Excelsior Scholarship
Excelsior is not an automatic payment of a student’s entire SUNY or CUNY bill. It is a last-dollar award covering remaining tuition after Pell, TAP, and other federal or state grants and scholarships; it does not by itself cover housing, meals, transportation, or every charge. It serves full-time undergraduates in households with combined federal adjusted gross income of up to $125,000 who meet New York’s 12-month residency rule. The academic pathway requires at least 12 appl
About Excelsior Scholarship
Excelsior is not an automatic payment of a student’s entire SUNY or CUNY bill. It is a last-dollar award covering remaining tuition after Pell, TAP, and other federal or state grants and scholarships; it does not by itself cover housing, meals, transportation, or every charge. It serves full-time undergraduates in households with combined federal adjusted gross income of up to $125,000 who meet New York’s 12-month residency rule.
The academic pathway requires at least 12 applicable credits per term and 30 program credits each year, without breaks except for approved circumstances such as military duty, the death of an immediate family member, or parental leave after childbirth. It may cover two years for an associate degree, four for a bachelor’s, and five for certain approved programs. Students reapply annually after FAFSA and TAP; those unable to file FAFSA should review the NYS DREAM Act route.
For academic year 2026–27, HESC set August 31, 2026 as the deadline for new applications; that date has passed as of this review. Recipients must agree to live and work in New York for the same number of years they received the scholarship; failure to meet the condition can turn aid into a repayment obligation. Students who missed the cycle may ask HESC whether a spring window will be offered, but should not assume eligibility or enroll counting on an award that has not been granted.
Who it serves and what it can cover: Excelsior is not an automatic payment of a student’s entire SUNY or CUNY bill. It is a last-dollar award covering remaining tuition after Pell, TAP, and other federal or state grants and scholarships; it does not by itself cover housing, meals, transportation, or every charge. It serves full-time undergraduates in households with combined federal adjusted gross income of up to $125,000 who meet New York’s 12-month residency rule. The academic pathway requires at least 12 applicable credits per term and 30 program credits each year, without breaks except for approved circumstances such as military duty, the death of an immediate family member, or parental leave after childbirth. It may cover two years for an associate degree, four for a bachelor’s, and five for certain approved programs. Students reapply annually after FAFSA and TAP; those unable to file FAFSA should review the NYS DREAM Act route.
How to apply or get help: For academic year 2026–27, HESC set August 31, 2026 as the deadline for new applications; that date has passed as of this review. Recipients must agree to live and work in New York for the same number of years they received the scholarship; failure to meet the condition can turn aid into a repayment obligation. Students who missed the cycle may ask HESC whether a spring window will be offered, but should not assume eligibility or enroll counting on an award that has not been granted. For case-specific questions, contact the program or financial-aid office named on its official page.
College financial-aid program