New York State Scholarships for Academic Excellence
New York State Scholarships for Academic Excellence (SAE) recognizes top students at New York high schools at the end of junior year. It is not an open-application scholarship: schools identify and nominate eligible students through the state’s SED Monitoring system. The award is for higher education in New York and is forfeited if the recipient attends an institution outside the state. The state education department lists February 26 as the 2027 nomination deadline. Nominati
About New York State Scholarships for Academic Excellence
New York State Scholarships for Academic Excellence (SAE) recognizes top students at New York high schools at the end of junior year. It is not an open-application scholarship: schools identify and nominate eligible students through the state’s SED Monitoring system. The award is for higher education in New York and is forfeited if the recipient attends an institution outside the state.
The state education department lists February 26 as the 2027 nomination deadline. Nominations must be submitted by the appropriate school building leader, not the student. Ask a counselor who verifies class rank and how the nomination is communicated; students will not find an individual application link because the school controls the official submission.
Subject to state appropriations for 2027, the department anticipates 8,000 scholarships: 2,000 awards of $1,500 and 6,000 of $500. Each school receives allocations under state rules and enrollment formulas, so not every high school has the same number of nominations. Winners must attend a New York college or university; awards do not apply to trade schools.
Awards may be renewed for up to four years of undergraduate study, or five when the program normally requires that duration and meets commissioner rules. Because funding depends on appropriations and school processing, confirm your nomination and the eligibility of the chosen institution. The department publishes a program email, bulletin, and FAQs; use those documents instead of outdated summaries.
Who it serves and what it can cover: New York State Scholarships for Academic Excellence (SAE) recognizes top students at New York high schools at the end of junior year. It is not an open-application scholarship: schools identify and nominate eligible students through the state’s SED Monitoring system. The award is for higher education in New York and is forfeited if the recipient attends an institution outside the state. The state education department lists February 26 as the 2027 nomination deadline. Nominations must be submitted by the appropriate school building leader, not the student. Ask a counselor who verifies class rank and how the nomination is communicated; students will not find an individual application link because the school controls the official submission.
How to apply or get help: Subject to state appropriations for 2027, the department anticipates 8,000 scholarships: 2,000 awards of $1,500 and 6,000 of $500. Each school receives allocations under state rules and enrollment formulas, so not every high school has the same number of nominations. Winners must attend a New York college or university; awards do not apply to trade schools. For case-specific questions, contact the program or financial-aid office named on its official page.
College scholarship and financial-aid program