Affordability and career readiness serve as the two pillars of a SUNY Morrisville education. Now with New York State’s Excelsior Scholarship program, we are excited to extend our affordability to more middle-class families. In this ground breaking plan, New Yorkers making up to $125,000 annually after 2018 could qualify for free tuition. The goal of this program is to provide more New York student’s with access to a quality higher education.
Eligibility Requirements
- New York State resident
- Family household adjusted gross income must not exceed $125,000 after the 2018 tax year
- Earn 30 credits per year towards your program of study and be making satisfactory progress toward graduation
- Good academic standing
- Graduate within two years for a associate degree or four years for a bachelor degree
Apply Now
The Excelsior Application is available a few months before the start of a semester. Visit hesc.ny.gov/excelsior to apply.
Things you should know...
Q. Will I be able to attend college at SUNY Morrisville tuition free?
A. If you are a NYS resident whose family household adjusted gross income does not exceed $125,000 for the 2018 tax year and or years after and you complete 30 credits per year, you may be able to attend SUNY Morrisville tuition free.
Q. What does it mean to be a “NYS resident” for purposes of receiving this scholarship?
A. To be considered a NYS resident for purposes of receiving this scholarship, you must have resided in the state for 12 continuous months prior to the term for which the scholarship is being sought.
Q. How much can I receive from the Excelsior Scholarship?
A. An Excelsior Scholarship recipient can receive up to $5500, minus any amounts received for TAP, PELL or other tuition scholarships. The remainder of the tuition charge may be covered through a tuition credit from SUNY.
Q. When will I be able to apply for the scholarship?
A. The Excelsior Scholarship application is released by the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC). Near the bottom of the page, applicants can sign up to receive an email notification when the application becomes available. Generally applicants will find out the application is available before colleges are notified.
Q. How long can I receive the scholarship?
A. You are eligible to receive the scholarship for up to two years for students pursuing an associate’s degree and up to four years for students pursuing a bachelor’s degree. Students in an undergraduate program of study normally requiring five years are eligible to receive the scholarship for five years.
Q. Do I need a certain grade point average to keep the scholarship?
A. Scholarship recipients need to earn passing grades in classes applicable to their program of study to maintain their Excelsior Scholarship. Student must earn a total of 30 credits applicable to their program of student over the course of an academic year. SKILS, remedial, or repeat classes do not count towards this 30 credit requirements. Students taking SKILS, remedial, or repeat classes will need to work closely with their academic adviser to make sure all of their classes will count towards their credit requirement for Excelsior.
Q. I have questions that were not answered here, where can I find additional information?
A. For more information about the Excelsior Scholarship, please visit the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) webpage.
**Recipients should keep in mind they may have other awards which also carry academic standards that differ from those required for the Excelsior Scholarship.