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FAQs

Not sure if you qualify for The Hancock Promise? Check out these frequently asked questions (FAQs). If you can’t find the answer here, please call 805-922-6966 ext. 3264 or email promise@hancockcollege.edu.

NEW! FAQs for the Expanded Two-Year Hancock Promise.

What is the Hancock Promise

Eligibility Requirements

Second-Year Free (HP2) Requirements

What is the Hancock Promise

What is The Hancock Promise?
The Hancock Promise will provide any local student who completes their high school education within the Allan Hancock Joint Community College District (AHJCC) with the opportunity to get their first year of tuition free at Allan Hancock College. Qualified students will not have to pay tuition or required lab and class fees. 

What specifically does The Hancock Promise pay for?
The Hancock Promise will cover tuition (at least 12 units/semester), Health Supervision and Services Fee (up to $26/semester), Student Body Center Building and Operating Fee ($10/academic year), course materials fees, and the Student Representation fee ($2/semester). The Promise will save each student more than $1,200. It does not cover books, school supplies, or the parking permit fee.

Where does the funding for The Hancock Promise come from?  Funding for The Hancock Promise comes entirely from private donations from generous members of the community.

Eligibility Requirements

What if I attended high school in the AHJCC District, but transferred out of the district before graduation? Do I qualify? Unfortunately, the Promise only applies to students who graduated from a high school within the district.

I didn’t graduate from high school. Instead, I have my GED/went to adult high school/passed the California High School Proficiency Exam in the AHJCC District. Do I  qualify?
Yes, you qualify! As long as you completed high school within the district during the academic year and immediately completed your AHC application, you are eligible.

I was home schooled. Do I still qualify?
Yes, you qualify! As long as you completed high school within the district during the academic year and immediately completed your AHC application, you are eligible. So are students who completed a GED through a local adult education program within the district (GED and HiSET graduates).

How soon after high school graduation must I enroll? Are there any exceptions?
You must enroll at AHC for the summer or fall semester immediately following graduation from high school or the equivalent. If entering military service or missionary service directly out of high school, please contact us at promise@hancockcollege.edu.

How many units do I need to take each regular (fall/spring) semester? What if the program I’m participating in is designed to be part-time?
You must complete at least 12 units at AHC each semester for a total of 24 units in an academic year. Exceptions may be made in specific cases. If you have questions about qualifying for a reduced academic load, please call 805-922-6966 ext. 3264 or e-mail promise@hancockcollege.edu.

Are there any GPA requirements?
There are no requirements on your incoming high school GPA. However, students must maintain a 2.0 GPA during the fall semester at AHC in order to qualify as a Promise student during the following spring semester.

I’m not a senior this school year. Will I be able to get the Promise in the future?
Yes! The Promise is made possible by generous gifts from the community to the Allan Hancock College Foundation. The foundation established The Hancock Promise Endowment Fund so that The Hancock Promise will be around for future generations of high school graduates in the Allan Hancock Joint Community College District.

I’m not a citizen of the United States. Do I still qualify?
Undocumented students, whether AB540-eligible or not, are eligible for the AHC Promise, as long as they graduate from a district high school and immediately enroll at AHC.

I was eligible but didn’t sign up for the Promise originally. I went to another college in the fall, can I register as a Promise student at AHC in the spring?
Unforunately, no. The Hancock Promise is only available for first-time college students.

What is the deadline to apply?
You must complete the checklist by August to start fall classes as a Promise student. You will need to complete steps 1-4 by April in order to receive priority registration for summer and fall classes. Registration for both terms begins in April. Students are still encouraged to complete their Hancock Promise steps even after priority registration has passed.

Do Promise students receive priority registration? When is priority registration for Promise students?
Yes, Promise students receive priority registration for their first summer and fall semester at AHC, which means they get to sign up for classes earlier than the majority of other students. See a list of registration dates

Are the summer and winter sessions included?
Yes. The Promise covers the cost of tuition and fees for up to 30 units in the academic year, which runs from the summer immediately after high school graduation to the following May.

