New York Scholarships: TAP, Excelsior, and Awards for 2026 – 27

New York is home to one of the greatest cities in the world, jaw-dropping natural wonders, and generous state-funded financial aid options for students. While they may not be well-known for the latter, it’s undoubtedly a huge reason why New York residents stay in-state for school. Below is a breakdown of the financial aid programs that are exclusive to New York students as well as scholarships they can match to from Fastweb’s extensive database.

What Financial Aid is Available to New York Students?

Financial aid for New York students comes from a variety of places. We’ll detail these forms of financial aid below and tell you how to qualify for them. Students should note that they must put in the work, and fill out the forms, to take advantage of these helpful programs.

New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

The New York State Tuition Assistance Program, otherwise known as TAP, is available to students whose family combined family income is less than $125,000. Eligible students can receive up to $5,665 in grant aid that does not need to be paid back. You must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen and reside in the state of New York for at least 12 months before enrolling. The grant can be renewed each year as long as students fall below the income threshold and maintain good academic standing. Students must complete a separate financial aid form from the FAFSA, which is detailed below.

The Excelsior Scholarship

Students whose families make less than $125,000 can attend SUNY or CUNY colleges tuition-free. Like the TAP program, this is available to students who have lived in the state of New York for 12 continuous months. You must also be enrolled full-time and complete 30 credits each year. Also like TAP, you must fill out an application in addition to the FAFSA for each year that you hope to qualify. The Excelsior Scholarship is a last-dollar scholarship, meaning all other types of aid will be applied first and then this program will cover the gap between what is paid for and what is still required to cover tuition costs.

Enhance Tuition Award (ETA)

For New York residents that want to attend a public college, the Enhance Tuition Award (ETA) is available. This covers up to $6,000 in tuition costs for eligible students. Like the above awards, your family income must be $125,000 or less to qualify.

NYS STEM Incentive Program

Finally, the NYS STEM Incentive Program does not have any income limits. This is a merit financial aid opportunity. Students must be in the top 10% of their class and attend a state-operated SUNY or CUNY college or university. This is a full-tuition scholarship, which can be combined with other types of federal and state aid. Students must meet the residency requirements (at least 12 continuous months in the state of New York) and remain in good academic standing while enrolled. It is renewable each year.

Additional Scholarships for New York Students

In addition to the above financial aid opportunities, Fastweb features New York scholarships in its database. Below are a few of these offerings:

SAAAI Annual Scholarship

Award Amount: $6,000 The SAAAI Annual Scholarship is available to undergraduate and graduate students. You must be pursuing a degree in engineering, architecture, land survey, or technology at a New York Metropolitan area institution to be eligible for this award.

NYS World Trade Center Memorial Scholarship

Award Amount: 100% of tuition The NYS World Trade Center Memorial Scholarship is available to the families and financial dependents of victims who died or were severely and permanently disabled as a result of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and subsequent rescue and recovery efforts. You must be enrolled or intend to enroll as a full-time student at an approved college or post-secondary institution in New York to be eligible for this award.

Military Enhanced Recognition Incentive and Tribute (MERIT) Scholarship

Award Amount: 100% of tuition The MERIT Scholarship is available to children, spouses and financial dependents of members of the United States Armed Forces or state organized militia who at any time, while New York State residents, died or became severely and permanently disabled while performing their military duties, whether in combat or not. To be eligible for this award, you must attend an approved postsecondary institution in New York State, be enrolled on a full-time basis, and be in good academic standing.

Intel PhD Fellowship Program

Award Amount: Varies The Intel PhD Fellowship Program is open to PhD candidates at select U.S. universities who are working in fields related to Intel's business and research interests. The one-year fellowship includes a cash award, equipment with Intel architecture, an Intel mentor, and the opportunity to conduct research or an internship at Intel.

AOTF New York Scholarship

Award Amount: Varies The AOTF New York Scholarship is available to master's level students currently enrolled in an occupational therapy program in New York. You must demonstrate financial need and have a record of scholastic achievement to be considered for this award. You must also be a resident of New York and a member of the New York Occupational Therapy Association to qualify.

How to Apply for New York Financial Aid

To qualify for New York financial aid, there are a number of forms you must complete: 1. Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form enables you to qualify for federal financial aid. States and schools use the information from the FAFSA to award aid as well. It must be submitted for each year you plan to enroll. While it takes some time and effort to complete the first year, the process to renew is much easier in the years after. 2. File the TAP application. New York makes it easy to apply for TAP. Once you submit the FAFSA, you’ll be redirected to the TAP application. If you miss the redirect, you can apply directly here. 3. Apply for Excelsior/ETA/STEM separately. Once you’ve filed the FAFSA and completed the TAP application, you can then apply for whichever grants or scholarships you qualify for. These require separate applications, which can be found on the New York Higher Education Services Corporation website.