The Seattle Promise Program
Seattle Promise is the college tuition and supports program launched by the City of Seattle, Seattle Colleges and Seattle Public Schools following passage of the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) Levy in 2018.
Seattle Promise has three core components:
- Tuition at the three Seattle Colleges: South, Central, or North
- Equity scholarships, which provide flexible funding to students, for books, transportation, housing, or other student needs
- Student supports and advising beginning in the junior year of high school and lasting through completion of a degree, certificate, credential or transfer to a four-year institutions.
Seattle voters passed the FEPP Levy in November 2018 with the goal of achieving educational equity, closing opportunity gaps, and building a better future for Seattle students.
For more information on the Seattle Promise Program, visit https://www.seattlecolleges.edu/promise.
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Program Updates
New Seattle Promise Partnerships
As part of the Seattle Rescue Plan, City and educational leaders formed new Seattle Promise partnerships to support successful degree completion and transfer for Seattle Promise scholars.
University of Washington
A new Seattle Promise transfer partnership with the University of Washington that began in fall 2021 aims to address COVID-related transfer impacts on Promise scholars and to strengthen pathways to college completion, specifically targeted to students furthest from educational justice. The partnership includes:
- Dedicated UW admissions and advising supports for Promise scholars by a full-time UW staff member serving as Transfer Coordinator working closely with Seattle Promise Retention Specialists
- Enhanced information and guidance on transfer pathways through direct communications, information sessions, and advising
- Beginning in summer 2022, two credit-bearing courses on-campus at UW, with a focus on research and writing
- UW academic and career advising
- Mentorship from UW faculty, staff, and current and former UW transfer students
The proposed partnership does not include an admission guarantee or financial supports.
Washington State Opportunity Scholarship
The City announced a new partnership in 2021 with the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (WSOS) to strengthen pathways to college and career advancement for Seattle Promise scholars pursuing jobs in the trades, Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) and health care. The City will invest up to $400,000 in WSOS through 2023 as part of the City’s economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Washington state will match the City’s investment dollar-for-dollar, resulting in a total of $800,000 in new scholarship funds for up to 60 Seattle Promise scholars. While all students in the State of Washington are eligible to apply for the WSOS, only Promise Scholars will be eligible for funding made available through the City of Seattle’s new partnership. Seattle is the first city in Washington State to become a municipal partner for this competitive scholarship, ensuring Seattle Promise scholars have access to continued financial aid and support as they successfully complete the Seattle Promise program and transition to furthering their education at another institution.
With two scholarship pathways, WSOS provides financial assistance, mentorship and support to prepare Washington students for careers in STEM and increase equitable access to advanced degrees:
- The WSOS Baccalaureate Scholarship (BAS) will provide students pursuing bachelor's degrees up to $22,500 in financial assistance to continue their third year of college. Scholars could use the funding to pay tuition, fees, and additional student costs including housing, transportation, food and other expenses.
- The WSOS Career and Technical Scholarship (CTS) will provide scholars pursuing associate degrees, certificate or apprenticeship programs up to $1,500 per quarter. Similarly to the BAS pathway, CTS funds are flexible and can be used to cover costs beyond tuition.
Use the following link to learn more about the Seattle Rescue Plan and legislative timeline. You may also view the June 3, 2021, press conference announcing the Seattle Promise-UW partnership and the November 18, 2021 press conference announcing the City-WSOS partnership.
If you have questions or media inquiries regarding this partnership, please contact Kamaria Hightower, DEEL Communications Manager at kamaria.hightower@seattle.gov.
Page last updated 3/28/2022.