NEW YORK – Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the Excelsior Scholarship application has opened for students who plan to attend any SUNY school for the Spring 2026 semester. To be eligible to receive the Excelsior Scholarship, students who qualify for federal aid must complete the FAFSA and the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) application.
“This program cements our commitment to ensuring every eligible student can earn a degree without the weight of debt. When we invest in our students, we invest in the families, communities and future of New York State,” Hochul said.
To receive the scholarship, eligible students must fulfill the following requirements:
Be enrolled full-time at a two-year or four-year SUNY school.
Complete at least 30 credits per year in an approved program of study.
Live and work in New York State for a duration equal to the number of years the scholarship was received.
Have an adjusted combined federal household income of $125,000 or less.
Launched in 2017, the Excelsior Scholarship aims to enable New York students to attend state schools tuition-free to make higher education more accessible and strengthen the state’s workforce.
“The Excelsior Scholarship has helped advance affordability and upward mobility by empowering New Yorkers to pursue better opportunities through earning a college degree,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr.