ASCENT and TREP Scholarship Programs

Jeffco Community, there may be changes to the ASCENT and TREP programs for the 2025-2026 school year and beyond, due to budget constraints and significant shortfalls in the Colorado State budget. More specifically, it was communicated that funding for ASCENT and TREP may be reduced or eliminated beginning in the Fall of 2025. Jeffco Public Schools expects to receive final confirmation mid-May regarding the program’s future.

Given this uncertainty, we encourage all ASCENT and TREP applicants to explore alternative financial aid and scholarship opportunities. The counselors and Career Hub staff at each of our high schools are available to support students with considering alternate options.

ASCENT and TREP scholarship programs are established by and are funded through the Colorado Department of Education. These programs help students continue their postsecondary education by keeping them enrolled at their home high school and using state funding to cover college tuition and fees.

Accelerating Students through Concurrent Enrollment (ASCENT) is a fifth-year scholarship program that allows eligible seniors to remain enrolled at the high school and take a fifth year consisting entirely of college classes at a Jeffco partner college.

Teacher Recruitment Education and Preparation (TREP) is a two-year program that allows eligible seniors to remain enrolled at the high school and take a fifth and sixth year consisting entirely of college classes.

The main similarities between ASCENT and TREP are:

They cover tuition, fees and cost of required books and materials for a minimum of 12 credits and a maximum of 18 credits for both fall and spring semesters.
The student is responsible for transportation, housing, and living expenses.
They do not cover students who require financial aid in addition to ASCENT or TREP.

The main differences between ASCENT and TREP are:

ASCENT is for one year, the student’s fifth year. TREP is for two years, the student’s fifth and sixth year.
TREP is for courses that apply to a teaching pathway or Guarantee Transfer courses. ASCENT is for a variety of courses that apply to a career pathway, certificate or degree.

The following information provides details and eligibility requirements.

Informational Sessions

All our virtual information session dates have passed. You may access recorded versions below.

Jeffco’s ASCENT Partner Colleges

Arapahoe Community College
Community College of Denver
Front Range Community College
Emily Griffith Technical College
Metropolitan State University
Red Rocks Community College
Northeastern Junior Community College

Jeffco’s TREP Partner Colleges

Arapahoe Community College
Red Rocks Community College
Metropolitan State University
Northeastern Junior Community College
University of Northern Colorado
Western Colorado University

Benefits of ASCENT and TREP

You get to take college classes for a year while Jeffco Public Schools pays your college tuition, fees and required books and materials.

ASCENT will help cover most of a certificate or a good portion of an associate degree

With TREP, you can complete the first two years of your education degree, then transfer to a 4-year college with a significant number of credits already completed.

You can complete general education prerequisites at very little cost and transfer to another college, saving money.

Student Eligibility

Be a current 4th year senior who will meet all high school graduation requirements by the end of their 12th grade year and have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0
Be enrolled in a Jeffco public high school as a full-time student for both 11th and 12th grades

ASCENT specific:

Be on track to complete at least nine credit hours of transcripted college coursework prior to June 30th
Has a postsecondary education plan that ties the earned college coursework to a specific certificate or degree program

TREP specific:

Be on track to complete at least one of the state required Educator Pathway Courses prior to June 30th
Has a postsecondary education plan of becoming a teacher for grades PK-12

ASCENT

Concurrent Enrollment:

High School Select: college course taken at the home high school or Warren Tech.
Campus Select: college courses taken at a postsecondary institution

Dual Enrollment:

College course taken at home high school or Warren Tech (CU Succeed, MSU)
Taken at a postsecondary institution (paid for by student)
AP qualifying score (3+) from 9th, 10th, or 11th-grade year
IB qualifying score (4+) from 9th, 10th, or 11th-grade year
College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) from 9th, 10th, 11th or prior to the nomination deadline of 12th-grade year.

TREP

Frequently Asked Questons

Should all qualified students participate?

What will Jeffco pay for?

ASCENT scholars must register for a minimum of 12* credits and Jeffco will pay tuition, fees, and required books and materials up to 18 college credits for each semester for both fall and spring semesters.

*Warren Tech adult students completing certificates may have different credit requirements.

Students are responsible for transportation, housing, food and for credits taken beyond the 18 credits that Jeffco will pay for.

Online courses are approved on a case-by-case basis.

What is expected of ASCENT and TREP scholars?

What is the process for becoming an ASCENT or TREP scholar?

Complete the application in Enroll Jeffco between November 1st and April 1st.
Attend one of the mandatory orientation sessions (dates and times TBD; sessions are held in-person during spring semester)
Meet all state and local requirements and submission deadlines.

Students need to have the following documents available to complete their scholarship application:

Unofficial College Transcript(s)
Unofficial AP or IB test scores (screenshot is okay), if applicable

Getting Your Unofficial College Transcripts and Scores

Does program participation impact financial aid I may receive?

Students are not eligible for any federal student financial aid including federal student loans and grants while participating in ASCENT or TREP.
Students will qualify for federal aid after they have completed or dropped the ASCENT or TREP program.
Students may disqualify themselves from certain scholarships or grants, since 12 semester hours or more earned in college may cause the student to be classified as a transfer student rather than a freshman.
It is important for families to consider all of their financial options before committing.

If I stay enrolled for a fifth or sixth year, when will I be considered a high school graduate?

Until you complete the one-year ASCENT program or the two-year TREP program, you will still be classified as a high school student.
Your high school transcript will show that you have completed your high school graduation requirements and that you are an ASCENT student for a fifth year or a TREP student for a fifth and sixth year.
Once you complete or stop participating in the ASCENT or TREP program, you will receive your high school diploma.
You can participate in your graduation ceremony and your transcript will show that you are a high school graduate.

You can participate in ASCENT for one academic year and in TREP for two years.
You must maintain a 2.0 or higher GPA in college to stay eligible for the entire scholarship period.
Summer, online and weekend condensed classes are not covered.
The grades you receive in college classes appear on your high school and college transcripts.

If you are interested in the program, you need to complete the application between November 1st and April 1st in one of the following ways:

With your parent/guardian/adult advocate through their Parent Portal account in Enroll Jeffco.
Contacting an Enroll Jeffco Support Specialist directly by calling 303.982.2372
With your high school counselor or other school staff member by calling an Enroll Jeffco Support Specialist directly at 303.982.2372

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Contact Us

Postsecondary Opportunities

Phone: 303-982-7842
Email: jenn.edgar@jeffco.k12.co.us