Legislative Lottery Scholarship 
 

      The Legislative Lottery Scholarship helps pay tuition expenses for New Mexico high school graduates (or GED recipients) who plan to attend an eligible New Mexico public college or university. 
 
  
Students establish eligibility in the first regular semester immediately following their high school graduation and funding begins in the second college semester.  To find out more about scholarships for the first regular semester, contact the financial aid or scholarship office at your college or university.
 
 
Legislative Lottery Scholarship FAQs
 
 
Important changes to the Legislative Lottery Scholarship!
 
 
How much is the award? 
 
·         Tuition only
 
·         Renewable if student maintains satisfactory progress and full-time status
 
·         May receive scholarship for a total of eight (8) consecutive semesters 
 
What are the eligibility requirements? 
 
·         New Mexico residents
 
·         Graduated from a New Mexico public high school, an accredited New Mexico private high school, or have obtained a New Mexico GED.
 
·         Home Schooled students are eligible only if they pass the New Mexico GED.
 
·         Must be enrolled full-time and complete 12 credit hours, and a 2.5 grade point average at an eligible New Mexico public college or university, in the first regular semester immediately following their high school graduation.
 
·         Undergraduate
 
·         Enroll full-time 
 
Contact the Financial Aid Office at the college or university to inquire about the Legislative Lottery Scholarship.

Legislative Lottery Scholarship: Students with Disabilities

 
During the 2007 New Mexico State Legislative session, lawmakers passed a law that redefines “full time” for students with disabilities effective 2007 fall semester.
 
A student who self-identifies with the institutional office that serves students with disabilities may request to take less than 12 credit hours, in no case however, shall a student take fewer than 6 credit hours.  The student is still required to maintain Lottery eligibility with a 2.5 GPA and consecutive enrollment at a New Mexico public college or university.
 
 There are three steps a student must take in order to take advantage of this opportunity:
 

Students with Disabilities - Step by Step Procedure

 
 Step 1:   Student must register or self-identify with the Student Services Division that oversees students with special needs’ requests i.e. Disability Services.
 
 Step 2:   Students must fill out the Legislative Lottery Scholarship Students with Disabilities Referral Form and have it signed by the Student Services personnel that reviewed the student’s individual case.
 
Step 3:   The form is then delivered to the Institution’s Financial Aid office. The Financial Aid office will determine eligibility for the Legislative Lottery Scholarship based on the Referral Form. Generally the scholarship should be extended by one additional semester for each term where an exception is granted. However, further extensions may be approved on a case-by-case basis. 

Students: please note –

 
¨        exceptions to “full time” may be granted during the qualifying semester; and
 
¨        eligibility for this exception is not retroactive.