Since 2013, Colorado students without legal status have been able to get in-state tuition through the College Opportunity Fund and their current educational institution. Now, undocumented students are also eligible for state financial aid. A new bill that Governor Jared Polis signed into law gives these students access to the 160 million dollars made available by the state of Colorado.

In years past, opponents believed that the state’s taxpayers should not have to pay for undocumented students’ education. This year, the bill did not face the same opposition. In fact, there were several Republicans who supported the bill.

Even though the bill was signed into law, undocumented students still don’t have immediate access to state financial aid. They must meet certain criteria first; Colorado Public Radio (CPR) discloses that this includes three years of attendance at a Colorado high school, admission to a participating college within 12 months of graduation and the submission of a document that says they are or will seek legal status as soon as they are eligible.

Despite the conditional nature of the law, Colorado students without legal status are now able to better activate their “great potential and great promise.”