Excelsior Scholarships

Content Curator | Updated on - Sep 3, 2024

The Excelsior Scholarship provides tuition waiver for selected students enrolled in SUNY and CUNY, the public universities and colleges of New York. The eligibility criteria may vary depending on factors like nation, level of education, source of income, etc. Along with financial support, this scholarship program completely decreases the cost of tuition. The Excelsior Scholarship only pays for tuition fees, whereas students have to manage other costs like housing, books, examinations, etc. Before claiming the scholarship benefits, candidates must submit a NYS Student Aid Payment Application and FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

Excelsior Scholarship Benefits for Students:

The Excelsior program through its scholarships assists students financially.
Distinguishes students as excellent and brilliant in specific courses.
Internship and placement opportunities.
Several opportunities in the field of education help them to connect to scholars with shared interests.

Highlights

Scholarship Type	Merit-Based, Need-Based, Tuition-Fee-Waiver
Offered by	N/A
Organization	N/A
Application Deadline	Aug 31 ,2024
Number of Scholarships	N/A
Amount	₹419,700 ($5,000)
Renewability	No
International Student Eligible	Yes
Scholarship Website Link	https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid/nys-grants-scholarships-awards/the-excelsior-scholarship.html
Online Application Link	https://webapps.hesc.ny.gov/questionnaire/page.hesc

Eligibility Criteria

The Excelsior Scholarships program assists financially unstable students to attain higher education and career opportunities. Each scholarship offered has its specific eligibility criteria. To apply for Excelsior Scholarship, the application procedure and the eligibility criteria must be read carefully.

Excelsior Scholarship Requirements:

Eligible international students
Students pursuing an undergraduate degree at a SUNY or CUNY college.
Applicants must have a combined federal adjusted total income of 125,000 USD (1.03 Cr INR) or less.
Students pursuing a degree that requires at least 12 credits every term.
Successful completion of at least 30 credits annually.
Must not be on the default list on any student loans taken out of either federal or NYS education loan programs.
Follow the guidelines of the service condition(s) established by an NYS award
Accept a contract declaring to stay in New York State for the duration of the award period.
Financial needs proof in the form of Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Documents Required:

Application for Admission
Application Fee receipt
Letter of recommendation
Cover letter
Language Proficiency Tests for English (TOEFL, IELTS, CAE)
Federal Student Aid Application (FAFSA)
Documents supporting proof of family’s income and assets

Application Process

The Excelsior scholarship application will be accepted August 31, 2024. Students enrolled at CUNY or SUNY are advised to check eligibility criteria and follow the same application process while applying for scholarships.

Applicants seeking financial aid must submit FAFSA at fafsa.gov.
Complete the NYS TAP application.
Applicants can register for the Excelsior Scholarship at NYS Higher Education official website.
Fill in general eligibility, school information, applicant information, consent & affirmation, and apply.
Additional documents such as Letter of recommendation and cover letter must be submitted along with the application form.

Selection Process

Need-based scholarships are provided if an applicant produces a valid Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students are requested to write an appealing cover letter that displays their passion and motivation for the scholarship. After careful examination of the submitted applications, students are shortlisted. All essential academic documents must be carefully verified and uploaded without error. Applicants are requested to submit:

Complete application form
Cover letter (Within the given word limit)
Academic transcripts
Bachelor’s degree/ Master’s degree (As per requirement)
Visa application (For international students)

Grant Details

After all federal, state, and institutional grants and scholarships have been applied, the Excelsior Scholarship will pay the remaining tuition costs up to a maximum of $5,500 (4.57 Lakhs INR). The entire amount of additional student financial aid awards for the academic year, such as an NYS Tuition Assistance Programme (TAP) award and/or a federal Pell grant, is first subtracted from the tuition rate* paid to arrive at the award amount. A tuition refund will be applied to the outstanding debt in cases where tuition costs are more than the entire amount of financial help a recipient is given.

The Excelsior scholarships pay a complete tuition fee which reduces the financial strain on students. The scholarship facility can be claimed by students attending State University of New York (SUNY) and City University of New York (CUNY). There is no additional requirement or eligibility prospectus other than to maintain the required number of credits for a given course or a given year. The Excelsior scholarship converts to loan if a student is not able to fulfill the residency requirement. In this case, the loan would be free of interest which again helps families with moderate income.