Boettcher Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Boettcher Foundation

Scholarship Overview

The Boettcher Scholarship Program is designed to retain talented leaders in Colorado by supporting their undergraduate education and encouraging continued contribution to the state. It provides renewable awards intended to reduce financial barriers and enable scholars to pursue leadership and service in Colorado. The program operates through two funding models that partner with Colorado colleges and universities to allocate institutional aid alongside the Boettcher award. Awards are structured to complement institutional support and accommodate different campus financial policies.

Description: The Foundation created the Boettcher Scholarship to invest in Colorado’s promise and the potential of Coloradans, targeting dynamic thinkers, doers, and difference makers who will positively impact the state.

Award Value: Scholars receive a fixed award of $20,000 per year for up to four years. Under the Cost of Attendance model, institutions combine Boettcher funds with institutional, merit, and/or need-based aid to cover up to total cost of attendance (minus travel and other expenses). Under the Tuition & Fees model, partner institutions apply aid to cover up to the total amount of tuition and fees. Cost of Attendance model partners include Adams State University, Colorado Mesa University, Colorado School of Mines, Colorado State University, Colorado State University Pueblo, Fort Lewis College, Metropolitan State University of Denver, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, University of Colorado Denver, University of Northern Colorado, and Western Colorado University. Tuition & Fees model partners include Colorado Christian University, Colorado College, Regis University, and University of Denver.

• Renewable award of $20,000 per year for four years.
• Two funding models determine how institutional aid complements the Boettcher award.
• Wide network of Colorado partner institutions across both models.
• Designed to retain leaders and support service-oriented graduates within Colorado.

Eligibility Requirements

The Boettcher Scholarship has defined minimum requirements for consideration, focused on Colorado residency and high school completion. Applicants must be graduating Colorado high school seniors (including early graduates) or registered members of federally recognized American Indian Tribes/Nations with historical ties to Colorado. Candidates must apply during the fall of their final year of high school, and scholarship confirmation requires documentation of graduation from a Colorado high school.

Eligibility: Minimum requirements include being a graduating Colorado high school senior who lived in Colorado for the full junior and senior years of high school OR being a registered member of a federally recognized American Indian Tribe/Nation with historical ties to Colorado; applying during the fall of your final year of high school; and graduating from a Colorado high school.

Documentation of Legal Status: Applicants must be U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, or lawfully present in the United States (including through DACA), or they must have applied for and be in the process of securing citizenship, legal status, or lawful presence. Students may be in-process during the selection timeframe but must provide documentation of successful completion to become a Boettcher Scholar.

• Must apply in the fall of your final high school year (including early graduates).
• Residency or tribal affiliation with Colorado is required.
• Completion of legal status documentation is required before scholarship award is finalized.

Selection Criteria and Merit

The selection committee evaluates applicants on a set of merit-based criteria that emphasize potential, leadership, and character in context. Evaluation focuses on scholastic ability and intellectual curiosity, documented leadership and involvement, meaningful service to community and school, and demonstrated character. The Foundation defines merit as "merit of circumstance," placing strong weight on lived experience and the context in which a student has demonstrated leadership, whether because of or in spite of personal circumstances.

Selection Criteria: Applicants are judged on superior scholastic ability and intellectual curiosity; evidence of leadership and involvement; service to community and school; and outstanding character.

Merit Definition: Merit of circumstance recognizes the role of personal context and lived experience in evaluating achievement and potential for continued leadership and service.

• Four core evaluation areas: academics, leadership, service, and character.
• Merit is contextual—selection considers lived experience and obstacles overcome.
• Competitive candidates show ongoing potential for leadership and service.

Application Support and Resources

The Boettcher Foundation offers guidance to applicants through annual informational resources aimed at improving application quality. These resources include webinars that explain the scholarship process and provide practical tips to strengthen applications. The Foundation’s outreach is intended to help applicants present their achievements and experiences effectively within the program’s selection framework.

Application Timeline: Applicants must submit during the fall of their final year of high school; the webinars and resources are timed to support applicants through that timeframe.

Application Resources: The Foundation hosts an annual webinar series titled “Everything You Need to Know About Scholarships,” which reviews application best practices and strategies to make submissions stand out.

• Annual webinars provide practical guidance and application tips.
• Apply in the fall of your final high school year to be considered.
• Resources focus on presenting academic achievement, leadership, service, and personal context effectively.