Getting through college without drowning in debt sounds like a pipe dream for most students. But if you're a New York resident, the Excelsior Scholarship might be your ticket to a debt-free education. Since its launch in 2017, this program has helped thousands of students attend SUNY and CUNY schools without paying tuition.
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That said, "free college" comes with strings attached. Before you start planning your tuition-free future, you need to understand exactly how this scholarship works, what it covers (and what it doesn't), and whether you can actually meet the requirements.
Let's break down everything you need to know about the Excelsior Scholarship.
What Exactly Is the Excelsior Scholarship?
The Excelsior Scholarship is New York State's answer to the student debt crisis. Governor Andrew Cuomo introduced it in 2017 with a pretty bold promise: make college tuition-free for middle-class families.
Here's the basic concept. If your family makes $125,000 or less per year, you can attend any SUNY or CUNY school without paying tuition. Sounds straightforward, right? Well, sort of.
The scholarship functions as a "last-dollar" program. That means it kicks in after all your other grants and scholarships are applied. If you receive a TAP award (New York's Tuition Assistance Program) or a Pell Grant, those get applied first. The Excelsior Scholarship then covers whatever tuition remains.
Think of it like this: if your tuition is $7,000 and you receive $3,000 in other grants, Excelsior covers the remaining $4,000. You're not getting $7,000 on top of your other aid.
Who Qualifies for the Excelsior Scholarship?
Meeting the income requirement is just the first hurdle. The Excelsior Scholarship has several eligibility criteria, and you need to meet all of them.
Income Requirements
Your household needs to earn $125,000 or less in adjusted gross income (AGI). When we say "household," we're talking about your parents' income if you're a dependent student, or your own income (and your spouse's, if married) if you're independent.
The program didn't start at $125,000. When it launched in 2017, the cap was $100,000. It increased to $110,000 in 2018, then reached $125,000 in 2019, where it's remained since.
One thing that trips people up: they look at this $125,000 figure and think it's just one parent's salary. It's not. It's your entire household's combined income as reported on your federal tax return.
Residency and Citizenship
You must be a legal resident of New York State and have lived here for at least 12 consecutive months before the semester begins. If you just moved to New York hoping to take advantage of free tuition, you'll need to wait a year.
You also need to be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen. The program uses the same citizenship requirements as federal student aid programs.
Academic Requirements
Here's where things get demanding. To keep your Excelsior Scholarship, you need to complete 30 credits per academic year. For most students, that's 15 credits per semester.
You also need to maintain satisfactory academic progress, which typically means keeping at least a 2.0 GPA, though your specific school might have additional requirements.
Miss that 30-credit benchmark, and you lose the scholarship. There are some exceptions for medical hardships and other extenuating circumstances, but the state doesn't grant these waivers automatically. You'll need to apply and provide documentation.
Full-Time Enrollment
Part-time students aren't eligible. You must be enrolled full-time, which means at least 12 credits per semester at most schools.
This requirement creates a real problem for students who need to work substantial hours to support themselves or their families. Even though your tuition might be covered, you still need money for rent, food, transportation, and books. But if you need to work so many hours that you can only take a part-time course load, you can't get Excelsior.
School Requirements
You must attend a participating SUNY or CUNY school. The good news is that pretty much all of them participate, including:
- All SUNY four-year colleges
- All SUNY community colleges
- All CUNY four-year colleges
- All CUNY community colleges
Private colleges in New York aren't eligible, even if they're non-profit. So if you're planning to attend NYU, Columbia, Cornell, or any other private institution, Excelsior won't help you.
The Post-Graduation Requirement That Catches Everyone Off Guard
Here's the big one that surprises a lot of students: after you graduate, you must live and work in New York State for the same number of years you received the scholarship.
Got the scholarship for four years? You need to stay in New York for four years after graduation. Received it for two years? You owe New York two years.
"Live and work" means you need to be both a New York resident and earning income in New York. You can't live in New Jersey and commute to a job in Manhattan. You can't work remotely for a California company while living in Buffalo. Your physical residence and your income source both need to be in New York.
What Happens If You Leave New York?
If you don't fulfill this requirement, your scholarship converts into a loan. You'll need to repay the full amount you received, with interest.
This isn't a theoretical consequence. New York State will come after you for the money if you move to another state without a valid exemption.
