The NYS Excelsior Scholarship, in combination with other student financial aid programs, allows students to attend a SUNY or CUNY college tuition-free. The program covers tuition for eligible SUNY and CUNY students. For the 2022-23 academic year, families who earned $125,000 or less in the tax year 2020 are eligible to apply.
Excelsior NYS DREAM Act Excelsior Applicants
How to Apply
This application is for current students and those beginning college in spring 2023. Students who plan to start college for the fall 2023 term should NOT complete this application. The 2023-2024 Excelsior application will open in late spring. Current Excelsior recipients should not complete this application.
Application deadline – February 9, 2023 at midnight.
APPLY
Applicants who first enrolled in college prior to 2019 or earlier (2018 or earlier if in an approved five-year program or Opportunity Program) are not eligible to apply. Visit https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid.html to explore other NYS opportunities.
Eligibility
An applicant must:
- 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 $125,000 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 through continuous study with no break in enrollment except for certain reasons that can be documented;
- if attended college prior to the 2022-23 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 any 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.
Click here if you do not meet the above eligibility requirements.
Award Amount*
The Excelsior Scholarship covers any remaining gap in tuition expenses, after other federal and state grants and scholarships are applied, up to $5,500.
To determine the award amount, the tuition rate* charged is first reduced by the total dollar amount awarded from other student financial aid awards for the academic year, including a NYS Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) award and/or federal Pell grant. The Excelsior Scholarship covers any remaining tuition expenses up to $5,500. In instances where tuition expenses exceed the total financial aid a recipient is awarded, a tuition credit will be applied to the remaining balance.
*Tuition rates are based on 2022-23 resident tuition rate charged by SUNY ($7,070) or CUNY ($6,930)
**Note: Any award payment received may have tax implications. Any questions regarding this should be directed to a tax professional, the Internal Revenue Service, or the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance.
Catching Up on Credits
An applicant who is not on track to complete an Associate’s degree in two consecutive years or Bachelor’s degree in four consecutive years (which requires completion of the equivalent of 30 credits each academic year) can catch up on missing credits to become eligible to apply for an Excelsior Scholarship. If you successfully earn additional credits during a term or academic year and get back on track to completing your degree on time, you must reapply to be eligible to receive an Excelsior Scholarship for the remainder of your undergraduate degree program.
Opportunity Programs
If you are in an opportunity program, the Excelsior Scholarship program allows five years to complete your degree on time (which requires completion of the equivalent of 24 credits each academic year).
Five-Year Undergraduate Programs
If you are in an undergraduate program of study normally requiring five-years, the Excelsior Scholarship program allows five years to complete your degree on time (which requires completion of the equivalent of 30 credits each academic year).
Students with Disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
To be eligible for an Excelsior Scholarship, students with qualified disabilities under the Americans With Disabilities Act who attend less than full time must register with their college office for students with disabilities.
If you are a student with a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Excelsior Scholarship program requires that you be continuously enrolled and complete the number of credits you attempted each semester to fulfill the requirement for on-time degree completion. If you have not earned credits for all courses attempted, you can catch up on missing credits if you successfully earn additional credits during a Summer and/or Winter session(s) and get back on track for credits that were not previously completed.
For more information, visit NYS Student Financial Aid Programs and Students with Disabilities.
Eligibility Review
Students whose current income or prior year adjusted gross income is $125,000 or below due to the disability, divorce or separation of a parent, spouse or the student or the death of a parent or spouse may request a review of their eligibility by completing the Income Eligibility Determination Form and uploading to https://www.hesc.ny.gov/ExcelsiorDetermination.
Recipients who do not meet the annual credit or continuous enrollment requirements due to one of the conditions indicated below may be able to retain their Excelsior Scholarship awards. If you meet any of the following conditions, please reach out to your school to have your eligibility reviewed. Please note that documentation will be required. Your school will notify HESC if it is determined that you are eligible to receive your award.
You may be eligible to retain your award under the following conditions:
- You experience a death of an immediate family member
- You are called to active military duty
- You interrupt your studies to take care of your new-born child (parental leave)
- Your medical or health care provider determines that your medical condition or mental health prevents you from beginning or continuing the term or from continuing a full-time course load.
- You interrupt your studies to care for an immediate family member, whose medical or heath care provider has determined to need additional support or care, which impacts your ability to begin or continue the term or from continuing a full-time course load.
Please be aware that other circumstances other than those indicated above may not allow you to retain your award under State laws and regulations.
Duration
A recipient of an Excelsior Scholarship is eligible to receive award payments for not more than two years of full-time undergraduate study in a program leading to an associate’s degree or four years of full-time undergraduate study, or five years if the program of study normally requires five years, in a program leading to a bachelor’s degree.
Payment
Recipients must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the NYS Student Aid Payment Application every year in order to receive award payments.
Questions?
Please contact the Scholarship Unit at vog.yn.cseh@roislecxe.
