Excelsior Scholarship 2026-2027: Complete Guide to Free NY Tuition

The Excelsior Scholarship 2026-2027 could be your pathway to earning a degree at SUNY or CUNY schools without paying tuition.

New York State launched this scholarship program in 2017 to make higher education accessible to middle-class families. The program operates as a last-dollar scholarship, meaning it covers whatever tuition remains after other financial aid, such as Pell Grants and TAP, is applied.

Students from households earning up to $125,000 annually can attend state-operated SUNY or CUNY colleges tuition-free. The scholarship covers up to $5,500 per year in tuition expenses, though the actual amount depends on your other financial aid.

The program covers tuition at eligible institutions. However, students remain responsible for:

• Housing and dormitory costs
• Meal plans
• Textbooks and course materials
• Lab fees and technology charges
• Transportation and personal expenses

Many students wonder about the total value. Here’s a breakdown of typical costs at New York public colleges:

Expense Category	Annual Cost (Estimate)	Covered by Excelsior
Tuition	$7,070 (SUNY) / $6,930 (CUNY)	Up to $5,500
Room & Board	$14,000 – $16,000	No
Books & Supplies	$1,000 – $1,400	No
Personal Expenses	$2,000 – $3,000	No

While the scholarship significantly reduces costs, most students still need additional financial aid or family support to cover living expenses.

Who Qualifies for the Excelsior Scholarship 2026-2027 Award

Income Requirements

Your household’s combined federal adjusted gross income must be $125,000 or less. The program uses your family’s tax information from two years prior, so applications for the 2026-2027 academic year will review income from 2024 tax returns.

Families near the income threshold should understand that this limit includes all household income reported on federal tax returns. If your family experienced financial hardship due to death, divorce, legal separation, or disability after filing those taxes, you can request a review using current income information.

Residency and Citizenship

You must be a legal resident of New York State for at least 12 continuous months before the academic year begins. Both U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens qualify, and undocumented students can apply through the NYS DREAM Act.

The residency requirement continues after graduation. Recipients must live in New York State for a duration equal to the number of years they received the scholarship. If you move out of state before completing this requirement, your scholarship converts to a no-interest loan.

Academic Standards

Before college, you need to have:

• Graduated from a U.S. high school
• Earned a GED
• Passed a federally approved Ability to Benefit test

Once enrolled, maintaining eligibility requires staying in good academic standing, though the program doesn’t specify a minimum GPA threshold for SUNY and CUNY students.

Enrollment Requirements: The 30-Credit Rule

The scholarship requires full-time enrollment of at least 12 credits per semester. More importantly, you must complete 30 credits each academic year to maintain eligibility and continue receiving funding.

This 30-credit annual requirement often surprises students. Most semesters run for 15 weeks, and taking 15 credits per semester (a standard full-time load) puts you right at the 30-credit threshold. Here’s how this breaks down:

Academic Year Standing	Credits Required	Cumulative Total
After Year 1	30 credits	30 credits
After Year 2	30 credits	60 credits
After Year 3	30 credits	90 credits
After Year 4	30 credits	120 credits (Bachelor’s)

Students in opportunity programs have slightly different requirements: they need 24 credits per year over five years to complete a bachelor’s degree.

Making Up Missing Credits

First-time applicants who haven’t yet received the scholarship can catch up on missing credits. If you’re behind the required pace, you can take additional courses (including summer or winter sessions) to meet the credit threshold before applying. However, students who previously received the scholarship and lost eligibility due to insufficient credits cannot regain eligibility by making up the credits.

Continuous Enrollment

You must remain continuously enrolled, with no breaks. The only exceptions allow interruptions for:

• Death of an immediate family member
• Active military duty
• Caring for a newborn child
• Medical or mental health conditions verified by a healthcare provider
• Caring for an immediate family member with health needs

Contact your school’s financial aid office immediately if you experience any of these situations. They’ll notify HESC to review your eligibility.