The interest rate is currently 5% APR, and the state can use all the collection tools available to other student loan servicers, including wage garnishment and tax refund interception.
Are There Any Exceptions?
Yes, but they're limited. You might be exempt from the work requirement if:
- You're enrolled in an approved graduate program (you get additional time to complete your studies)
- You're serving in the military
- You have a documented medical condition that prevents you from working
- You're facing other circumstances beyond your control
These exceptions aren't automatic. You need to apply for them and provide supporting documentation.
What the Excelsior Scholarship Actually Covers (and What It Doesn't)
This is where the "free college" promise gets a reality check.
What's Covered
Tuition. That's it. The Excelsior Scholarship covers tuition costs at SUNY and CUNY schools.
For the 2023-2024 academic year, tuition at SUNY four-year schools is about $7,070 per year. At CUNY four-year schools, it's about $6,930 per year. Community college tuition is lower, around $5,000-$5,500 per year.
What's Not Covered
Everything else. And "everything else" adds up to a lot:
Mandatory fees: Every college charges mandatory fees for things like student activities, health services, technology, and athletics. These can run anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000 per year.
Room and board: If you're living on campus, you're looking at $10,000 to $18,000 per year depending on the school. Living off-campus in an expensive area like New York City? Could be even more.
Books and supplies: Budget at least $1,000-$1,500 per year, sometimes more for science or art majors.
Transportation: Getting to and from campus, whether you're driving or taking public transit, costs money.
Personal expenses: Food, clothing, phone bills, and everything else you need to survive.
Add it all up, and the total cost of attendance at a SUNY or CUNY school can easily reach $20,000-$30,000 per year, even with free tuition.
This is why many Excelsior Scholarship recipients still need to take out loans, work part-time jobs, or rely on family support. Free tuition doesn't mean free college.
How the "Last-Dollar" Model Works in Practice
Understanding the last-dollar structure is important because it affects how much money you actually receive from Excelsior.
Let's walk through an example. Say you're attending a SUNY school where tuition is $7,070 per year. You're eligible for:
- Pell Grant: $4,000
- TAP Award: $2,000
- Other scholarships: $500
Your total grant and scholarship money is $6,500. Since your tuition is $7,070, you still owe $570. The Excelsior Scholarship covers that $570.
Now imagine a different scenario. Same school, same $7,070 tuition, but you have:
- Pell Grant: $6,495 (the maximum)
- TAP Award: $2,500
That's $8,995 in aid, which already exceeds your tuition. In this case, you wouldn't receive any money from the Excelsior Scholarship. Your other aid already covered everything.
Can you pocket the extra money for fees or living expenses? Sometimes, but it depends on the grant. Pell Grants can be used for other qualified education expenses beyond tuition. TAP awards are tuition-only.
The point is this: students from lower-income families who qualify for maximum Pell Grants might not see any additional benefit from Excelsior. The program helps most when you're in that middle-income range where you earn too much to qualify for substantial need-based aid, but not enough to comfortably afford college.
How to Apply for the Excelsior Scholarship
The application process isn't too complicated, but you need to do things in the right order and meet specific deadlines.
Step One: File Your FAFSA
Before you can apply for Excelsior, you need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This determines your eligibility for federal aid like Pell Grants and federal student loans.
File your FAFSA as early as possible. The priority deadline for New York State aid is typically in March, though you can submit it later.
Step Two: Apply for TAP
Next, complete the TAP application. TAP (Tuition Assistance Program) is New York's state grant program, separate from Excelsior. Since Excelsior is a last-dollar program, you need to apply for TAP first so the state knows how much other aid you're receiving.
The TAP application becomes available after you submit your FAFSA.
Step Three: Apply for Excelsior
Once you've completed your FAFSA and TAP application, you can apply for the Excelsior Scholarship through the HESC (Higher Education Services Corporation) website at hesc.ny.gov.
The application typically opens in mid-summer, around July. There are different deadlines for fall and spring terms:
- Fall semester: Usually late July
- Spring semester: Usually late November
You need to reapply every year you want to receive the scholarship. It's not a one-time application.
Step Four: Verify Enrollment
After you apply, your school needs to verify your enrollment. They'll confirm that you're enrolled full-time in a degree program.
