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Excelsior

NYS Excelsior Scholarship

Governor Cuomo and the New York State Legislature enacted the nation's first tuition-free degree program, the Excelsior Scholarship. The Excelsior Scholarship, in combination with other student financial aid programs, allows students to attend a SUNY or CUNY college tuition-free. The application for the 2018-19 academic year opens for new applicants on Monday, March 26, 2018 at 9:00am

How to Apply  

Application Deadline - July 23, 2018

 **IMPORTANT** 

Current Excelsior Scholarship recipients should not complete this application. If you first received an award for the 2017-18 academic year, no additional action is needed for the 2018-19 academic year. To read more about the Excelsior Scholarship please click this link

Eligibility:

 

To receive award payments after the initial application year, an Excelsior Scholarship recipient must annually complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the NYS Student Aid Payment Application each year.

 

An applicant must be:

  • Be a resident of NYS and have resided in NYS for 12 continuous months prior to the beginning of the term
  • Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
  • Have either graduated from high school in the United States, earned a high school equivalency diploma, or passed a federally approved "Ability to Benefit" test, as defined by the Commissioner of the State Education Department
  • Have a combined federal adjusted gross income of $110,000 or less
  • Be pursuing an undergraduate degree at a SUNY or CUNY college, including community colleges and the statutory colleges at Cornell University and Alfred University
  • Be enrolled in at least 12 credits per term and complete at least 30 credits each year (successively), applicable toward his or her degree program
  •   If attended college prior to the 2018-19 academic year, have earned at least 30 credits each year (successively), applicable toward his or her degree program prior to applying for an Excelsior Scholarship
  • Be in a non-default status on a student loan made under any NYS or federal education loan program or on the repayment of any NYS award
  • Be in compliance with the terms of the service condition(s) imposed by a NYS award that you have previously received; and
  • Execute a Contract agreeing to reside in NYS for the length of time the award was received, and, if employed during such time, be employed in NYS.


Governor Cuomo and the New York State Legislature enacted the nation's first tuition-free degree program, the Excelsior Scholarship. A college education is increasingly necessary to secure the jobs of tomorrow, and the Excelsior Scholarship ensures New York's students have access to a quality education and the skills they need to succeed. Read more about it here: 

Excelsior Scholarship 

To learn more about the NYS Excelsior Scholarship, visit: http://www.HESC.ny.gov  

or text COLLEGE to 81336.