Excelsior Scholarship Application Process for 2026-2027

Applications for the 2026-2027 academic year typically open in April 2026. The deadline usually falls in July 2026, though exact dates are announced each year.

Check the HESC website starting in March 2026 for confirmed dates.

Step 1: Complete Your FAFSA

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid must be submitted first. This determines your eligibility for federal grants and loans. For the 2026-2027 academic year, complete the FAFSA as soon as it becomes available in October 2025.

Step 2: Apply for TAP

New York residents must complete the Tuition Assistance Program application. TAP provides grant aid that gets applied to your tuition before the Excelsior Scholarship. You can complete TAP immediately after submitting your FAFSA.

Undocumented students should complete the NYS DREAM Act application instead of FAFSA and TAP.

Step 3: Submit Your Excelsior Application

Once FAFSA and TAP are complete, submit your scholarship application through the HESC website. You’ll need to create or log into your HESC account. The application asks about:

• Your household income
• Your planned college enrollment
• Your credit completion status
• Your acknowledgment of post-graduation requirements

Step 4: Verify Your Information

HESC may request additional documentation to verify your income or residency. Respond promptly to any requests to avoid processing delays.

Annual Renewal

You must reapply each year. This means completing the FAFSA, TAP (or DREAM Act), and the Excelsior application each year. Many students set reminders to complete these forms as soon as they become available each fall.

How Excelsior Scholarship Works with Other Financial Aid

Understanding the last-dollar structure helps you plan your college financing. Here’s how awards typically stack:

Example 1: Community College Student

• Annual Tuition: $5,270 (CUNY community college)
• Pell Grant: $3,500
• TAP Award: $1,000
• Excelsior Covers: $770
• Student Pays: $0 for tuition (plus all other expenses)

Example 2: Four-Year University Student

• Annual Tuition: $7,070 (SUNY four-year college)
• Pell Grant: $7,395 (maximum)
• TAP Award: $0 (Pell covers full tuition)
• Excelsior Covers: $0 (tuition already covered)
• Student Pays: $0 for tuition

The second example shows an important point: if your other aid already covers full tuition, you won’t receive additional Excelsior funds. The scholarship only pays remaining tuition costs.

Eligible Schools

All state-operated SUNY and CUNY colleges participate, including:

SUNY Universities:

• Binghamton University
• University at Albany
• University at Buffalo
• Stony Brook University

SUNY Colleges:

• SUNY Cortland
• SUNY Geneseo
• SUNY New Paltz
• SUNY Oswego
• Plus all other state-operated SUNY colleges

CUNY Senior Colleges:

• Baruch College
• Brooklyn College
• City College of New York
• Hunter College
• Queens College
• Plus all other CUNY four-year colleges

Community Colleges:

• All SUNY and CUNY community colleges
• Including Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC)
• Plus statutory colleges at Cornell University and Alfred University

Private colleges and universities don’t participate in the program, even if they’re located in New York.

Post-Graduation Obligations

This requirement catches many students off guard. After completing your degree, you must:

1. Live in New York State for several years equal to the years you received the scholarship
2. Work in New York State if employed during this period

For example, receiving the scholarship for four years means living and working in New York for four years after graduation. These years must be continuous—moving out of state resets your obligation.

What Happens If You Leave New York

If you move out of state before completing your residency requirement, your scholarship converts to a no-interest loan. HESC will bill you for the scholarship amount you received. The loan has no interest charges, but you must repay the principal.

Some students plan their careers around this requirement, while others factor the potential loan conversion into their decision to accept the scholarship.

Excelsior Scholarship FAQs

Do I need to reapply every semester?

No, you apply once per academic year (covering both fall and spring semesters). However, you must complete the FAFSA and TAP each year, typically in the fall before the academic year begins.

How long does the application take to process?

Processing typically takes several weeks after you submit your complete application. Most students receive notification of their status by late summer before the fall semester. Your school’s financial aid office will see your award and apply it to your account.

Can the scholarship cover summer or winter classes?

