BOISE, Idaho — Students at several Idaho colleges and universities are speaking out as state budget discussions raise uncertainty around the future of the Idaho LAUNCH program. The scholarship initiative helps in-state students pursue degrees and workforce training in high-demand fields such as engineering and health care.
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Boise State University Student Body President Isaac Celedon reached out to Idaho News 6 to share concerns about how potential funding reductions could affect thousands of students statewide.
“It does frustrate me," Celedon said. "It’s more confusion on what our state is committed to."
Celedon said roughly 2,000 Boise State students, including his own brother, rely on tuition assistance from the Idaho LAUNCH program to access higher education opportunities. He has described the scholarship as a “hand-up,” not a hand-out.
“It’s been transformative not just for lower socioeconomic students, but for rural students,” he said.
The LAUNCH program was a key part of Brad Little’s 2023 legislative agenda, designed to address workforce shortages across Idaho.
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“And [to] help Idaho workers earn more, and afford more. Launch remains one of my top priorities for one simple reason: it’s working,” Little said in January 2026 about the program.
According to the state’s 2024-25 budget, $75 million was allocated to fully fund the Idaho LAUNCH program. In January, the governor’s office reported that in-state college enrollment is up 11%.
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However, Celedon said he is concerned the Legislature’s Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, known as JFAC, could reduce funding for the program. He warned that cuts could leave some students without the financial support needed to complete their degrees or certifications.
In response, student leaders from multiple Idaho colleges and universities released a joint statement urging lawmakers to protect funding for the more than 6,000 students statewide who rely on LAUNCH.
On Wednesday, Idaho News 6 asked Rep. Josh Tanner, a JFAC committee chair and Boise State alumnus, about the budget uncertainty.
“We did the 10 million, but we put some language in there, so if the funds weren't there, they wouldn't pull it out," Tanner said. "So if, if all of a sudden growth went up into it, that it wouldn't come out, but if the growth didn't happen to that program, then the money would actually transfer back to the general fund.”
Tanner said the $10 million adjustment would only apply if projected growth in the program does not materialize.
Celedon questioned whether lawmakers’ stated support for the program will translate into final votes during the budgeting process.
“And they have said they would support it," Celedon said. "Now, my question to them is, ‘Will words translate to votes?'”
He also warned that scaling back tuition assistance could push students to pursue education outside Idaho.
“You’ll start to see a shift of where students obtain an education — and it may not be in Idaho, but in states that prioritize these high-demand careers,” Celedon said.
Despite the budget discussions, the Idaho LAUNCH program is currently accepting applications from high school seniors. The program’s website states that eligible students can receive up to $8,000 in tuition assistance.
