The Excelsior Scholarship, The Winning Ticket to College Affordability

The Excelsior Scholarship, the first-of-its-kind tuition-free program, is offering the best deal for students who study at New York’s public colleges and universities. The main eligibility criteria based on which the students are selected is the family income, which should be around $100.000 a year, in 2017.

The program covers tuition for SUNY (The State University of New York) and CUNY (The City University of New York) students. Currently, the four-years college tutition at SUNY is $6.470. The Excelsior Scholarship does not include other cost as well, such as room and board, transportation, meal plans, textbooks and many other.

The Excelsior Scholarship program will be phased in over three years, staring in fall 2017 and it will be first applied to families who earn $100.000 or less. Then, will be included the students whose income family is $110.000 or less in 2018 and eventually, in 2019 the eligbility criteria will take in consideration a family income that reaches up to $125.000. Students who are eligbile must be enrolled in college full-time with an average of 30 credits per year. More than 940.000 families with college-aged children who live In New York can apply for the tutition-free college at CUNY and SUNY.

Which are other criterion based on which students will be selected?

If you are an undergraduate who is a US Citizen or permanent resident and reside in New York for one year prior to enrollment feel free to apply. If you are currently attending college, you can also receive the scholarship.

How long can you receive the Excelsior Scholarship?

If you are pursuing an Associate’s degree, you can receive the Excelsior Scholarship for up to 2 years. The program is also available for those who are pursuing a Bachelor’s degree and will be funded for 4 years. Please keep in mind that graduate students are not eligible for this program.

How much a student can receive from being awarded the Excelsior Scholarship?

You can receive up to $5.500. The remainder of the tuition charge will be covered through a tuition credit paid through CUNY and SUNY.

How do you apply?

The application procedures for this program are developed by the Higher Education Services Corporation. Momentarly, the applications for 2017 are not open. However, it is best if you could take some time and inform yourself before applying. Indeed, the Excelsior Scholarship is an amazing deal for students from New York. Keep yourself informed here: https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid/nys-grants-scholarships-awards/the-excelsior-scholarship.html

We are wishing to everyone good luck!