OVERVIEW

TREP is a 5th/6th year high school program that allows students interested in pursuing a career in education to attend college full-time for up to two years after high school for free. Students attend a participating TREP college beginning the fall after graduation from high school. Students may only enter the program as a 5th year student.

Some of the objectives of TREP are:

• to increase the number of students who enter the teaching profession.
• to decrease the amount of time that is required for students to complete post secondary educator preparation degrees or certificates.
• to decrease economic barriers for students who want to pursue higher education in teaching.

If you are interested in pursuing a career in education, you should consider using TREP to pay for 2 years of college!

Relevant pathways include: 

• Early Childhood Education (ECE)
• Elementary Education (K-6th grade)
• Secondary Education (7-12th grade) - English, Math, Science, Social Studies
• Special Education
• Art Education
• Music Education
• Physical Education (PE)
• World Languages
• Counseling/Psychology 
• Educational/Instructional Technology

ELIGIBILITY

Graduating 12th graders are eligible if they meet DPS graduation requirements, TREP requirements, and are college ready. 

To qualify for TREP you must pass one of the qualifying college-level courses listed here with a C- or higher.  The class has to be taken during your senior year. You also need to meet graduation requirements and be college ready in English and Math.

Ask your counselor if you qualify for TREP! 

APPLICATION PROCESS

Work with your high school counselor, college coordinator, or DSF advisor to complete the online TREP application: TREP Application 2025-26. The deadline to submit an application is March 1st.

TREP College Partners

Students can attend MSU Denver, our 4-year university partner, or any of our metro area community college partners (Arapahoe Community College, Community College of Aurora, Community College of Denver, Front Range Community College and Red Rocks Community College).

Important Dates

• March 1st: Deadline to apply
• April/May:
  • Official offer to join TREP emailed to applicants who have met TREP eligibility requirements, including those pending spring CE grades
  • Students attend a mandatory informational meeting prior to accepting a slot in the TREP program
  • Students must provide the TREP team with their HS diploma and an unofficial college transcript no later than June 1, 2024. Their diploma will be returned upon completion or exit of the program
• June 1st: Final day for students to accept a spot in the TREP program.

• DPS TREP pays for all tuition, fees and textbooks for the Fall and Spring semesters, as well as the summer semester between Year 1 and Year 2 of TREP.
• DPS TREP offers chromebooks, hotspots and graphing calculators for students to use during their TREP years.
• TREP students are considered 5th and 6th year high school students and therefore cannot accept federal or state financial aid while in the ASCENT program. Students are allowed to apply for scholarships that do not require first-time undergraduate student status.
• TREP students continue to have full access to Denver Health clinics.
• TREP students participate in all high school graduation activities. 
• HS diploma is withheld until student completes or exits TREP. 
• The official graduation date on a high school transcript will reflect the date a student completes or exits TREP.
• Courses taken during TREP years will appear on the high school transcript however they will not impact HS GPA.
• Students may not be able to live on campus (it varies by campus).
• Early College, PTECH students cannot participate in TREP as they are excluded from the Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act.