More About DSF Scholarship Requirements and Special Circumstances

High School GPA

DSF will use your final cumulative high school GPA (weighted or unweighted, whichever is higher) to determine the type(s) of colleges where you are eligible to receive the DSF Scholarship: 

If you enroll at a DSF partner college where you do NOT meet DSF’s high school GPA requirement, you can get an exception in one of the following ways: 

Full-time Enrollment

You must enroll full-time (at least 12 credit hours per term, or the equivalent) to qualify for the DSF Scholarship, unless you are enrolled in a certificate program. 

Limited exceptions are considered for part-time enrollment in an associate’s or bachelor’s program. You may receive a prorated DSF Scholarship award while enrolled less than full-time (but at least half-time) if you request and are given approval for one of the following reasons: 

• You are enrolled in an academic program designed to be less than full-time (e.g. internships, study abroad, accommodations for learning differences); or
• You need fewer than 12 credit hours to complete your associate’s or bachelor’s degree; or
• For a maximum of one academic year during your years of DSF Scholarship eligibility: You must enroll part-time to complete prerequisite requirements; or 
• For one term only during your years of DSF eligibility: 

• • You must complete developmental education before enrolling full-time; or 
  • Part-time enrollment is a condition of an academic appeal 

To request approval for part-time enrollment, complete and submit the Part-Time Enrollment Form in the Forms section of your DSF Student Portal account by the first day of classes for the term you are enrolling part-time. Once you submit, we will ask your DSF Campus Contact for confirmation, and then notify you whether you are approved. 

If you will enroll less than full-time due to extenuating circumstances in your life (e.g. illness, injury, financial hardship, significant caregiving responsibilities, or other factors outside your control), you may be able to submit an appeal to DSF for an exception to the full-time enrollment requirement. Learn more here. 

If you are enrolled in an associate’s or bachelor’s degree program and enroll less than full-time without an approved Part-Time Enrollment Form or appeal, you will not be eligible for the DSF Scholarship for the term(s) in which you are enrolled less than full-time. You must continue to meet all other DSF Scholarship requirements to be considered for an award when you increase to full-time enrollment. 

Summer Scholarships

DSF Scholars who take summer credits may receive an additional summer scholarship award on top of what they received in the regular academic year:

• $500 for 3 to 5 summer credits
• $1,000 for 6 or more summer credits

To be eligible for a summer award, Scholars must meet the following requirements:

• Received a DSF award in at least one term of the regular academic year
• Meeting requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
• Enrolled in at least 3 summer credits
• Attending a DSF college partner

Students may request to receive their summer award at a different DSF college partner than the one where they are pursuing their degree.

Follow these steps to sign up to receive a summer scholarship:

1. Log in to the DSF Student Portal and find the Summer Scholarship Intent Form tab (Please note: The tab is only visible to eligible students from March to June 1).
2. Complete the Summer Scholarship Intent Form by June 1 (no exceptions).
3. Enroll in at least 3 summer credits at a DSF college partner.

To change your summer college choice, you may resubmit the Summer Scholarship Intent Form as many times as needed until June 1.

Don’t see the Summer Scholarship Intent Form in your DSF Student Portal? Our records show that you did not receive a DSF Scholarship award in the regular academic year.

If you have questions about your summer scholarship, click Contact DSF in the DSF Student Portal, visit denverscholarship.org/contactus, or call 303.640.6564.

Colorado Residency

DSF provides scholarship support to students who meet the requirements to qualify for Colorado residency classification by their college/university along with other DSF requirements, regardless of citizenship status or eligibility for federal student aid. 

What does Colorado residency classification mean? 

Colorado residency classification may also be referred to as “Colorado domicile requirements.” Whichever term is used, being classified as a Colorado resident by your college means that your college finds that your legal, permanent residence is in Colorado. In Colorado, this is not determined by immigration status. 

The requirements for Colorado residency are established in Colorado law, but each college/university sets its own process for determining residency and for students to request corrections. Check with the admissions office at your college for more information or questions (there’s usually a Tuition Classification Officer who is responsible for residency classification). 

For more information, visit the Colorado Department of Higher Education’s Colorado Residency Guide.

Why does Colorado residency classification matter? 

Colorado residency determines whether students are classified as in-state or out-of-state for tuition purposes. It also determines whether students are eligible to receive Colorado state grants, which public and private colleges/universities can award as part of financial aid. 

Beginning with the 2021-22 academic year, DSF requires that students meet their college’s requirements to be classified as a Colorado resident before they will be eligible to receive a DSF Scholarship award. 

