New York has expanded financial aid, frozen tuition at SUNY and CUNY and opened free community college to thousands of adult learners as the state marks five years of higher education policy changes under Gov. Kathy Hochul.
The state Higher Education Services Corporation said Friday that those changes have included a broader Tuition Assistance Program, more aid for part-time students, expanded FAFSA outreach and new workforce-focused college programs. State officials also pointed to three consecutive years of enrollment growth across SUNY and CUNY.
One of the biggest changes has been to TAP, New York’s primary need-based college aid program. The maximum award increased by $500 to $5,665 in the 2021-22 academic year, and eligibility was later expanded to part-time students.
The income eligibility threshold for dependent students was also raised from $80,000 to $125,000, while eligibility limits for independent students increased and the minimum TAP award doubled from $500 to $1,000.
Part-Time TAP was later expanded to students taking as few as three credits, and in 2024 the program was broadened to include certain short-term, non-degree and microcredential programs at SUNY and CUNY.
HESC said it administered $935 million in state financial aid to more than 294,000 students during the 2024-25 academic year, up 7.1% from $873 million the year before. The aid includes TAP, the Excelsior Scholarship and other grant, scholarship and loan-forgiveness programs.
The state also said more than 300,000 college applications had fees waived during the 2024-25 academic year through New York State College Application Month, saving students and families an estimated $15 million.
SUNY and CUNY enrollment rises
New York has also increased operating support for public higher education.
Across Hochul’s first four enacted budgets, state operating support for higher education increased by $1.7 billion, from $6.2 billion to $7.9 billion, according to HESC.
SUNY enrollment increased 6.5% between fall 2022 and fall 2025, including a 9.1% increase at community colleges. CUNY enrollment rose 9% from fall 2023 through the 2025-26 academic year, adding about 21,000 students.
The state has also expanded student-support programs including ASAP and ACE, which provide academic, financial and personal assistance aimed at improving retention and graduation rates.
Free community college expands for adults
Another major change came in 2025, when New York launched free community college for eligible adults ages 25 to 55 pursuing associate degrees in high-demand fields.
The SUNY and CUNY Reconnect program covers tuition, fees, books and supplies for qualifying students.
More than 12,000 New Yorkers have enrolled through the program so far, according to the state. The fiscal 2027 budget includes more than $65 million to expand eligibility to additional high-demand fields and public institutions.
That budget also freezes resident undergraduate tuition at SUNY and CUNY.
The state is also expanding benefits for veterans. Beginning with the 2027-28 academic year, eligible veterans will be able to transfer unused Veterans Tuition Award eligibility to certain family members, including a spouse, a child up to age 26 or a financial dependent.
Hochul said the state’s goal is to make college attainable for both traditional students and adults returning to school later in life, while aligning public higher education more closely with workforce needs.
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