Step Five: Sign Your Contract
If you're approved, you'll need to sign a contract agreeing to the terms, including the requirement to live and work in New York after graduation. Read this carefully before signing.
Tips for Meeting the 30-Credit Requirement
That 30-credits-per-year requirement trips up a lot of students. Here are some strategies to make it more manageable:
Take Courses During Summer or Winter Sessions
You don't have to earn all 30 credits during the fall and spring semesters. Many schools offer summer and winter intersession courses that count toward your annual total.
A typical plan might be 12 credits in fall, 12 credits in spring, and 6 credits during summer. Or 15 in fall, 15 in spring, and skip summer entirely.
Consider Online Courses
If your school offers online courses, these can sometimes fit more easily into a busy schedule. You get the flexibility to complete coursework outside of traditional class times.
Plan Your Schedule Carefully
Work with your academic advisor to plan a realistic schedule. Taking 15 credits that includes multiple lab sciences or upper-level courses could be overwhelming. Balance harder classes with some easier requirements.
Know Your Add/Drop Deadlines
If you start a course and realize you're in over your head, dropping it before the deadline means it won't hurt your GPA or your credit count. But wait too long, and a withdrawal goes on your transcript and that credit doesn't count toward your 30-credit requirement.
Track Your Progress
Don't assume everything's fine. Check your credit accumulation regularly. Make sure courses you think are counting actually are counting. Sometimes a course you assumed would count toward your degree turns out not to, and you only discover this later.
Excelsior and Community College Students
If you're starting at a community college, Excelsior can be a great deal. Two-year programs mean lower tuition costs overall, and the 30-credit-per-year requirement is the same whether you're at a community college or a four-year school.
Transferring After Community College
Many students plan to start at a CUNY or SUNY community college, then transfer to a four-year school. This is totally fine with Excelsior, as long as you:
- Continue meeting all eligibility requirements
- Transfer to another CUNY or SUNY school
- Maintain full-time enrollment
- Keep hitting that 30-credit benchmark
Your post-graduation work commitment is based on the total number of years you received the scholarship, whether that's at one school or multiple schools.
Articulation Agreements
SUNY and CUNY schools have articulation agreements that make transferring credits easier. Before you enroll in community college, check which four-year schools have strong transfer pathways for your intended major. You want to make sure your credits will transfer and you won't need to retake classes.
Special Circumstances and Common Questions
What If You Need to Take a Leave of Absence?
Life happens. Medical issues, family emergencies, financial problems—sometimes you need to step away from school temporarily.
If you need to take a leave of absence, contact your school's financial aid office immediately. Depending on your circumstances, you might be able to return to the program. But there's no guarantee, and you'll need to reapply and demonstrate that you can meet the requirements going forward.
What If You Change Your Major?
Changing your major is fine, as long as you stay on track to graduate within the normal timeframe for your degree and continue meeting the credit requirements.
What gets tricky is if changing your major means you need extra semesters to graduate. Once you exceed the normal time for your degree program, you might lose eligibility.
Can Graduate Students Get Excelsior?
No. The Excelsior Scholarship is only for undergraduate students pursuing their first bachelor's degree or associate degree.
If you already have a bachelor's degree and want to get a second one, you don't qualify. If you're pursuing a master's degree or doctorate, you don't qualify.
What About Students with Disabilities?
Students with disabilities can receive accommodations that allow them to take a reduced course load while maintaining Excelsior eligibility, but this requires documentation and approval.
Work with your school's disability services office to establish accommodations. Then contact HESC to explain your situation and see if you can get an exception to the 30-credit requirement.
What If Your Family's Income Increases?
Your eligibility is based on your income for the tax year that corresponds to your FAFSA. If your family's income shoots up above $125,000, you'll lose eligibility for future years.
But here's the good news: if you lose eligibility due to increased income, you don't have to repay the scholarship money you already received. And if your family's income drops back below $125,000 in a later year, you can reapply.
Comparing Excelsior to Other Financial Aid Options
How does Excelsior stack up against other ways to pay for college?
Excelsior vs. Federal Student Loans
Federal student loans need to be repaid with interest, but they offer flexibility. You can use loan money for any qualified education expense—tuition, fees, books, housing, food. You can take classes part-time. And there's no requirement about where you live or work after graduation.