How do I find out my residency classification? 

In most cases, residency is determined based on answers you provide in your admissions application. At some private colleges, you may need to complete a Colorado residency application form to determine your residency status. You can usually find your classification in your college student portal account, listed as “residency status” or “tuition classification.” 

After you’re admitted, you can submit a correction form to change your residency status if you think you should be classified as a Colorado resident. Don’t be discouraged if you’re initially classified as out-of-state; ask the Admissions Office for help if you think a correction is needed. 

I am not a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident, but I attended high school in Denver. Am I eligible for Colorado in-state tuition? 

Probably! A Colorado law called ASSET (Advancing Students for a Stronger Economy Tomorrow) allows students to qualify for in-state tuition at public colleges/universities regardless of their immigration status, if these requirements are met: 

• Attended a public or private high school in Colorado for at least three years immediately before graduating from high school or completing a GED 
• Have been admitted to a Colorado college/university within 12 months of graduating high school 
• Applied for the College Opportunity Fund (COF)

I am not a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident, but I attended high school in Denver. Am I eligible for Colorado state financial aid? 

Yes, if you meet the requirements for ASSET (listed above) and meet the following requirements: 

• Complete the Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA) or other aid application as required by your college 
• Apply for the College Opportunity Fund (COF) 
• As part of your COF application, complete the lawful presence affidavit to be considered for ASSET and state aid. It asks whether you have applied for legal presence or will apply as soon as you are eligible to do so. 
• Select “No” for the question “I am a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or otherwise lawfully present in the United States” to access the affidavit. 
  • If you don’t have a Social Security number, COF will assign you a COF ID when you complete your affidavit. Be sure to save your COF ID so that you can provide it to your college and to DSF on your scholarship application. 

If you have questions, contact us online, call us at 303.640.6564, or ask your DSF Campus Contact or Future Center Advisor. 

Submitting an Appeal to DSF 

​DSF expects students to meet all requirements detailed in the DSF Scholarship Policy. However, we understand that students sometimes face situations beyond their control and need flexibility to deal with them.  

DSF considers appeals for exceptions to the scholarship policy in cases of exceptional personal or family circumstances, such as the following: 

• Death in your immediate family 
• Medical illness or injury (for yourself or your immediate family) 
• Significant disruptions in your personal life 
• Other special circumstances beyond your control 

Time management issues, poor decision-making, forgetting about a deadline, and human error are not sufficient grounds for an appeal. 

DSF will not consider appeals about the following matters:

• Enrollment in Denver Public Schools 
• Graduation from Denver Public Schools 
• High school GPA below 2.0 
• College academic requirements 
• Eligible DSF colleges 
• DSF Scholarship award amount 
• Length of DSF eligibility 
• Graduate school 

If you believe your situation may be grounds for an appeal, contact the DSF Scholarship Team in your Student Portal account or call 303.640.6564 to discuss the situation that caused you to miss a DSF deadline or requirement. DSF will consider the situation and determine whether you may submit a full appeal for committee review. You are encouraged to work with your Future Center Advisor, Campus Contact, or other student support professional to prepare your appeal. 

DSF reviews appeals on a rolling basis, but you should submit an appeal at least 30 days before the end of a term in which you want to qualify for a scholarship award. You must continue to meet all other DSF requirements while your appeal is reviewed. If your appeal is approved but a different requirement is not met, you still may not receive a scholarship award. 

Transferring Mid-Year 

If you transfer from one DSF College Partner to another during the school year, you can transfer your DSF Scholarship to your new college if you meet the following requirements: 

• You are transferring for one of these reasons:
  • You graduated with a certificate or associate’s degree after the fall term and are transferring to a 4-year institution to continue on your program’s degree path, OR 
  • You have completed all basic requirements at your current institution and must transfer to a different institution to continue your degree program, OR 
  • After careful consideration, you have decided that transferring to a different institution will be better for you due to academic/financial/social fit 
• You received a DSF award in the fall term, or the only reason you didn’t qualify for a DSF award was because your years of DSF eligibility at your fall college had expired 
• You met Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements for the fall 
• You completed your DSF Student Success Requirements for the fall 
• You discussed your transfer with DSF Campus Contacts at both institutions by February 1
• You completed or will complete your financial aid requirements at your new college by February 1 

If you are transferring during the school year and meet the above requirements, submit the Mid-Year Transfer Form found in the Forms section of your DSF Student Portal account by February 1, and upload your current unofficial college transcript where instructed. DSF will contact both your fall and spring colleges to verify that you meet the requirements for a mid-year transfer.