Students who complete their degrees in four years at Colorado State University- Pueblo will receive a tuition rebate of up to $1,500 under a program that begins next fall.

"They can use it to repay loans - that's their choice," said CSU-Pueblo President Joseph Garcia. "They can use it to make the first security deposit and first month's rent on their first apartment."

Only about 20 percent of Pueblo students graduate in four years.

The rebate is aimed at students who let college grow -into a five- or six-year experience. Also targeted are students who begin at Pueblo, then transfer to another institution, Garcia said.

Of the 700 students who begin as freshmen each fall, about 180 will finish elsewhere, Garcia said.

In some cases, students want a program not offered at Pueblo, such as pharmacy, Garcia said.

"For a lot of kids I talk to here in Pueblo, the idea is they just want the opportunity to move away and to get out of Pueblo for at least a couple of years, even if their intention is to come back," he said. "That's a challenge for us."

He's also hoping to attract additional freshmen who will see the possibility of a rebate as a good deal.

The program was recently approved by the school's board of trustees.

The $1,500 is approximately a semester's tuition for a full course load.

The actual rebate will depend on how much the student actually paid during the final semester. A student who had only one course left will get a lower rebate.

Also deducted from the rebate will be unpaid parking tickets and library fines.