Homeschool benefits and savings in Gunnison or Hinsdale County

Starting in fall 2026, the Gunnison Valley Promise covers standard undergraduate tuition at Western Colorado University, up to 18 credits a semester, worth $11,112 a year at 15 credits. Graduates of homeschool programs in Gunnison or Hinsdale County in 2026 or later qualify if they enroll full time without earning college credit after graduating.

By Andrew Garber, founder of TheHomeschoolingCompany. Reviewed August 25, 2026.

Who qualifies

1. Graduates in 2026 or later

   Graduates of Gunnison High School, Crested Butte Community School, Lake City Community School, and homeschool programs in Gunnison or Hinsdale counties qualify.

2. Enrolls full time at Western

   Your student must be admitted and enroll full time, and cannot have earned college credits after high school graduation or transfer in from another school.

3. Files the FAFSA or CASFA

   Need is not a factor, but the FAFSA or the Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA) is required, along with the College Opportunity Fund (COF) application.

4. Applies to Earn to Learn

   Students who are eligible for the Earn to Learn savings match must apply for it.

What it is worth

Western's 2026-27 resident undergraduate chart lists tuition before the COF stipend, which is part of the state aid that covers it.

One semester at 12 credits

$5,208

One semester at 15 credits

$5,556

One semester at 18 credits

$5,904

One year at 15 credits a semester

$11,112

Summer courses

Not covered

Western's chart lists required fees separately, $2,031.99 a semester at 15 credits, and the Promise page does not say it pays them, so ask Student Financial Services.

From applying to keeping it

1. Fall of senior year

   Apply to Western

   Apply as soon as Western's application opens. There is no separate Promise application.

2. When aid forms open

   File for aid

   File the FAFSA or CASFA when it opens in the fall, register for COF, and apply to Earn to Learn if eligible.

3. Before the semester

   Automatic review

   Western reviews eligible students and enrolls them in the Promise. Applying early helps the funding be in place before classes start.

4. Fall 2026 or later

   Start full time

   Enroll full time in the fall and spring semesters, taking up to 18 credits each.

What it pays for

Covered

• Standard undergraduate tuition
• Up to 18 credits each semester
• Fall and spring semesters

Not covered

• Summer courses
• Tuition above 18 credits a semester

Western puts the tuition coverage together from federal, state, and institutional aid, so the FAFSA or CASFA and COF steps are what make it work.

Donors have raised more than $1.5 million toward a long-term endowment, and awards to graduates from before 2026 depend on available funds.

Good to know

• Homeschool graduates can qualify

  Western lists homeschool programs in Gunnison or Hinsdale counties next to the valley's three high schools as qualifying routes for 2026 and later graduates.

• Financial need is not required

  Need is not a qualifying factor, but your student still files the FAFSA or CASFA because that aid is part of how tuition is covered.

Who to contact

Student Financial Services, led by director Carrie Shaw in Taylor Hall 314, answers Promise eligibility and aid questions from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

finaid@western.edu 970-943-3085 Gunnison Valley Promise

Homeschool rules and statewide help in Colorado

Give written notice to a Colorado school district 14 days before starting and each year the program continues. Notice is not required before age 6; instruction need not begin until age 7 or continue after age 16.

Colorado sets these rules:

• Subjects: Provide at least 172 days of instruction averaging four instructional contact hours daily, covering reading, writing, speaking, mathematics, history, civics, literature, science, and regular instruction in the U.S. Constitution.
• Testing: Academic evaluation in grades 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11: standardized test or evaluation by a qualified person.
• Records: Permanently keep attendance, test or evaluation results, and required immunization records; produce them on 14 days’ written notice when the superintendent has probable cause to believe the program is noncompliant.
• Teachers: Instruction is provided by a parent or legal guardian, or an adult relative designated by the parent; no teaching license is required.

Read the Colorado homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Colorado

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