Amount: Up to $5,500. About: The Excelsior Scholarship allows students to attend a SUNY or CUNY college tuition-free. The program covers any remaining tuition expenses up to $5,500 for eligible SUNY and CUNY students. Applicants must be New York State residents, who have resided in NYS for 12 continuous months prior to the beginning of the term, and be U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens. They must sign 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. They must also meet other requirements, including graduating from high school in the United States, earning a GED, or passing a federally approved “Ability to Benefit” test, having a combined federal adjusted gross income of $125,000 or less, pursuing an undergraduate degree at a SUNY or CUNY college, including community colleges and the statutory colleges at Cornell University and Alfred University, and enrolling in at least 12 credits per term and complete at least 30 credits each year (successively).
Eligible Grade Levels: High School Senior, High School Graduate, College Freshman, College Sophomore, College Junior, College Senior
Eligible Majors: All majors
Residency Requirement: New York
Minimum GPA: No GPA requirement
Deadline: August 31 (annually) Please note that scholarship deadlines often change, so make sure to check the scholarship sponsor’s website for up-to-date deadlines.