Menu
The Opportunity Scholarship is a simplified, statewide, achievement-based program that encourages students to complete advanced courses in core subject areas while in high school, aims to make higher education more accessible, and rewards students for preparing academically for college.
Contact us
All students who submitted an application (Advanced Course Track or Regents’ Track) should have received an updated notice regarding their application. If you have not received a message, please contact our office immediately.
Regents’ Track Applicants
Students who applied via the Regents’ Track application should receive a message in their scholarship portal. Those that are on-track are required to submit final documentation (final transcripts) by July 1, 2022. Each student has an individualized final document checklist in their account that is updated upon receipt of the required documents. Students should leverage this resource to know which documents are required and which documents have been received. If students have updated their schedule since submitting their online application, they should contact our office right away.
Advanced Course Track Applicants
Students who applied via the Advanced Course Track application should receive an email to the address they used to submit their online application. Those that are on-track do not need to submit additional documentation but do need to complete any required courses in progress before high school graduation.
All Applicants
All Opportunity Scholarship applicants must enroll at an eligible institution for Fall 2022 or obtain an approved deferment from an eligible institution that will begin Fall 2022. Deferments are typically approved for students serving in the military, have a major medical issue, or participating in a humanitarian/religious service. Each school has their own deferment processes and deadlines, so be sure to reach out to an eligible institution early to determine what steps are required. No enrollment/deferment documentation needs to be submitted for the scholarship. Opportunity Scholarship staff will verify enrollment/deferment directly with each eligible school.
More questions? Check out our Final Review FAQ.
Award Information
A final review of 12th grade course information must be completed before final eligibility is determined. If the student is eligible, information will be provided to the college they attend to evaluate the individual award amount for which a student may qualify. Students that are part of the graduating class of 2022 will receive a maximum of $1,000 per semester for up to 4 semesters, subject to the student maintaining eligibility. Individual awards are applied toward tuition and fees after other state aid has been awarded to the student.
Class of 2023 (and beyond)
Students must apply for the Opportunity Scholarship during their senior year of high school.
All 2023 high school graduates may qualify for the scholarship by meeting the advanced course requirements. Read this 2023 Application FAQ document for more information.
The 2023 high school graduate application will open November 15, 2022.
2024 graduates (and beyond) should check this website regularly for updates. Any updates from the legislative session are posted each spring.
These requirements were created after examining data from recent Utah high school graduates to identify the top predictors of college success.
Students earn core credit by completing the following courses in each subject area, based on Utah State Board of Education (USBE) standards. Students will need to work with their high school to find out which courses are available at their school.
Eligible courses are any Concurrent Enrollment (CE), Advanced Placement (AP), or International Baccalaureate (IB) course that aligns to a USBE core code starting with “06” (Language Arts), “07” (Mathematics), and “08” Science. We recommend using the Concurrent Enrollment Master List (core code listed) to find acceptable CE courses. Courses that align with other subject areas will not be accepted.
Students may earn credit through Early College courses completed in grades 9-12 that are included on the CE Master List as described above.
This list is not comprehensive. Please contact our office if you have questions about specific courses.
Language Arts
Mathematics
Science
*Lecture credit required (example: Biology 1010), lab credit recommended, but optional (example: Biology 1015)
A maximum award amount may be determined based on available funding and the number of qualified applicants. Individual awards may be used toward the cost of tuition and fees, after other state aid is applied.
The Opportunity Scholarship can be used at Salt Lake Community College, Snow College, Southern Utah University, Utah State University, Utah Tech University (formerly Dixie State University), Utah Valley University, University of Utah, Weber State University and the following private, non-profit institutions in Utah: Brigham Young University (Provo), Ensign College, Westminster College, and Western Governors University.
Students may defer use of the scholarship to attend a technical college that is part of the Utah System of Higher Education and then transfer to an eligible institution listed above. Please contact the scholarship office if you have questions about this process.
Deferment of the Opportunity Scholarship may also be granted for students who plan to provide a religious, humanitarian, or military service, face medical reasons that inhibit their ability to attend school, or other reasons approved by an eligible institution. Scholarship recipients must coordinate any deferment with individual institutions before departure.
To simplify the scholarships available from the State of Utah and update the previous requirements, the Utah Legislature voted during the 2021 Legislative Session to replace the Regents’ Scholarship and the New Century Scholarship with the Opportunity Scholarship.
These changes will better align the scholarships administered by the Utah System of Higher Education. The three main scholarships offered to high school graduates include the need-based Utah Promise Scholarship, the Technical College Scholarship, and the achievement-based Opportunity Scholarship. There are also several scholarships tied to specific work-force needs in the state. Contact the financial aid office at the school you plan to attend for other scholarship opportunities.
The Opportunity Scholarship has simplified requirements, which are easier for students to follow and understand.
The scholarship leverages the effectiveness of earning college credit while still in high school. For example, Concurrent Enrollment courses cost $5/credit, are transferable, and are widely available to Utah students.
The new scholarship changes allow for better collaboration between the Utah System of Higher Education and K-12 partners at the Utah State Board of Education to address existing equity gaps.
These scholarship requirements are based on data relevant to Utah high school students and are tied to college success.
No, the Opportunity Scholarship is achievement-based and requires students to complete advanced coursework in high school. Completing a FAFSA is required as part of the application process, but federal aid is not considered when determining eligibility.
You can contact the State Scholarship office for more information:
Utah System of Higher Education
The Gateway
60 South 400 West
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
General: 1-801-646-4756
Scholarships: 1-801-646-4812
QUICK LINKS
PARTNERS
© 2020 | Utah System of Higher Education
We are actively taking steps and devoting resources to further enhance the accessibility of our website to meet or exceed applicable standards. As our guide across the site we use the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. This work is ongoing and as we continue to strive toward our goal of promoting accessibility, we welcome your feedback on how we might improve. Should you have questions or comments, please visit our accessibility page.
The Utah System of Higher Education does not endorse and is not responsible for content on external websites linked from this page.
