Excelsior Scholarship Program

Students from families earning $125,000 or less can attend a state-operated SUNY or CUNY college tuition-free. The Excelsior Scholarship Program is open to New York residents who are or will be pursuing an undergraduate degree at a SUNY or CUNY college, including community colleges and the statutory colleges at Cornell University and Alfred University.

Applicants must have graduated from a high school in the U.S.; earned a high school equivalency diploma (GED) or passed a federally approved Ability to Benefit test. Applicants must also be enrolled full-time in at least 12 credits per term and complete at least 30 credits each year, and must be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen to be eligible for this award. Undocumented and other immigrant students: before submitting your application, apply for eligibility under the NYS DREAM Act.