TRIO Student Support Services

Program Requirements

How to Apply

Current undergraduate Portland State students, incoming 2024 Fall Freshman or incoming 2024 Fall transfer students, please review our eligibility requirements below to check that you are eligible.

STEM - Apply Now >> - Majors from the Sciences, Technology, Engineering, and Math, including Public Health Studies - 

All other Majors, Apply Now >>  

Learn about our BRIDGE Programs, a class to obtain FREE college credits - for our incoming 2024 Fall Freshman or incoming 2024 Fall transfer students

Federal Eligibility Requirements: 

Eligible students must be an undergraduate and:

  • be a United States citizen or permanent resident AND
  • low income student* (check the table income levels) OR 
  • first generation college student (Means an individual neither of whose natural or adoptive parents received a baccalaureate degree; or a student who, prior to the age of 18, regularly resided with and received support from only one natural or adoptive parent and whose supporting parent did not receive a baccalaureate degree.) OR
  • individual with disabilities as defined by ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (Means a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, and has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an “impairment.”)

All applicants to our program must:

  • be undergraduate students who are admitted full time to Portland State University, 12 credits or more per term. Can be co-enrolled with certain Oregon community colleges and Clark College, check for more information on co-admission.
  • have fewer than 135 college credits or have two or more years remaining until graduation
  • demonstrate academic need 
    1. successful applicants need to have a 2.5 or higher college grade point average or
    2. first term Freshman students need to have a 2.5 or higher high school grade point average
    3. other examples of "academic need" may be working 20+ hours a week, family responsibilities or English Language Proficiency

*Family meets Federal Government Income Eligibility Guidelines and verified by Portland State University. 

Important Dates and Applications:

Please review our eligibility requirements to check that you are eligible.

Current undergraduate Portland State students or incoming Fall students, admission to our TRIO program is rolling, based on capacity, and we encourage students to apply all year long. 

Application Process:

STEM - Apply Now >>  Majors from the Sciences, Technology, Engineering, and Math, including Public Health Studies. 

All other Majors, Apply Now >>  

  1. TRIO will reach out via email to students to schedule an intake appointment.
  2. Students are notified of their acceptance to the program during their intake appointment.

Learn about our BRIDGE Programs, a class to obtain FREE college credits - for our incoming 2024 Fall Freshman or incoming 2024 Fall transfer students

Portland State University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to its students. TRIO Student Support Services is funded by the United States Department of Education.

Selection Process

When there is limited space in the TRIO Student Support Services, priority will be given to:

  • Students who are both low income eligible and first-generation college students.
  • Students who are both low income eligible and have disabilities who require educational accommodation.
  • Alumni of other TRIO programs, Upward Bound, Talent Search, Educational Opportunity Center, and Student Support Services from other institutions.
  • Most importantly, students who are motivated to make full use of our program’s services and to become a successful Portland State graduate. It is expected that participants meet with an SSS advisor at least once a term.