D.C. residents pursuing a degree in certain “high-demand” career fields are now eligible for up to $8,000 in annual tuition assistance under a new city program D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Tuesday.

The $12 million federally funded initiative, called DC Futures, provides limited tuition assistance for low-to-moderate-income residents who choose to pursue their first associate or bachelor’s degree in information technology, health science, or education at the University of the District of Columbia or UDC’s Community College, Trinity Washington University, or Catholic University. Eligible residents must meet income requirements that vary based on household size; a household of three or fewer people is eligible if they earn a maximum of $100,000 annually.

Applications opened today for the 2022-2023 school year. The grants are funded through FY 2024, according to D.C.’s Office of the State Superintendent of Education.

In addition to tuition help, the program provides college coaching and access to up to $1,500 in emergency funds to help recipients cover unexpected food, healthcare, housing, and child care expenses, according to a press release from the Bowser administration. More than 300 D.C. residents are already participating in a pilot version of the new program, which OSSE launched in October 2021.

DC Futures is a “last dollar” program, meaning funding is only provided “after a student has exhausted all other financial resources,” including other grants, scholarships, and financial aid, according to an information sheet. Eligible residents must have lived in the District for the last 12 months, among other requirements spelled out in the program’s official handbook. Adults and part-time students are eligible, though grants are smaller for students who don’t attend full-time.

DC Futures is the city’s latest effort to drive postsecondary education among city residents, especially lower-income households. The popular DC Tuition Assistance Grant Program covers the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition for college-bound D.C. residents, and the Mayor’s Scholars program offers up to $4,000 in yearly tuition help.

“These investments support progress toward OSSE’s ambitious goal to support the enrollment of 1,100 additional students in postsecondary education by 2023 from our 2019-23 strategic plan,” the agency said in a press release.

Together, the three programs are expected to provide more than $50 million in postsecondary financial aid for D.C. residents in the coming school year, according to the Bowser administration.