The Excelsior Scholarship 2026

To meet 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.