Save Money on New York Tuition

Get New York In-State Tuition

One of the more affordable ways to get a bachelor’s degree typically is to attend an in-State public school. The interpretations of who qualifies as a New York resident can vary across schools in New York, but typically the individual needs to reside in New York for at least 12 months and be financially independent. Here is a website with information about how to qualify as a New York resident in the State University of New York (SUNY) system: https://www.suny.edu/smarttrack/residency/. While in-State tuition for a public institution is not financial aid, it is subsidized.

Out-of-State tuition for a SUNY university is close to what many individuals pay to attend in-State “flagship” universities. Please be aware that out-of-State tuition costs at the SUNY flagships – Stony Brook, Binghamton, Buffalo, and Albany—are higher than the other SUNY universities. While New York does not have tuition reciprocity agreements with other States, about two-thirds of SUNY schools offer tuition at the same rate as in-State flagship universities for students from eight States: Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Illinois, and California. Since the out-of-State tuition rate at the participating SUNY schools is low, the reduction in tuition tends to be small. The cost of attending a public institution should be compared to the cost of other institutions after financial aid awards are offered. Families often do not pay the sticker price.

Get a New York State Government Grant to Go to a Private School

The Enhance Tuition Awards (ETA) program provides grant aid for students to attend private schools. Information about the ETA program is available at: https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid/nys-grants-scholarships-awards/enhanced-tuition-awards.html.

The ETA program provides tuition assistance to State of New York resident undergraduate students enrolled full-time in degree programs at eligible private New York colleges or universities. Participating private colleges are required to provide a match. Consequently, not all private colleges and universities participate, and some have a cap on the number of students and/or size of the awards. Typically, students receive around $6,000 through a combination of this program, the Tuition Assistance Program (described below), and matching funds. The grants are need-based. The number of awards available in the State has a cap. Since in-State tuition for New York public schools is subsidized by the State, these grants help to “level the playing field” by providing a subsidy for State of New York residents to attend private schools in New York.

New York State Need-Based Grants

The Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) provides need-based financial aid. Information about the program can be found at: https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/apply-for-financial-aid/nys-tap.html.

Students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA ® to apply for a grant under this program. The TAP provides up to $5,665 in grants to students.

The Excelsior Scholarship is another need-based grant program. Excelsior Scholarships may only be used at SUNY and City University of New York (CUNY) institutions. Information about it can be found here: https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid/nys-grants-scholarships-awards/the-excelsior-scholarship.html.

As with TAP, students complete the FAFSA ® to apply for Excelsior Scholarships. The TAP provides up to $5,500 after other Federal and New York State grants are disbursed. The TAP may help cover all tuition and fees. The income cut-off for Excelsior Scholarships ($125,000 for the student and parents combined) is higher than the cut-off for TAP ($80,000 for the student and parents combined). Excelsior Scholarships are annual and will provide a fifth year of funds to students pursuing five-year bachelor's degrees.

Other State of New York Grants, Scholarships, and Loan Forgiveness

Other New York programs are more narrowly targeted to certain groups of students, which are included on this website: https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid.html#horizontalTab2. There are awards for students who are studying STEM, education, or nursing; military-connected; impacted by 9/11 or airplane accidents; Native Americans; related to deceased first responders; and providing community service.

In addition, the State of New York offers loan forgiveness to graduates who pursue certain careers that further the public good. It also provides loan payment assistance. For further information, see: https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid.html#horizontalTab6.

State of New York Merit-Based Financial Aid

New York provides merit aid through the New York Achievement and Investment in Merit Scholarship (NY-AIMS). Information about the program can be found here: https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid/nys-grants-scholarships-awards/nys-achievement-and-investment-in-merit-scholarship-ny-aims.html.

The NY-AIMS provides annual awards of $500. To qualify for NY-AIMS, students must meet at least two of the following:

graduated with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.3 or above;
graduated “with honors” on a New York State Regents diploma or received a score of 3 or higher on two or more Advanced Placement (AP) tests; and
graduated within the top 15% of their high school class.