Natasha Vaughn

Albany Bureau

ALBANY - If students didn't get free SUNY tuition in the fall, they can apply again for the spring semester.

The Excelsior Scholarship, if a student is eligible, covers the full tuition cost of going to public college in New York. Annual tuition is $6,670

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday applications for the scholarship will be accepted through Dec. 4.

For the fall semester — the first time the program was available — about 22,000 were enrolled. About 75,000 applied and 6,000 were awaiting approval, according to state figures released last month.

“I encourage income-eligible students in every corner of this state to take advantage of this chance to go to one of New York's top-notch SUNY and CUNY institutions this spring,” Cuomo said in a statement.

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According to Cuomo, about 53 percent of the full-time, in-state college students who are attending SUNY and CUNY schools are able go tuition-free through the various programs.

Students who are already receiving an Excelsior Scholarship do not need to reapply for the spring semester.

To apply, students are first required to complete applications for other tuition-assistance programs. If other programs do not apply, and they are eligible for the Excelsior program, it would cover SUNY tuition costs.

To be eligible to receive the Excelsior Scholarship, students must have been a New York resident for at least one year, have a combined household income of $100,000 or less, be enrolled in at least 12 credits each semester and have earned a minimum of 30 credits a year.

They also have to get good grades and live and work in New York after graduation for the duration of the period the scholarship was received —unless they receive a waiver from the state.

For fall 2018, the income eligibility increases to $110,000 and goes to $125,000 in 2019.

For those not eligible, tuition rose $200 this year.

To apply, visit: www.hesc.ny.gov/excelsior