I live in southern San Luis Obispo County (Arroyo Grande/Nipomo), can I still qualify for The Hancock Promise?
While your tuition and fees at Hancock may not be covered by The Hancock Promise, there is still an opportunity to them paid through different financial aid opportunities available at Hancock. After completion of the FAFSA or CA Dream Act and other financial aid applications (California Promise, Pell Grant, FA Scholarships and EOPS), high school graduates may still find their enrollment fees and tuition covered. Enrollment in Allan Hancock College can be affordable and feasible for everyone. Please contact the Financial Aid office for more information.

I’m getting other scholarships. Do I still qualify?
Yes, you still qualify. Any other scholarships will complement the Promise. Please contact the Financial Aid office for more information.

Second-Year Free (HP2) Requirements and FAQs

What is Hancock Promise 2 Years Free at AHC all about?
The expanded two-year Hancock Promise (otherwise known as HP2) will provide any local student who completed their high school education within the Allan Hancock Joint Community College District (AHJCCD) AND immediately enrolled at AHC in the preceding summer OR fall and spring semesters with the opportunity to get their second year of tuition free at Allan Hancock College. Students who are home-schooled or completed their GED through a local adult education program within the district (GED and HiSET graduates) are also eligible. Qualified students will not have to pay tuition or required lab and class fees. 

What specifically does the second year of the Promise pay for?
The expanded two-year Hancock Promise (HP2) will cover tuition (at least 12 units/semester), Health Supervision and Services Fee (up to $26/semester), Student Body Center Building and Operating Fee ($10/academic year), course materials fees, and the Student Representation fee ($2/semester). The first and second years of the Hancock Promise will save each student approximately $3,000. It does not cover books, school supplies, or the parking permit fee.

To receive the expanded two-year Hancock Promise (HP2), do students need to enroll immediately after completing their first year at AHC?
Yes, there must be continuous enrollment from the student’s first year at AHC to the second year at AHC (Fall/Spring & Fall/Spring). Note that winter and summer sessions are highly encouraged and covered by the Hancock Promise but are NOT required.

How many units do students need to complete during their first year at AHC?
By the end of the spring semester of their first year, students must complete at least 24 units to be eligible for HP2. Note, students can file an appeal if they are using the summer before the second year to complete their 24-unit requirement.

Is there a GPA requirement for the expanded two-year Hancock Promise (HP2)?            
Yes, students must maintain a cumulative 2.0 GPA or higher by the end of their first spring semester at AHC to qualify for the expanded two-year Hancock Promise (HP2) for the summer, fall and spring semesters.

If a student was eligible for the Hancock Promise after graduating high school and enrolled for the Hancock Promise in the fall semester, but did not attend in the spring semester, are they still eligible for the expanded two-year Hancock Promise (HP2)?
Unfortunately, no. That student would need to have been enrolled in the preceding fall and spring semesters and complete at least 24 units.

Is there a deadline, by when I must complete the requirements to receive the Hancock Promise 2 Years Free at AHC (HP2)?
Students must complete the steps on the college’s Promise Checklist by August to be awarded the expanded two-year Hancock Promise (HP2).

Are the summer and winter sessions included? 
Yes!

Could a student still receive the expanded two-year Hancock Promise (HP2) if they only complete English or math in their first year?
Students can file an appeal for the expanded two-year Hancock Promise (HP2) with successful completion (grade C or better) of the remaining English or math course in the summer term before their second-year fall semester begins.

Are students eligible for the expanded two-year Hancock Promise (HP2) if they are a local high school graduate in 2022 who attended Hancock in the 2022-2023 academic year and in the 2023-2024 academic year, but need one more year to finish their degree?
Unfortunately, the expanded two-year Hancock Promise (HP2) is only available for students who graduated in 2023 and meet all the program requirements.