Oregon community colleges welcomes about 6,000 Oregon Promise students this fall, according to preliminary enrollment figures.

These students are attending community college tuition-free. About 10,000 students throughout the state qualified for the Oregon Promise. Basic requirements include that students must be recent high school graduates or GED recipients with a GPA of 2.5 or higher, or GED score of 150 or higher. They also must enroll at college at least part time.

Portland Community College welcomed almost 1,700 Oregon Promise students to its campuses—the biggest enrollment of Promise students in the state. The college conducted a number of outreach activities to engage students and prepare them for college. There were 15 orientations held in the summer, attracting nearly 900 Promise students. They learned about resources and services.

At Chemeketa Community College, more than 1,070 Oregon Promise students enrolled for the fall term. Overall, Chemeketa enrolled almost 300 more students than usual directly from high school this fall. The college hired two new advisors to help these students succeed. Promise students are required to complete and pass a first-year experience class, Creating College Success.

Right now, the Oregon Promise program is still considered a pilot project. The state legislature will consider renewing program funding for the 2017-18 academic year during the upcoming session.