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Excelsior Scholarship (New York)

The Excelsior Scholarship makes tuition free at SUNY and CUNY two-year and four-year colleges for eligible New York middle-class families, including community college students.

Provider
New York State Higher Education Services Corporation
Host country
United States
Deadline
Expected August 31, 2027 (annual cycle)

Eligibility & requirements at a glance

Review the recorded eligibility, funding and deadline information below. Confirm the current award conditions on the provider's official source.

Who can apply
Students from families earning $125,000 or less can attend a state-operated SUNY or CUNY college tuition-free. You must be pursuing an undergraduate degree at a SUNY or CUNY college or university, enroll full-time, and complete at least 30 credits per year. You must also live and work in New York State for a duration equal to the number of years you received the scholarship.
Funding
Tuition Only
Study level
Undergraduate
Deadline
Expected August 31, 2027 (annual cycle)

Key eligibility criteria

  • Students from families earning $125,000 or less can attend a state-operated SUNY or CUNY college tuition-free. You must be pursuing an undergraduate degree at a SUNY or CUNY college or university, enroll full-time, and complete at least 30 credits per year. You must also live and work in New York State for a duration equal to the number of years you received the scholarship.

Recorded funding information

  • Tuition Only

About the Excelsior Scholarship (New York) (2026)

The Excelsior Scholarship makes tuition free at SUNY and CUNY two-year and four-year colleges for eligible New York middle-class families, including community college students.

Funding information

The funding information below is recorded in this listing; it does not establish additional covered components. Check amounts, caps, exclusions and conditions on the official source.

  • Tuition Only

Excelsior Scholarship (New York) eligibility

Always cross-check eligibility against the sponsor's official site before applying — sponsor rules can change between intakes.

  • Students from families earning $125,000 or less can attend a state-operated SUNY or CUNY college tuition-free. You must be pursuing an undergraduate degree at a SUNY or CUNY college or university, enroll full-time, and complete at least 30 credits per year. You must also live and work in New York State for a duration equal to the number of years you received the scholarship.

Excelsior Scholarship (New York) document information

No explicit document checklist is recorded here. If an application is required, prepare only the materials the provider requests.

    How to apply for the Excelsior Scholarship (New York) 2026

    Follow the provider's stated process. The checks below are guidance, not additional application requirements. Any original editorial instructions remain in the description above.

    1. 1
      Check the provider's process

      Consult https://hesc.ny.gov/find-aid/nys-grants-scholarships/excelsior-scholarship-program to confirm whether consideration is automatic or requires an application, and follow only the process stated there.

    2. 2
      Check eligibility and any requested materials

      Listed eligibility: Students from families earning $125,000 or less can attend a state-operated SUNY or CUNY college tuition-free. You must be pursuing an undergraduate degree at a SUNY or CUNY college or university, enroll full-time, and complete at least 30 credits per year. You must also live and work in New York State for a duration equal to the number of years you received the scholarship.. Confirm the current criteria and, if submission is required, use the provider's own checklist.

    3. 3
      Check dates and next steps

      Listed deadline information: Expected August 31, 2027 (annual cycle). Confirm any cutoff, time zone and follow-up process with the provider.

    Excelsior Scholarship (New York) deadline & application timeline

    Provider deadline information: Expected August 31, 2027 (annual cycle). This text cannot be safely converted to a countdown; check the official source for its meaning. The earlier milestones are optional planning suggestions only.

    1. Planning suggestion: 12 months out

      Check the current call and decide whether this opportunity fits your plans.

    2. Planning suggestion: 6 months out

      If the provider requires tests or documents that take time, plan for them using its published instructions.

    3. Planning suggestion: 3 months out

      If an application is required, review the provider's process and prepare only the materials it requests.

    4. Planning suggestion: 1 month out

      If submission is required, allow time to check your materials and any stated cutoff.

    5. Provider deadline
      Expected August 31, 2027 (annual cycle)

      Provider deadline information: Expected August 31, 2027 (annual cycle). Confirm the current instructions and any cutoff or time zone on the official source; no additional time is assumed here.

    Ready to apply?

    Cross-check the latest eligibility rules and deadline on the sponsor's official portal before you start your application.

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    Frequently asked questions

    Who can apply for the Excelsior Scholarship (New York)?+

    Students from families earning $125,000 or less can attend a state-operated SUNY or CUNY college tuition-free. You must be pursuing an undergraduate degree at a SUNY or CUNY college or university, enroll full-time, and complete at least 30 credits per year. You must also live and work in New York State for a duration equal to the number of years you received the scholarship.

    What funding does the Excelsior Scholarship (New York) offer?+

    Listed funding: Tuition Only. Confirm amounts, exclusions and conditions on the official source. This label does not establish any additional benefit components.

    When is the application deadline?+

    Provider deadline information: Expected August 31, 2027 (annual cycle). Confirm the current cutoff and any time zone on the official source; no additional cutoff or late-submission policy is assumed here.

    What documents do I need to apply?+

    No explicit document checklist is recorded here. If an application is required, prepare only the documents requested by the provider; requirements may differ from admission requirements.

    How do I check the application process?+

    Consult https://hesc.ny.gov/find-aid/nys-grants-scholarships/excelsior-scholarship-program to confirm whether consideration is automatic or requires an application, and follow only the process stated there. Listed eligibility: Students from families earning $125,000 or less can attend a state-operated SUNY or CUNY college tuition-free. You must be pursuing an undergraduate degree at a SUNY or CUNY college or university, enroll full-time, and complete at least 30 credits per year. You must also live and work in New York State for a duration equal to the number of years you received the scholarship.. Confirm the current criteria and, if submission is required, use the provider's own checklist. Listed deadline information: Expected August 31, 2027 (annual cycle). Confirm any cutoff, time zone and follow-up process with the provider.

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