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Welcome to the October OSAC Newsletter. This month we are excited to announce the opening of the Oregon Promise Grant as well as the opening of the FAFSA and ORSAA. Finally, we share a review of the ASPIRE Fall Conference.
Oregon Promise Grant Application is Open!
July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026 Graduates
The Oregon Promise Grant application is now open! The Oregon Promise Grant helps cover tuition costs at any Oregon community college for recent high school graduates and GED® test graduates. Students must apply during their senior year or immediately after GED® test completion. All students who graduate between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026 are encouraged to apply now! To be considered, students must also submit the FAFSA or ORSAA by the applicable deadline based on their graduation date.
Important Deadline:
Students who graduate between July 1, 2025, and November 30, 2025 must complete both the Oregon Promise Grant application and the 2025–26 FAFSA or ORSAA by November 1, 2025, to be eligible for Winter Term Oregon Promise.
Current College Students:
Community college students who are receiving Oregon Promise during the 2025–26 academic year must submit the 2026–27 FAFSA or ORSAA by June 1 to be considered for renewal.
- The 2026–27 FAFSA is already open.
- The 2026–27 ORSAA is expected to open in October 2025.
For full details on Oregon Promise renewal eligibility, please visit our Current Recipients page.
Learn more about the Oregon Promise Grant on our website.
The 2026–2027 FAFSA and ORSAA
Now Open!
The 2026–2027 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and the ORSAA (Oregon Student Aid Application) are now open! Many scholarships and grants—including the OSAC Scholarship and the Oregon Promise Grant—require students to complete either the FAFSA or the ORSAA. That’s why it’s important for students planning to attend college during the 2026–27 school year (Fall 2026 through Spring 2027) to complete one of these applications as soon as possible.
- Students who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens should complete the FAFSA to access both federal and state financial aid opportunities.
- Students who are undocumented, have DACA, hold Temporary Protected Status (TPS), or have a U-Visa should complete the ORSAA to access state financial aid.
If students are unsure about which form to complete they can use our FAFSA/ORSAA filter tool to find out which application is right for them.
To support students through the FAFSA/ORSAA process, OSAC is hosting a number of FAFSA/ORSAA trainings and virtual drop-in help sessions. You can find the full schedule of events on our website.
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2025 ASPIRE Fall Conference
Event Review
On October 3, more than 170 college and career practitioners from across Oregon gathered at Chemeketa Community College in Salem for the 2025 ASPIRE Fall Conference. The event offered a full day of professional development, networking, and inspiration for those supporting students on their postsecondary journeys.
This year’s conference featured 24 breakout sessions covering a wide range of topics, including financial aid, postsecondary pathway exploration, and supporting underrepresented students.
A highlight of the day was the introduction of two student panels- Successes in Youth Workforce Development for In-Demand Jobs, hosted by HECC’s Youth Workforce Development program. This panel spotlighted young people thriving in high-demand careers. A second panel, hosted by the Oregon Department of Human Services’ Child Welfare Division, featured youth with lived experience in foster care who shared their journeys through postsecondary education.
“It was truly one of the better conferences I have been to in a while. It is always a ‘chore’ to drive to the other side of the state, but I am glad I made the choice to attend. Every session I attended was packed full of great information!” — Mary Jo Sharp, Vale School District
The ASPIRE Fall Conference continues to be a cornerstone event for Oregon’s college and career readiness community. Thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s event a success.
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