DENVER — Native American and Indigenous students will be able to get a tuition-free college education at Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU) under an initiative that begins in fall 2022.
The university announced the program at the Auraria Native American and Indigenous Graduation Ceremony Saturday.
To qualify, a student must be a Colorado resident and enrolled with one of the 574 federally recognized Native nations, according to a release.
The release said the initiative aims to bolster student diversity and make college more affordable and accessible for Native American students.
"We are committed to our statutory mission and values of community, access, diversity respect and excellence and have been a statewide leader in access to post-secondary education," the release said.
The university said the initiative builds upon a bill passed in the state legislature last year that requires state higher education institutions to offer an in-state classification to Native students, allowing them to pay less tuition than out-of-state students.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Education stories from 9NEWS
MORE WAYS TO GET 9NEWS
Subscribe to our daily 9NEWSLETTER for top stories from 9NEWS curated daily just for you. Get content and information right now for can’t-miss stories, Next and Broncos content, weather and more delivered right to your inbox.
DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP
iTunes: http://on9news.tv/itunes
Google Play: http://on9news.tv/1lWnC5n
HOW TO ADD THE 9NEWS APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KUSA.
For both Apple TV and Fire TV, search for "9NEWS" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.