Mayor’s Scholarship Program Graduate Scholarships

New York City’s Mayor’s Scholarship Program has opened its graduate application cycle for 2027–28. It serves full-time municipal government employees who already hold a bachelor’s degree or will complete one before the program starts. The opportunity allows graduate study at participating institutions while keeping city employment; it is not a general scholarship for city residents or private-sector workers.

Awardees must remain full-time city employees while enrolled, maintain good academic standing, and attend classes on their own time. The city does not require a minimum length of service and does not require recipients to remain in municipal employment after graduation. Each university sets its own admission, program, and, where applicable, exam or experience requirements.

The city application package must reach the employee’s agency personnel office by Friday, November 13, 2026; some agencies impose an earlier internal date. Applicants submit a separate application for each school, with a letter of intent, three essays, proof of the school application, and other required materials. They must also apply directly to the institution and meet its separate deadline.

One important distinction: DCAS’s FAQ says the city itself does not fund or select scholarship recipients. Participating institutions provide the awards and decide whom to select; the current offering guide lists eligible schools and programs. Before preparing essays, confirm that the graduate program appears in that guide, ask agency HR about internal routing, and contact the school about award amounts and remaining costs.

Official program information and application