New Mexico governor signs bill giving state residents opportunity to get free college education

This week, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a new bill into law that makes college and other higher education tuition free for New Mexico residents.

The New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship Act makes it possible for thousands of college, university and trade school students in the state to get a degree or trade certificate free of charge as long as they are enrolled in a New Mexico state school.

Recipients of the scholarship must maintain a 2.5 grade point average and enroll in a minimum of six credit hours a semester.

The state has allocated $75 million in funds to pay for the scholarships, which is enough to send about 35,000 New Mexico residents to college this fall. A fully funded Opportunity Scholarship opens the door for every New Mexican to reach higher, strengthening our economy, our families and our communities,” Lujan Grisham said in a public statement.

The plan was first introduced in 2019, and before this week, over 10,000 students in New Mexico have received the scholarship, but the new allotment of $75 million makes the program accessible to most who want it.