President's Opportunity Promise Award Program

An expansion to the OHIO Admission Promise, the President's Opportunity Promise Award for Fall 2026 is part of our ongoing commitment to access and affordability, and our commitment to serving the students of our region. This award will make it possible for qualifying Pell-eligible students in Athens County and all contiguous Ohio counties to attend »¨¼¾´«Ã½ tuition-free. The scholarship will cover remaining Athens campus in-state tuition and mandatory fees after subtracting a student’s Pell Grant and other federal, state and institutional gift aid.

Pell-eligible first-year students who are Ohio residents (defined by permanent address on application for admission) of Athens, Hocking, Meigs, Morgan, Perry, Vinton or Washington County; have earned a minimum 3.0 high school GPA on a strong college prep curriculum; apply by the Early Action Deadline of November 15, 2025; ensure their FAFSA results are received by OHIO's first-priority date, January 15, 2026; confirm their intent to enroll by May 1, 2026; and enroll at OHIO’s Athens campus for the fall 2026 semester as a full-time, first-year, degree-seeking student are eligible for the President's Opportunity Promise Award for Fall 2026. 

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) serves as the application for all federal, state and institutional financial aid at »¨¼¾´«Ã½, including the Federal Pell Grant. »¨¼¾´«Ã½ will use the results of your FAFSA to determine your eligibility for a Pell Grant, and if so, how much you’re eligible to receive. For best consideration for need-based awards, the results of your FAFSA must be received by »¨¼¾´«Ã½ by the first-priority date. Students may be considered for other need-based aid on a rolling basis after the priority date. »¨¼¾´«Ã½'s federal school code is 003100.

The President's Opportunity Promise Award is available to eligible students pursuing any of our undergraduate bachelor’s or associate degree programs at the Athens campus. Awarded in fall and spring, the President’s Opportunity Promise is renewable for four years (eight semesters) for students pursuing a bachelor’s degree, or two years (four semesters) for students pursuing an associate degree.

Yes, of course! Even if you don’t qualify for the President's Opportunity Promise, we look forward to receiving your application and your FAFSA. Through our holistic review process, you will receive a careful and thorough review of your application, including any optional materials you choose to submit, such as test scores, an essay, or letters of recommendation. We care about all the ways you can show you are academically prepared to attend college.

The OHIO President’s Opportunity Promise Award is only offered on the Athens campus, but the OHIO Regional Promise Award for fall 2026 offers a free degree to qualified students with a minimum 3.0 GPA at any OHIO regional campus.

This program is for freshmen, but transfer applicants who are ready for a change in their higher education plans are welcome to apply to OHIO and will be reviewed in accordance with our transfer admission guidelines and will be eligible for consideration for our fall 2026 transfer scholarship programs.

The President's Opportunity Promise Award may not be combined with some University scholarships, full-tuition Employee/Dependent Educational Benefits, or any other award valued at full tuition. Students who qualify for the President's Opportunity Promise in addition to other aid will receive information from the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships about whether or how awards may be combined.

• The President's Opportunity Promise Award is renewable for up to four consecutive years of undergraduate study (two semesters per year) at OHIO’s Athens campus for students enrolled in a bachelor’s degree. The award is renewable for up to two consecutive years of undergraduate study (two semesters per year) at OHIO’s Athens campus for students enrolled in an associate degree.
• The President's Opportunity Promise Award requires enrollment in a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester and a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
• For renewal, recipients must file the FAFSA annually by the published first-priority deadline. Consult our Completing the FAFSA page for the most up-to-date information on OHIO's first-priority date.
• Renewal is contingent upon continued eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant, which may vary in value annually. 

The President’s Opportunity Promise applies to eligible fall 2026 applicants at this time. We’ll share more information about application requirements and scholarship programs for the 2027 application cycle next year.