Pirates' Promise Cohorts
New cohorts of students are admitted each new academic year, starting in the fall semester. Most Pirates' Promise cohorts start off in the fall semester, but students who plan to start in the spring semester, should contact the Pirates' Promise team for cohort availability.
2025-26 Pirates' Promise Cohort
Sign-up period: To be announced
Eligibility Criteria
Students interested in being part of the Pirates' Promise cohort must meet the eligibility and follow the required steps.
- First-Time College Student: A first-time college student is defined as a new college student who has neither attempted nor taken any college courses following their graduation from high school. Students don't need to be recent high school graduates. If students took college courses while they were still in high school, that is okay and will NOT impact eligibility.
- CA Resident or AB 540: Students must be a California resident or qualify for AB-540 residency status.
Sign-Up Process
1) Apply to OCC
The first step you step must complete is to apply to OCC. You will need to create an OpenCCC account to access and complete the application. Pro tip #1: use your personal email when setting up your account (not your high school or your parent's email).
If you need help applying to the college, the Future Pirate team is here to help. Visit the workshop page to join an application workshop.
2) Apply for FAFSA or Dream Act
After you apply to OCC, complete the or the (whichever one you qualify for). Pro tip #2: the FAFSA or CA Dream Act can take time to complete and process - get started early. Need help, check out the or resources available.
3) Pirates' Promise Interest Form
Students must fill out the Pirates' Promise Interest form. The interest form for the 2025-26 cohort will re-open Spring 2025.
Being Part of the Cohort
Students will be notified that they are part of the 2025-26 cohort once eligibility has been reviewed. Pro tip #4: be sure to check your phone and the email entered on the interest form. Cohorts are limited in size based on the availability of funding. The cohort is chosen on first-come, first-served basis.
Students in the cohort will then need to meet all the program requirements to keep their spot in the program. Visit the Program Requirements page to review the next steps after you are part of the cohort.