In this scholarship post, we’re tackling the Empire state, otherwise known as New York! New York scholarships are available for both residents and for students simply attending a New York college or university.
We’ll start off by providing some basic background information on some of New York’s higher ed institutions. Then, we’ll dive into New York scholarships offered by private organizations, before leaving you with a shortlist of recommended financial aid and reading resources to bookmark as you begin or continue along your financial aid journey.
New York State is home to 307 higher education institutions of all shapes and sizes (coming in second place overall - first place goes to California), including community colleges, private universities and liberal arts institutions, and performing arts schools, just to name a few.
To start, New York State also houses the country’s largest comprehensive university system, called State University of New York (SUNY, for short). SUNY comprises 64 community, technical, undergraduate, and doctoral campuses located all around the state with a total enrollment of just under 400,000 students. The four main university centers are Stony Brook University, Binghamton University, University at Albany, and University at Buffalo.
Also found in New York are Columbia University and Cornell University, two of the country’s eight ivy league institutions. But, these aren’t the only notable schools in the state; New York is home to New York University, Syracuse University, West Point, Barnard College, Hamilton College, and The Juilliard School, just to name a few more!
Now that we’ve covered the composition of higher education institutions across New York State, let’s dive into some awesome New York scholarships offered by private organizations, that you can put towards your education no matter where in the state you end up!
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: March 31, June 30, September 30, December 31
Eligibility: Although our Too Cool to Pay for School no-essay scholarship isn't exclusive to New York students, it's an easy opportunity for you to apply for in addition to all of the awesome scholarships below. Check it out!
Amount: $15,000
Deadline: January 4
Eligibility: Open to first-year law students of diverse backgrounds who are committed to practicing in one of their 6 office locations (including New York).
Amount: $3,000
Deadline: January 7
Eligibility: Open to individuals pursuing degrees in special education, physical or occupational therapy, or a field related to intellectual or other developmental disabilities.
Amount: $5,000
Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Open to currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students studying landscape architecture. Must be attending a university within the ASLA-NY Chapter boundary, have permanent residency within the boundary area, or have graduated from a high school in the boundary area. Minimum 2.5 GPA.
Amount: Varies
Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Open to residents of Western New York State who are graduating high school seniors or current college students. Must be enrolled in a program in New York related to manufacturing engineering, manufacturing technology, or related, and have at least a 2.5 GPA.
Amount: $2,500 - $20,000
Deadline: February 4
Eligibility: Open to immigrant students and children of immigrants who are high school seniors graduating from a New York City high school to attend a public or private college/university.
Amount: Varies, up to $12,000
Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Open to New York students. Each scholarship has its own eligibility requirements - see scholarship page for details!
Amount: $5,000 - $10,000
Deadline: March 25
Eligibility: Scholarships are available to students with physical disabilities that impact vision, mobility, and hearing. Must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program in the New York metropolitan area.
Amount: $20,000
Deadline: March 30
Eligibility: Open to Long Island students who are high school seniors and above who are continuing education to pursue a degree in the field of special education, occupational therapy, speech pathology, or other behavioral-focused majors. Must have financial need, at least a 3.5 GPA, and be a US citizen.
Amount: $2,000
Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Open to New York high school seniors residing in New York County, Kings County, Queens County, and Richmond County. Must have financial need, at least a 3.0 GPA, and be planning to attend an accredited four-year university or a California/Nevada/New York community college.
Amount: Varies
Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: Open to undergraduate and graduate journalism students in the tri-state New York area who are interested in pursuing careers in business and financial journalism.
Amount: $2,500
Deadline: April 30
Eligibility: Open to local high school seniors in the twelfth grade who have a desire to further his/her interest in horticulture, conservation or environmental issues through college-level study.
Amount: $2,500
Deadline: May 31
Eligibility: Open to accounting students who have been accepted to or are currently enrolled in a four-year New York State college. Must have at least a 3.0 GPA and have filed the FAFSA.
Amount: $10,000 per year (2 years)
Deadline: June 17
Eligibility: Open to New York City public high school seniors who have been accepted to a 5-year Bachelor of Architecture program at a NAAB-accredited School of Architecture in the US.
Amount: $5,000 per year (4 years max)
Deadline: November 5
Eligibility: Open to graduating high school seniors in New York, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, and Colorado who are planning to attend four-year accredited institutions. Must have at least a 3.5 GPA and an annual household income of no greater than $70,000 for a family of four.
Amount: Varies
Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Open to high school seniors in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Tulsa Oklahoma. Students may attend any four-year accredited college or university in the US.
Amount: $18,000
Deadline: N/A
Eligibility: Open to LGBTQ or intersex undocumented immigrants who are rising college juniors and seniors at accredited nonprofit schools in New York City.
Amount: $15,000
Deadline: N/A
Eligibility: Open to New York City high school seniors with significant financial need who have an interest in journalism. Preference will be given to students who will be first-generation college students. Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents.
Now, we’ve touched on some great New York scholarships sponsored by companies and private organizations, but let’s not forget to cover the important financial aid websites and resources offered by New York State to prospective and current students alike!
The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) is New York’s comprehensive resource center for all things higher education and financial aid. On the website, you will find information on New York State Grants and Scholarships, such as the Excelsior Scholarship, which covers full-tuition for SUNY and CUNY students whose families earn less than $125,000 per year.
Each opportunity has its own eligibility and application requirements; for example, some awards may only require a student to have filed the FAFSA, whereas others may require a separate application altogether. It is worth nothing that several of these scholarships and grants also have separate applications for undocumented students, which can be found in the subsections of each individual opportunity.
In addition to providing information on scholarships, grants, loans, and loan repayment, the HESC website also offers important reading guides and resources to help students plan for college, discover majors and careers, and navigate the college application process.
Generation NYC is another great resource for New York students to learn about college prep programs such as College Now, and the process of applying to college through the Common Application, SUNY, or CUNY system.
Other resources include: