The Excelsior Scholarship provides tuition awards to eligible students attending New York State's public colleges and universities (SUNY and CUNY). This scholarship, in combination with other student financial aid programs, allows students to attend a SUNY college tuition-free to families making up to $125,000 per year. The Excelsior Scholarship applies to tuition only and does not cover the other costs of college. To learn more about other college expenses such as fees, room and board, textbooks, and more, visit SUNY's Tuition and Fees page. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding the Excelsior Scholarship are available here.

WHO DOES THIS PROGRAM AIM TO SERVE? To meet eligibility requirements, 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, (includes statutory colleges at Cornell University and Alfred University);

• be enrolled in at least 12 credits per term applicable toward your degree program and earn at least 30 credits each year, applicable toward your degree program;

• if attended college prior to the academic year for which an award is sought, have earned at least 30 credits each year (continuously enrolled), applicable toward your 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.

HAS THIS PROGRAM BEEN SUSPENDED DUE TO COVID-19? Due to COVID-19, many in-person classes have been transitioned to distance learning education. Certain campus facilities remain open to service students with special circumstances who need to stay on campus. SUNY's community response under the #SUNYTogether campaign supports students and healthcare workers impacted by COVID-19. Updates are available here https://www.suny.edu/health-alert.