Oregon Opportunity Grant

1. Submit the FAFSA or ORSAA as soon as possible after the application opens on October 1 each year.  No other application is required.

2. Watch for emails from the U.S. Department of Education and/or OSAC. Correct any FAFSA or ORSAA errors immediately.

3. If awarded, you will receive an email from OOGAward@hecc.oregon.gov.

4. Review your award email, and both "Who is eligible" information below and the "FAQ" page for next steps and more details.

To be eligible for the Oregon Opportunity Grant, you must meet ALL of the following criteria:

• Oregon resident for at least 12 months prior to college attendance and a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen
  • For dependent students, your parent(s) must also live in Oregon
  • Out-of-state students who are members of Native American tribes with traditional ties to Oregon may be considered Oregon residents.
  • Undocumented students, including DACA students, may be eligible for an Oregon Opportunity Grant if they meet additional requirements. Learn more about financial aid for undocumented and DACA students.
• Undergraduate student with no prior baccalaureate degrees.
• Be enrolled at least half time (i.e., at least 6 credit-hours) at a participating Oregon-based postsecondary institution.
• Have financial need based on the difference between cost of attendance and student's financial resources including federal aid and student's estimated family contribution.
• Have no federal student loans in default and not owe refunds on federal student grants. 
• Continuing students must maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP).
• Complete any other requirements or requests from your college.
• Submit a FAFSA or ORSAA as soon as possible after October 1 each year:
• OSAC authorizes Opportunity Grant awards only for eligible applicants who have an error-free FAFSA or ORSAA submitted by the cutoff date. Errors on a FAFSA or ORSAA should be corrected as soon as possible to maintain grant eligibility. 
• Any updates or changes made to a FAFSA or ORSAA may affect Oregon Opportunity Grant eligibility and/or award amount.
• The Oregon Opportunity Grant award is based on the EFC from a valid FAFSA or ORSAA. FAFSA or ORSAA records with institutional Professional Judgment adjustments cannot be used to award the Oregon Opportunity Grant. 

Note: First time students should complete the application process for admission to at least one eligible Oregon public or private nonprofit college/university in addition to submitting a FAFSA or ORSAA. 

Conditions of the Award
Oregon Opportunity Grants are available to qualified students for up to four years (12 quarters or 8 semesters) of full-time enrollment, provided they maintain satisfactory academic progress, continue to meet eligibility and award requirements, and file a new FAFSA or ORSAA each year. Awards are prorated for half-time enrollment. Students enrolled in courses of study leading to degrees in theology, divinity, or religious education are not eligible.

Oregon Opportunity Grants are awarded first to students with the greatest financial need, based on their Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Award amounts are subject to change each year. OSAC begins awarding in the spring and continues to make awards until funds are exhausted. Because available funds vary year to year, OSAC cannot forecast what the maximum EFC limit will be or when funds will be exhausted.

For 2023-24, the award amount is based on the student’s Estimated Family Contribution (EFC), the type of school they attend, and how many credits they enroll each term. The chart below is the maximum award amount for each EFC level and is based on full time and full-year enrollment (i.e. 12 credits or more each term, for all three quarters or two semesters).

EFC Limit
The current EFC limit for the 2023-24 academic year is $8,000.

Cut-Off Date
The current FAFSA or ORSAA submit date for the 2023-24 academic year is August 15, 2023. 

A portion of the award is released to a student’s account each semester or quarter. Awards are pro-rated for part-time or part-year enrollment. Students must be enrolled at least half time during a quarter or semester to receive OOG funds for that term.

NOTE: Even if you received the Oregon Opportunity Grant in prior years and filed your FAFSA early, you may not receive a grant if your EFC is above the EFC limit for the year.

Once authorized for an award, OSAC notifies the college financial aid office and sends an email to eligible students. OSAC sends the Oregon Opportunity Grant award to the college financial aid office near the start of each academic term. If students enroll at least half time and complete all requirements with their college, the college will put the money in their campus account near the start of the term. For specifics of how/when the funds are put into the campus account, please contact the college financial office.

Last Updated September 2023

Awarding has started for the 2023-24 academic year. Be sure to submit your 2023-24 FAFSA or ORSAA as soon as possible and list at least one eligible Oregon college. Students who are authorized for an award for the 2023-24 academic year will be sent an email from Oregon Opportunity Grant (OOGAward@hecc.oregon.gov). Awarding will continue for the next few months until funds are exhausted, and the cutoff date could be extended. Submit your 2023-24 FAFSA or ORSAA ASAP to be considered.

NOTE: If you are selected for FAFSA verification, be sure to respond to your school’s requests for data and documents right away. Your school cannot award any financial aid until the verification process is complete. 

Any updates or changes made to your FAFSA or ORSAA may affect your Oregon Opportunity Grant eligibility and/or award amount. 

OOG awards cannot be based on EFC adjustments made from professional judgments, determined by your college.