Enhanced Tuition Award (ETA)
New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC)
Opens laterRenews each year
Up to $6,000 a year toward tuition at participating private NYS colleges
- How much
- Up to $6,000 for tuition expenses
- Who qualifies
- Adjusted combined federal household income of $125,000 or less. Legal NYS resident 12 continuous months. Full-time at a participating private NYS college, 12+ credits/term, 30 credits/year. Live-and-work-in-NYS requirement or the award converts to a 10-year no-interest loan.
- For students starting college, undergrads
- U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen
- Partly need-based: your FAFSA can affect whether you get it or how much.
- When to apply
- Opens later Annual new-applicant window announced each spring, alongside Excelsior (2026-27 closed Aug 31, 2026)
- How to apply
- File the FAFSA and TAP application (or NYS DREAM Act application), then submit the ETA application during HESC's window
- What you'll need
- FAFSA + state application
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (hesc.ny.gov) and page 2
The details
Up to $6,000 per year for tuition at a participating private college in NYS, for 2-5 years depending on degree length. Full-time, 12+ credits per term and 30 credits per year, continuous enrollment. Recipients must live in NYS (and work in NYS if employed) for as many years as they received the award, or it converts to a 10-year no-interest loan.
More money from New York
- Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)$1,000 to $5,665
- NYS Scholarships for Academic Excellence$500 or $1,500 per year
- Excelsior ScholarshipCovers tuition at SUNY/CUNY (last-dollar, after other aid)
- Non-degree Part-Time Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)Prorated TAP award based on credits and actual tuition
- Part-Time Tuition Assistance Program (Part-Time TAP)Prorated share of TAP ($1,000 to $5,665 full-time range) based on credits
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vermont
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.