students who are enrolled full-time at an eligible New Mexico public college or university.

 

Does the Lottery Success Scholarship fund graduate students?

 

·        No, the Lottery Success Scholarship is only available to undergraduate students.

 

Are home schooled students eligible to receive the Lottery Success Scholarship?

 

·        Yes, but they must have received a New Mexico GED prior to enrollment and meet all eligibility criteria.

 

If a student graduated from an out-out-state high school and obtained a New Mexico GED are they eligible?

 

·        No, only students who never graduated from high school are eligible for the Lottery Success Scholarship.

 

Are high school students who are concurrently enrolled in college eligible for the Lottery Success Scholarship?

 

·        No. Students must have graduated from high school before they can meet the eligibility requirements.

 

Can the Lottery Success Scholarship be used for summer sessions?

 

·        No. The Lottery Success Scholarship is only awarded for fall and spring semesters.

 

Can summer sessions be used in determining GPA for the Lottery Success Scholarship?

 

·        For the initial fall qualifying semester, any summer courses that a recent high school graduate completes prior to college enrollment may not be calculated to determine Lottery Success Scholarship eligibility.  Eligibility for the Lottery Success Scholarship is based on completion of 12 credit hours and a 2.5. GPA for the qualifying fall semester.

 

·        In addition, once a student is receiving the Lottery Success Scholarship, any courses taken in the summer may be factored into the cumulative GPA as well as the total credit hours to maintain eligibility. 

 

Can a student start to receive the Lottery Success Scholarship at either an eligible two-year or eligible four-year institution?

 

·        Yes.

 

Can a student transfer from a two-year to a four-year institution and maintain eligibility?

 

·        Yes.  A student may transfer from a two-year to a four-year or from a four-year to a two-year institution.  A student can also transfer two-to-two or four-to-four if the institution where the student is enrolling determines that the student continues to make satisfactory academic progress.  In no case shall a student receive more than eight semesters of the Lottery Success Scholarship for a Bachelor degree and no more than four semesters for an Associate degree.

 

If a student stops-out and subsequently re-enrolls is that student still eligible to continue receiving the Lottery Success Scholarship?

 

·        Eligibility is contingent on continuous full-time enrollment and maintaining a 2.5 GPA.  In certain cases students may obtain an approved leave of absence if the student provides sufficient documentation to the aid officer to justify the leave of absence.  As always, students are strongly encouraged to directly contact their institution’s Financial Aid Department for exact rules and regulations concerning a leave of absence. 

 

If a student is eligible for another scholarship that covers tuition, and that scholarship terminates, would the student then be eligible to begin receiving the Lottery Success Scholarship?

 

·        Yes. The intent of the scholarship is for students to complete a four-year degree within 9 semesters of post-secondary education or a two-year degree within 5 semesters.  The institution would be required to subtract the number of semesters that the student had been enrolled to determine the remaining number of semesters of eligibility.

 

Are mid-year high school graduates eligible to receive the Lottery Success Scholarship?

 

·        Yes, students who receive a graduate equivalent diploma which is dated after the eligible institution’s admission deadline for degree status in the first regular semester shall be permitted to enroll and establish eligibility in the next immediate regular semester (excluding summer session).

 

Can students be concurrently enrolled in more than one public post-secondary institution and receive the Lottery Success Scholarship?

 

·        Yes.  In certain cases, students for example may enroll in 6 hours at a community college and 6 credit hours at a four- year college.  Each institution drafts their own consortium agreements with regard to how Lottery Success Scholarship funds are dispersed.