Boise State University announced a big new scholarship program today that will grant $2,000 a year for four years to any Idaho resident who meets financial need, grade and test score criteria and enrolls as a freshman next fall. The university has set aside enough to cover 400 students with the scholarship next fall - $800,000 - and fundraising is continuing; it's expecting between 125 and 150 to qualify in the fall.

To be eligible, a student would need a minimum unweighted high school GPA of 3.3, eligibility for a Federal Pell Grant based on their financial aid application, and a score of at least 25 on the ACT or 1130 on the SAT. The university said for students who qualify for the maximum Federal Pell Grant, the addition of the new scholarship means full tuition costs will be covered, for four years, for Idaho students with the greatest financial need.

“This is the biggest financial aid package in Boise State’s history for Idaho students who both have earned it and who need it,” said BSU President Bob Kustra. “College affordability remains top of mind for all of us, and the True Blue Promise is aimed at opening doors to higher education for Idaho students who want to attend Boise State University.”

The scholarship will be automatically awarded to students admitted for the fall who meet the criteria, subject to available funds; those who submit their FAFSA by Feb. 15 will get priority consideration. To continue to receive the scholarship beyond the first year, students must maintain a 3.0 GPA and demonstrate continued financial need. 

BSU already offers its President’s Scholarship and Dean’s Scholarship, which are awarded based on academic merit. The university said in announcing the new scholarship that it’s made fundraising for scholarships its top philanthropic priority and has raised more than $21 million for scholarships in the past three years.