The New Mexico Higher Education Department is asking state lawmakers for a funding increase to support the highly successful Opportunity Scholarship Program.

The Opportunity Scholarship allows all New Mexicans to earn a credit-bearing certificate, associate- or bachelor’s degree tuition free. The program originally received $75 million of nonrecurring funds and is asking for more in order to continue offering tuition-free college.

“To sustain the most flexible scholarship in the state, we are asking, in our original budget recommendation, $100 million of recurring funds which is less than 2% the overall state budget,” Stephanie Rodriguez, Higher Education secretary, told KRQE recently.

While college enrollment dipped around the country, New Mexico’s Higher Education Department noted that enrollment is up 4% this fall after years of steady decline.

Rodriguez said more than 36,000 students are benefiting from the Opportunity Scholarship this year. A $130 million infusion for the Lottery Scholarship has sustained the program for four years, benefiting more than 10,000 students each year.

The Higher Education Department reported more than 60% of students who received the opportunity scholarship are enrolled at their college, KRQE said. One-fourth of the Opportunity Scholarship awardees are age 25 or older and nearly 27% are first-time freshmen. The Opportunity Scholarship requires students to maintain a 2.5 GPA.

Only New Mexico residents, or people who have lived in the state for at least a year and are financially independent, qualify for the Opportunity Scholarship.