The College of the Canyons “Canyons Promise” program is now accepting applications for the 2020-21 school year, officials said Tuesday.

The Canyons Program, which was originally launched during the Fall 2017 semester, provides increased opportunities for new full-time college students to achieve their educational goals by waiving tuition and fees during their first year of study, according to COC officials.

Students who maintain the program’s requirements may have their Canyons Promise benefits extended to their second year of study, according to officials.

“We urge students to apply as early as possible,” said Jasmine Ruys, associate vice president of enrollment services at the college. “We are expecting a substantial increase in students this year because the eligibility requirements are no longer restricted to recent high school graduates.”

To be eligible, a student must be a California resident or an AB 540-eligible student, as well as a first-time college student.

Upon submitting summer and fall 2020 applications as a first-time student, a link is provided in a welcome email for the Canyons Promise program.

The program is scheduled to begin to process submitted forms in March, which is when students can expect to be notified of their admittance into the program, COC officials said.

Accepted students are set to enroll in a one-year sequence of courses with priority registration, preceded by a week-long summer boot camp to learn skills needed to be a successful college student.

A Canyons Promise orientation and Welcome Day is also scheduled for the summer months to give incoming students the information they need for a successful transition, according to officials.

Canyons Promise courses are set to be offered with the benefits of free Open Educational Resources to use as textbooks, peer mentors and other learning community elements.

To ensure students remain on track, ongoing counseling and student support is set to also be offered, according to officials.

Canyons Promise program students are also set to complete career assessments and receive academic guidance.

Additionally, each student is set to receive a parking pass or a city bus pass.

During its inaugural year, 63 percent of the 260 students enrolled in the program maintained a 3.0 GPA or higher.

The college anticipates that 1,500 students could be accepted into the program’s 2020-21 cohort.

For more information about Canyons Promise and to apply, visit the program’s web page by clicking here.

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