College Bound scholarship requirements start in middle school. Washington automatically enrolls students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch in 7th or 8th grade (or newly in 9th), plus students in foster care. To use it, a student must graduate with at least a 2.0 GPA (for four-year colleges), stay under the income limit, file the FAFSA or WASFA, and enroll within a year of graduating. Combined with the WA Grant, College Bound pays up to $13,703 at the University of Washington in 2026-27.
The rules below are from the Washington Student Achievement Council's (WSAC) College Bound pages. WSAC now calls it the College Bound program rather than "scholarship," because the word confused families about how it's awarded.
How students get in: auto-enrollment
Students are automatically enrolled if they:
- Attend a public school and are income-eligible for free or reduced-price lunch in 7th or 8th grade, or become newly eligible in 9th grade; or
- Are in state foster care, or a dependent of the state, between 7th grade and high school graduation.
Private-school and homeschooled students who meet the income guidelines in those grades can contact College Bound (collegebound@wsac.wa.gov) to enroll. For 2026-27, the USDA income guideline for a family of four is $61,050.
What students must do to use it
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Graduate | From a Washington high school or homeschool, or earn a Washington GED |
| GPA | 2.0 cumulative if attending a four-year college right after high school; none for community or technical colleges |
| Apply for aid | File the FAFSA or WASFA in senior year and every year in college |
| Enroll | Within one year of high school graduation, at one of 60+ participating Washington colleges |
| Income | Family income at or below the College Bound limit each year |
| Other | No felony convictions; stay in good standing at your college |
Source: WSAC, College Bound, "Using College Bound."
Income limits to receive College Bound funds
| Household size | 2026-27 | 2027-28 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $47,000 | $49,500 |
| 2 | $61,500 | $65,000 |
| 3 | $76,000 | $80,000 |
| 4 | $90,500 | $95,500 |
| 5 | $105,000 | $110,500 |
| 6 | $119,500 | $126,000 |
Source: WSAC, College Bound income limits based on the state's median family income.
Eligibility is checked every year. A College Bound student can qualify some years but not others if family income rises above the limit, so apply for aid each year.
How much it pays (2026-27 maximum, combined with the WA Grant)
| College | Maximum |
|---|---|
| University of Washington | $13,703 |
| Washington State University | $13,200 |
| Western Washington University | $9,304 |
| The Evergreen State College | $9,140 |
| Central Washington University | $9,115 |
| Eastern Washington University | $8,535 |
| Private four-year colleges | $13,452 |
| WGU Washington | $8,800 |
| CTC applied bachelor's | $8,634 |
| Community and technical colleges; private career colleges | $5,595 |
Source: WSAC, College Bound 2026-27 Maximum Award Amounts (combined with the Washington College Grant, three quarters or two semesters).
WSAC says families who receive food benefits such as SNAP or Basic Food will typically find public college tuition free, and points them to its "Early Path to WA Grant" to confirm.
What this means for you
- Not sure if you're enrolled? Ask your school counselor or email collegebound@wsac.wa.gov.
- Keep a 2.0 GPA if you plan to start at a four-year college.
- File the FAFSA or WASFA every year, starting senior year.
- Even above the College Bound limit, you may still get the WA Grant.