Excelsior avoids debt upfront (assuming you meet the work requirement), but it's much more restrictive.
Many students use a combination: Excelsior for tuition, federal loans for everything else.
Excelsior vs. Private Scholarships
Private scholarships from organizations, companies, or community groups often have fewer strings attached. Most don't require you to work in a specific state after graduation. Many can be used at any college, not just SUNY or CUNY schools.
The downside? They're competitive and usually don't cover as much money as Excelsior.
Apply for private scholarships regardless of whether you have Excelsior. They can help cover the costs that Excelsior doesn't touch—fees, books, housing.
Excelsior vs. Work-Study Programs
Federal Work-Study provides part-time jobs for students with financial need. You earn money that you can use however you want.
Work-study is a good complement to Excelsior. You can work part-time (usually 10-15 hours per week) while staying full-time enrolled. The income helps cover those expenses that Excelsior doesn't.
The Real Cost-Benefit Analysis
So is the Excelsior Scholarship worth it? That depends on your individual circumstances.
When Excelsior Makes Great Sense
You're an excellent candidate for Excelsior if:
- Your family income is solidly middle-class, high enough that you don't get much need-based aid but not high enough to easily afford tuition
- You're a strong student who can handle 30 credits per year
- You're planning to stay in New York after graduation anyway
- You're attending school full-time without needing to work excessive hours
- Your other aid doesn't already cover your full tuition
When You Should Think Twice
Excelsior might not be the right choice if:
- You need to work 30+ hours per week to support yourself, making full-time enrollment difficult
- You have serious doubts about wanting to stay in New York long-term
- You're pursuing a field where the best job opportunities are in other states or countries
- You have medical or family situations that might interrupt your studies
- Your course load needs to be lighter due to learning differences or other challenges
The Hidden Value Proposition
Here's something people don't always consider: the predictability. With Excelsior, you know your tuition is covered as long as you meet the requirements. You can budget for your other expenses with more certainty.
Compare that to the stress of wondering if you'll get enough scholarship money each year, or watching your student loan balance grow larger.
There's psychological value in that certainty, even if Excelsior comes with commitments.
Living and Working in New York: What You Need to Know
Since you'll need to stay in New York after graduation, let's talk about what that actually means for your future.
The New York Job Market
New York has opportunities, especially in certain fields. Finance, healthcare, education, technology, media, fashion, and the arts all have strong presences in New York.
But if you're entering a field where jobs are concentrated elsewhere—like certain tech sectors that favor Silicon Valley, or energy industries centered in Texas—the work requirement might limit your career options.
Research your intended career path. Talk to people working in your field. Where are the jobs? Would staying in New York limit your opportunities or enhance them?
Cost of Living Considerations
New York isn't cheap. If you're planning to live in New York City after graduation, your salary needs to stretch a lot further than it would in most other places.
A $50,000 salary goes much further in Buffalo or Syracuse than it does in Brooklyn. Factor this into your planning.
Remote Work Complications
The rise of remote work created some confusion about the Excelsior work requirement. If you work remotely for a company based outside New York, does that count?
According to HESC, you need to be a New York resident earning New York income. Working remotely for an out-of-state company while living in New York appears to meet the residency requirement, but the income question is murkier.
If you're planning to work remotely, contact HESC directly to confirm your specific situation will satisfy the work requirement. Get it in writing.
How to Track and Verify Your Compliance
Once you graduate, you need to prove to New York State that you're meeting the work requirement. Here's how that works:
Annual Certification
Every year during your obligation period, you need to certify that you're living and working in New York. HESC will send you a notice when it's time to complete your annual certification.
You'll need to provide:
- Proof of New York residency (utility bills, lease, driver's license)
- Proof of New York employment (W-2 forms, pay stubs, tax returns)
Keep Your Records
Save everything. Keep copies of your tax returns, W-2s, lease agreements, and anything else that proves New York residency and employment.
If there's ever a question about whether you met the requirement, you'll need documentation to support your case.
Update Your Contact Information
Make sure HESC always has your current address and email. If they send certification notices and you don't respond, they might assume you've left the state and convert your scholarship to a loan.
Log into your HESC account periodically and verify your contact information is current.
What Happens If You Default?
