The Excelsior Scholarship: A Comprehensive Guide to Eligibility and Application

The Excelsior Scholarship offers eligible students the opportunity to attend New York State's public colleges and universities (SUNY and CUNY) tuition-free. This article provides a detailed overview of the Excelsior Scholarship, covering eligibility requirements, the application process, and important considerations for recipients.

What is the Excelsior Scholarship?

The Excelsior Scholarship is a New York State program that provides tuition awards to eligible students attending SUNY and CUNY colleges. It is designed to make college more accessible and affordable for New York residents. It's important to note that the Excelsior Scholarship applies to tuition only and does not cover other college costs such as room and board, fees, or books.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the Excelsior Scholarship, students must meet several requirements related to residency, income, academic standing, and citizenship. The following criteria must be met to qualify for the Excelsior Scholarship:

Residency: Applicants must be citizens or eligible non-citizens and have resided in New York State for one year prior to enrollment.
Institution: Applicants must attend a New York State public institution (SUNY or CUNY).
Citizenship: Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen.
Education: Applicants must have either graduated from high school in the United States, earned a high school equivalency diploma, or passed a federally approved "Ability to Benefit" test.
Income: The applicant's family's adjusted gross income (AGI) must not exceed $125,000 (in the tax year 2023 for the 2025-2026 academic year).
Academic Standing: Students must be in a non-default status on a student loan made under any NYS or federal education loan program or on the repayment of any NYS award. They must also be in compliance with the terms of the service condition(s) imposed by a NYS award they have previously received.
Enrollment: Students must be enrolled full-time (12 credits) and earn thirty (30) credits per year toward their major, including summer and winter terms, in order to receive the Excelsior Scholarship.
Degree Pursuit: Applicants must be pursuing an undergraduate degree at a SUNY or CUNY college. Students cannot receive an excelsior award if they already have a bachelor's degree and cannot receive a second associate's if they already have an associate's degree.

Credit Requirements

To maintain eligibility, students must complete thirty (30) credits per year toward their degree and be enrolled in at least 12 credits per term. Credits earned in high school may count toward the combined annual thirty credits if they are accepted toward the student's program of study.

Full-time Enrollment: Students must be enrolled for a minimum of 12 credits per semester.
Credit Completion: Recipients must complete a total of 30 credit hours over the course of an academic year.
Intersessions and Summer Terms: Recipients may use intersessions and summer terms in accumulating the 30 credits within the academic year.

Duration of Award

Students are eligible to receive an Excelsior Scholarship for up to 2 years for students pursuing an Associate’s degree and up to 4 years for students pursuing a Bachelor’s degree. The awards are limited to the length of the program (2 year, 4 year, approved 5 yr).

Residency Requirement After Graduation

After graduation, recipients must live and be employed (if working) in New York State for the number of years they received the scholarship. This is a critical condition, as the scholarship converts to a loan if the residency requirement is not fulfilled. However, the scholarship does not revert to a loan if the student becomes ineligible and loses the scholarship while continuing their undergraduate work prior to graduation. The student does not need to be employed during this period, however they cannot be employed in another state.

Application Process

The application process for the Excelsior Scholarship involves several steps, including completing the FAFSA and TAP applications.

Application Availability: The Excelsior application typically opens in May. The 2025-2026 Excelsior application is now available for new applicants for the Fall 2025 term. The deadline is August 31, 2025.
FAFSA and TAP: Students applying for this scholarship must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the NYS Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) applications.
Application Vehicle: The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation in Albany (HESC) is responsible for developing the application process for The Excelsior Scholarship.
Verification of AGI: HESC will verify the applicant's adjusted gross income (AGI) through the NYS Tax and Finance Department. For the 2025-2026 academic year, the 2023 AGI will be used.

Financial Aid Considerations

The Excelsior Scholarship is a "last dollar" scholarship, meaning that it covers tuition expenses after other federal and state financial aid has been applied.

Application of Other Aid: Pell, TAP, and the SUNY Tuition Credit along with some Institutional scholarships must be applied first.
Last Dollar Scholarship: The Excelsior Scholarship is a last dollar scholarship which means all federal, state, and institutional grants and scholarships will reduce the annual amount of the award.
Tuition Coverage: The Excelsior Scholarship will cover any remaining tuition liability up to $5,500; and a tuition credit will cover any remaining tuition expenses not covered by the Excelsior Scholarship.

Maintaining Eligibility

Eligibility for the Excelsior Scholarship is reviewed every semester. Recipients must maintain good academic standing and continue to meet the program requirements.

GPA and Earned Credits: According to HESC, recipients must earn a passing grade in their coursework to maintain the scholarship.
Annual Renewal: To receive award payments after the initial application year, an Excelsior Scholarship recipient must annually complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the NYS Student Aid Payment Application each year.

Special Circumstances

The Excelsior Scholarship program also considers special circumstances that may affect a student's ability to meet the standard eligibility requirements.

Catching Up on Credits

A student who is not on track to complete an Associate’s degree in two consecutive years or Bachelor’s degree in four consecutive years (which requires completion of the equivalent of 30 credits each academic year) can catch up on missing credits to become eligible for an Excelsior Scholarship. If you successfully earn additional credits during a term or academic year and get back on track to completing your degree on time, you will be eligible to receive an Excelsior Scholarship for the remainder of your undergraduate degree program.

Opportunity Programs

If you are in the Economic Opportunity Program (EOP), the Excelsior Scholarship program allows five years to complete your degree on time (which requires completion of the equivalent of 24 credits each academic year). Students in the EOP program may have different credit requirements and should consult their EOP advisor for specific information.

Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 have specific considerations for Excelsior Scholarship eligibility. To be eligible for an Excelsior Scholarship, students with qualified disabilities under the Americans With Disabilities Act who attend less than full time must register with the Old Westbury Office of Services for Students with Disabilities. If you are a student with a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Excelsior Scholarship program requires that you be continuously enrolled and complete the number of credits you attempted each semester to fulfill the requirement for on-time degree completion.

Post Graduation Requirements

The Excelsior Scholarship requires that after graduation, you must live and be employed (if working) in New York State for the number of years you received the scholarship.

NYS Residency: Applicants must be a NYS resident to be eligible for the scholarship.
Post Graduation Residency: The student is required to reside in NYS for the same number of years in which they received the award. The student does not need to be employed during this period, however they cannot be employed in another state.

Allowable Interruptions and Deferments

HESC will define allowable interruptions and deferments of post graduation requirements in regulation. The law allows for interruptions including but not limited to a death of a family member, medical leave, military service and parental leave. HESC has indicated postgraduate deferrals for residing in NYS will include military service and graduate school.

Key Considerations

Tuition Only: The Excelsior Scholarship applies to tuition only and does not cover other costs of college.
Last Dollar Award: Be aware that the Excelsior Scholarship program is a last dollar award. All Federal and State grants will need to be applied prior to the Excelsior Scholarship.
Residency Requirement: The post-graduation residency requirement is a critical condition of the scholarship. Failure to comply will result in the scholarship converting to a loan.
Changes in Eligibility: The scholarship does not revert to a loan if the student becomes ineligible and loses the scholarship while continuing their undergraduate work prior to graduation.

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