Excelsior Scholarship Informations 2026
Excelsior Scholarship Informations 2026
The Excelsior Scholarship provides funding for four years of college. Students who need more than four years to graduate – which is the vast majority of public college students in New York – would see their future aid converted to loans. In New York, the four-year graduation rate for public colleges is only 38.7 per cent (2013 figures, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education). Furthermore, students who are already in college must be on track to graduate in four years to be considered for scholarships.
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The Excelsior Scholarship provides tuition assistance to eligible students attending public colleges and universities in New York State (SUNY and CUNY). When combined with other student financial aid programmes, this scholarship allows students to attend a SUNY college tuition-free.
eligibility requirements, an applicant must:
- be a resident of NYS and have resided in NYS for 12 continuous months prior to the beginning of the term;
- be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen;
- 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, as defined by the Commissioner of the State Education Department;
- have a combined federal adjusted gross income of $125,000 or less;
- be pursuing an undergraduate degree at a SUNY or CUNY college, (includes statutory colleges at Cornell University and Alfred University);
- be enrolled in at least 12 credits per term applicable toward your degree program and earn at least 30 credits each year, applicable toward your degree program;
- if attended college prior to the academic year for which an award is sought, have earned at least 30 credits each year (continuously enrolled), applicable toward your degree program prior to applying for an Excelsior Scholarship;
- 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;
- be in compliance with the terms of the service condition(s) imposed by a NYS award that you have previously received; and
- execute a contract agreeing to reside in NYS for the length of time the award was received, and, if employed during such time, be employed in NYS.
Requirements Associated with Excelsior Scholarship Vs Keuka College.
| Criteria | Excelsior Scholarship | Keuka College |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | The Excelsior Scholarship may not be universally available. Students must be state residents and their annual family incomes may not exceed $100,000. In addition, the state Legislature has set aside just $87 million – a figure that would likely fall far short in accommodating the roughly 900,000 students who would be eligible to apply. A lottery system is one of the options being considered to determine which students will receive the aid. | At Keuka College, financial assistance doesn’t come about by the luck of the draw. The College distributed $14.8 million to students last year alone. About 98% of our students receive scholarships and/or grant money each year. |
| What It Covers | The Excelsior Scholarship covers only tuition. It may not be applied to any other college-related expenses, including room and board, supplies, student fees, or other financial responsibilities. In addition, Excelsior Scholarship dollars are applied only after other forms of financial support, like federal Pell Grants and New York State’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), have been utilized. Because of this, it isn’t likely to have much effect on the lowest-income students, many of whom already receive enough financial assistance to cover public-college tuition. | At Keuka College, financial assistance can be utilized across the board based on area of need. TAP is used specifically to pay for tuition. However, all other financial aid can be utilized for tuition, fees, room, board and other educational expenses. |
| In-School Requirements | The Excelsior Scholarship requires students to carry at least 12 credit hours every semester (although they must complete 30 credit hours every academic year; an average of 15 per semester). They also must successfully pass all courses. | At Keuka College, financial assistance is available to all students as long as they maintain eligibility and the academic minimum set by the College. |
| Post-Graduation Requirements | The Excelsior Scholarship requires recipients, upon graduation, to live and, if employed, work in New York State for as many years as the aid was received. Failure to do so could trigger the grant converting to a loan. That could mean as many as four years in which students would be limited from seeking all but in-state opportunities. | At Keuka College, students are not financially discouraged from working or living wherever they please upon graduation. In addition, Keuka College will never convert promised scholarships into loans after the fact. |
How to apply for And Tuition fees
The Excelsior Scholarship only covers tuition and does not cover any other college expenses. To learn more about other college expenses like fees, room and board, textbooks, and so on, click here.
Excelsior Scholarship recipients pursuing baccalaureate degree programmes pay $6,470 in tuition. After deducting the Excelsior Scholarship and other student financial aid awards, the net tuition charge for these students is $0.
(FAQs) – Excelsior Scholarship 2026
What is the Excelsior Scholarship?
The Excelsior Scholarship is a New York State financial aid program that helps eligible students attend public colleges tuition-free. It covers remaining tuition costs at eligible State University of New York (SUNY) and City University of New York (CUNY) institutions after other grants and scholarships have been applied. It does not cover expenses such as room and board, books, transportation, or student fees.
Who is eligible for the Excelsior Scholarship in 2026?
To qualify, applicants generally must:
- Be a resident of New York State for at least 12 consecutive months before the term begins.
- Have a combined federal household income of $125,000 or less.
- Enrol full-time (at least 12 credits per semester) in an eligible undergraduate program at a SUNY or CUNY institution.
- Complete at least 30 credits per academic year toward their degree.
- File both the FAFSA and the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) application.
- Agree to live and, if employed, work in New York State after graduation for the same number of years they received the scholarship.
What expenses does the Excelsior Scholarship cover?
The scholarship covers tuition only after other eligible federal and state financial aid has been applied. Students remain responsible for additional college expenses, including housing, meal plans, textbooks, supplies, transportation, and mandatory campus fees.
How do I apply for the Excelsior Scholarship for the 2026–2027 academic year?
Applicants must first complete the FAFSA and the New York State TAP application. After those applications are processed, eligible students can submit the Excelsior Scholarship application through the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) during the official application period. For the 2026–2027 academic year, the application opened in May 2026.
Can I lose my Excelsior Scholarship after receiving it?
Yes. Students may lose eligibility if they fail to maintain full-time enrollment, do not complete the required 30 credits per academic year (unless an approved exception applies), become academically ineligible, or fail to meet the post-graduation residency and employment requirements. In certain situations, failing to meet the residency obligation may cause the scholarship to be converted into a loan.