Let's say you graduate and move to California for a job. You're now in default on your Excelsior commitment. What happens?
First, HESC will send you a bill. Your scholarship amount converts to a loan with 5% interest, calculated from the date you received each scholarship payment.
If you don't pay, the state can:
- Report the debt to credit bureaus, damaging your credit score
- Garnish your wages
- Intercept your tax refunds
- Take legal action to collect the debt
This isn't like federal student loans where you have extensive repayment options and potential forgiveness programs. This is New York State coming after money they believe you owe them.
Requesting a Deferral or Exception
If you need to leave New York temporarily for a valid reason—graduate school, military service, medical reasons—you can request a deferral of your work obligation.
Submit a request to HESC with documentation of your circumstances. If approved, your obligation period gets extended, but the scholarship doesn't convert to a loan.
Recent Changes and Future Outlook
The Excelsior Scholarship has evolved since its 2017 launch. Here are some changes to be aware of:
Income Cap Increases
As mentioned earlier, the income cap has increased from $100,000 at launch to $125,000 today. There's been discussion about raising it further, but no concrete proposals as of late 2024.
Credit Requirement Flexibility
The state has shown some willingness to grant exceptions to the 30-credit requirement for students facing hardships, though these are still handled case-by-case.
Application Process Improvements
HESC has streamlined the application process over the years, making it somewhat easier to apply and track your status online.
Budget Considerations
The program's future depends on state budget priorities. When the state faces budget shortfalls, programs like Excelsior can be at risk. Stay informed about state budget negotiations that might affect the scholarship.
Alternatives If You Don't Qualify for Excelsior
If Excelsior isn't right for you or you don't qualify, you still have options:
TAP (Tuition Assistance Program)
TAP is New York's other major grant program. It has a higher income cap ($80,000 for dependent students, but it's on a sliding scale) and can be used part-time. You don't have to stay in New York after graduation.
STEM Incentive Program
If you're pursuing a STEM degree, the STEM Incentive Program provides additional TAP money and has different requirements than Excelsior.
Federal Pell Grants
Pell Grants are need-based federal grants that don't need to be repaid. Maximum award is currently $7,395 (for 2024-2025). No work requirement, can be used at any eligible college.
Income-Driven Repayment Plans
If you need to take out federal student loans, income-driven repayment plans cap your monthly payments at a percentage of your discretionary income. After 20-25 years of payments, any remaining balance is forgiven.
Employer Tuition Assistance
Some employers offer tuition reimbursement programs. If you're working while attending school, check if your employer offers this benefit.
Making Your Decision
Choosing whether to pursue the Excelsior Scholarship requires honest self-assessment.
Ask yourself:
- Can I realistically complete 30 credits per year while maintaining good grades?
- Am I willing to commit to staying in New York for at least a few years after graduation?
- Will my career field have adequate opportunities in New York?
- Do I have family or other support systems that can help with expenses Excelsior doesn't cover?
- What's my backup plan if something goes wrong and I lose the scholarship?
Talk to your school's financial aid office. Speak with current Excelsior recipients about their experiences. Research career opportunities in your field within New York.
This isn't a decision to rush. Yes, free tuition sounds amazing. But make sure you understand what you're signing up for and that you can meet the obligations.
Final Thoughts
The Excelsior Scholarship represents New York's ambitious attempt to make college more affordable for middle-class families. For students who can meet its requirements and who planned to stay in New York anyway, it's an incredible opportunity.
But it's not truly "free college." It's more accurate to call it a service exchange: New York covers your tuition, and you commit to living and working in the state after graduation. You're trading future geographic flexibility for current financial relief.
There's no universal right answer about whether to accept this trade. It depends on your goals, your field, your family situation, and your priorities.
What matters is going into it with your eyes open. Understand the requirements. Understand the limitations. Understand the commitment you're making.
If you do pursue Excelsior, take it seriously. Track your credits. Maintain your grades. Keep your paperwork organized. Plan for expenses beyond tuition. And start thinking early about how you'll satisfy that work requirement.
For many New York students, the Excelsior Scholarship has made the difference between going to college and not going at all, or between graduating with modest debt versus crushing debt. Used strategically and with full awareness of its terms, it can be a powerful tool for achieving your educational goals without financial devastation.