1. Excelsior Scholarship Program
Melissa Jarkowski, Interim Director of Financial Aid Operations
Jerome St. Croix, Director, Financial Aid

2. Agenda Excelsior Scholarship Program Application Process
Initial Eligibility Requirements
Income Guidelines
Award Amounts
Maintaining Eligibility
Post Separation NYS Residency Requirements
Registration
8 November 2018

3. What is the Excelsior Scholarship Program?
On April 8, it was announced that Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Excelsior Scholarship, a first-of-its-kind in the nation program, will provide tuition-free college at New York’s public colleges and universities to families making up to $125,000 a year.
The program covers tuition for eligible SUNY and CUNY students.
The program does not cover the other costs of college, which include but are not limited to fees, room and board, transportation, textbooks, meal plans, and more. 
8 November 2018

4. Application Process
HESC was given authority to develop an application and regulate the Scholarship program
Applications will be available June 7, 2017
Anticipated application deadline is late July deadline so that awards can be determined by HESC prior to the Fall semester start dates
Applicants must apply in this timeframe to be considered
Applicants must also apply and complete the FAFSA and TAP application processes
The application will include an agreement regarding post-graduation / post- separation residency in NYS
8 November 2018

5. Initial Eligibility Requirements
First-Time Students
Must be a NYS resident whose family household adjusted gross income does not exceed income guidelines.
Must be on track to complete your degree on time
and meet the income guidelines.
Current Students
Must be on track to complete your degree on time based
on the number of credits accepted by your current
college and meet the income guidelines.
Transfer Students
Must meet the academic requirements and income
guidelines to use the scholarship to complete your
bachelor's degree.
Students with an Associate’s Degree
8 November 2018

6. Initial Eligibility Requirements
You must be a citizen, permanent resident, or refugee to be eligible for the Excelsior Scholarship.
Citizenship
You may not receive an award to pursue a second
associate’s or a second bachelor’s degree.
Second Degree
You can enroll at any age and don’t have to be a recent
high school graduate. However, you cannot be in default
on existing federal or state student loans.
No Age Limit
8 November 2018

7. Income Guidelines
$100,000
Federal household adjusted gross income can total up to $100,000 as filed on your 2015 federal tax returns.
$110,000
Federal household adjusted gross income can total up to $110,000 as filed on your 2016 federal tax returns.
$125,000
Federal household adjusted gross income can total up to $125,000 as filed on your 2017 Federal tax turns.
Academic Year
Academic Year
Academic Year
8 November 2018

8. Award Amount
Excelsior Scholarship recipients must be charged the 2016/17 tuition rates in 2017/18
Students losing Scholarship eligibility will revert to the tuition rate that is current as of the date of their loss of eligibility
8 November 2018

9. Award Amount Consideration of Other Aid:
Considered a “Last Dollar In” scholarship
Students receiving other federal and state aid may not be eligible for the Excelsior Scholarship if their other aid covers 100% of tuition
“TAP, Pell and other scholarships” are named in the legislation; HESC is developing regulations about how other funding sources will play a role in the calculation of the Excelsior Scholarship
8 November 2018

10. Maintaining Eligibility
According to HESC, recipients must earn a passing grade in their coursework to maintain the scholarship. HESC regulations may give more detail regarding the timeframe for certification and what constitutes a passing grade, especially as it relates to programs which require a specified grade (e.g. "C" or better) in a course.
Recipients must complete 30 credits over the course of a year and be enrolled for a minimum of 12 credits in a semester. Recipients may use intercession and summer terms in accumulating 30 credits within the year. 
Residency Requirements -You must live in New York state for the number of years equal to awards you received. For example, if you received four Excelsior Scholarship awards while getting your bachelor’s degree, you must live in New York state for four years after college. In addition, if you are working during those years, you must work in New York state. Failure to meet these requirements will result in the conversion of your award to a loan.

11. Maintaining Eligibility
A student must enroll in at least 12 credits per semester and complete at least 30 credits per year
Recipients may use wintersession and summer to accumulate the 30 credits per year
Review of the 30 credits is on a 12-month, calendar year basis dependent on the student’s start date
Two-year college students must stay on track to graduate in 2 years
HESC: students must earn a “passing grade” in their coursework to maintain the scholarship
Many details to be regulated regarding academic standards

12. Post Separation New York State Residency
Scholarship recipients must agree to exclusively reside in NYS after leaving college for the same number of years in which they receive the Excelsior Scholarship award
The recipient does not need to be employed during this post-separation period; however, the recipient cannot be employed in another state.
Failure to fulfill the post-separation residency requirement will result in the Excelsior Scholarship award amounts being converted to an interest-free loan.
Other terms of the loan (length, payment amounts) have not been determined
8 November 2018

13. MCC Initiatives
Informational Session on 4/20 for prospective and current students
Lieutenant Governor Information Session on 5/08
Text-em-all to potentially eligible current students
Website Updated
Flyers/brochures available
Upcoming sessions for prospective students
Outreach to area high schools
Continued Awareness – NEED YOUR HELP!
8 November 2018

14. Registration
Registration
Register Your

15. Questions