NYC launches first undergrad scholarships for municipal workers

CITYWIDE — THE CITY HAS LAUNCHED ITS FIRST UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM for municipal employees, for which applications opened March 30. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Department of Citywide Administrative Services Commissioner Yume Kitasei made the announcement during a press conference on Monday.

The new undergraduate scholarship program expands the longstanding Mayor’s Graduate Scholarship Program, which has provided financial assistance to city employees for more than 60 years. Both programs will now operate under the rebranded “Mayor’s Scholarship Program,” which DCAS will oversee, and which will now give full-time city government employees the opportunity to pursue undergraduate and advanced degrees at participating colleges and universities. The addition of undergraduate scholarships responds to sustained demand from city workers seeking support to earn bachelor’s and associate degrees. The mayor’s office explains that “All scholarships are awarded and funded directly by participating institutions. The Mayor’s Scholarship Program does not provide direct funding.”

The application period for the first undergraduate cohort will run March 30-April 27, with selected participants expected to begin their studies in fall 2026. City employees must apply through their agency personnel offices and meet the admissions requirements of participating institutions. Additional information is available on the Mayor’s Scholarship Program website.

Applications to the graduate program have surged, increasing more than 30% over the past two years. Participating institutions collectively award between $360k and $530k in scholarships to city employees annually.

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