The program focuses on fall and spring semesters. However, summer and winter courses count toward your 30-credit annual requirement, which can help you stay on track if you fell behind during regular semesters.

What if my family income increases above $125,000?

You lose eligibility for future awards if your household income exceeds the threshold. However, if you’ve already received the scholarship for previous years, you’re not required to repay those awards.

Does having the scholarship affect other financial aid?

The scholarship fills in after other aid is applied, so it doesn’t reduce your Pell Grant or TAP award. However, some institutional scholarships may have rules about stacking with state aid—check with your college’s financial aid office.

What about students with disabilities?

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, students with disabilities can take longer to complete their degree if their disability requires less than full-time attendance or study pauses. Work with your school’s disability services office to document your needs.

Can graduate students apply?

No, the program only covers undergraduate degrees (associates and bachelor’s). Students pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees aren’t eligible.

Maximizing Your Chances and Maintaining Eligibility

Before Applying

1. Check your credit status early. If you’re behind the required pace, calculate whether you can catch up through summer courses before applying.
   
2. Verify your family’s income carefully. If you’re close to the $125,000 threshold, consider whether any major financial changes might affect your eligibility.
   
3. Complete FAFSA and TAP as early as possible. Don’t wait until the application opens—these can be done months earlier.
   
4. Gather documentation. Have proof of residency and income information ready in case HESC requests verification.
   

While Enrolled

1. Register for at least 15 credits per semester. This gives you a buffer if you need to drop a class and still maintain the 12-credit minimum.
   
2. Monitor your credit accumulation. Use your school’s degree audit system to track progress toward the 30-credit annual requirement.
   
3. Communicate with your financial aid office. If you experience any challenges that might affect your enrollment, contact them immediately rather than waiting.
   
4. Consider winter or summer courses. If you’re behind on credits, additional sessions can help you catch up.
   
5. Maintain academic standing. While the scholarship doesn’t specify a GPA requirement, your school requires good academic standing to remain enrolled.
   

Planning Ahead

Students should consider the post-graduation residency requirement when choosing this scholarship. If you know you’ll need to leave New York immediately after graduation (for graduate school elsewhere, for example), factor in that you’ll need to repay the scholarship amount as a no-interest loan.

However, for students planning to build careers in New York, the scholarship offers tremendous value with minimal downside. New York’s economy provides opportunities across industries, from finance and healthcare to education and technology.

Alternative and Additional Aid Options

While the Excelsior Scholarship 2026-2027 provides valuable tuition coverage, most students need additional funding. Consider:

Federal Programs:

• Pell Grants (up to $7,395 annually for 2024-2025)
• Federal Work-Study programs
• Federal student loans (subsidized and unsubsidized)

New York State Programs:

• TAP (Tuition Assistance Program)
• APTS (Aid for Part-Time Study)
• NYS STEM Incentive Program

Institutional Aid:

• College-specific scholarships and grants
• Work-study positions
• Research assistantships

Private Scholarships:

• Community organization scholarships
• Professional association awards
• Merit-based private scholarships

Final Thoughts

The Excelsior Scholarship 2026-2027 represents a significant investment by New York State in making college accessible. For eligible students committed to completing their degree on schedule and building careers in New York, this program substantially reduces the cost of higher education.

Success with this scholarship requires careful planning, consistent communication with your financial aid office, and commitment to meeting academic requirements. Start preparing now by understanding the requirements, tracking your progress, and planning how you’ll complete 30 credits each year.

The application opens in spring 2026—mark your calendar now and gather the necessary information so you’re ready to submit your application as soon as it becomes available.

Key Resources

• HESC Website: www.hesc.ny.gov
• FAFSA: studentaid.gov
• TAP Application: Available through HESC
• NYS DREAM Act: www.hesc.ny.gov/dream
• HESC Contact: Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (excluding holidays)

For specific questions about your situation, contact HESC directly or schedule an appointment with your school’s financial aid office. They can provide personalized guidance based on your individual circumstances.