Excelsior University to Provide Free Tuition for Eligible New York State Students
ALBANY, N.Y. – Excelsior University is offering free tuition to eligible students in its home state of New York. After applying federal and state grants, Excelsior will cover the full balance of undergraduate tuition costs and course-related fees for qualifying learners starting in the Fall 2026 trimester. Interested students can check their eligibility and learn more on Excelsior’s New York Free website.
To qualify, students must be full-time residents of New York state with an adjusted gross income of $60,000 or less; file taxes as dependents, or as independents with at least one dependent; and be eligible for both Federal Pell Grant and New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) funding. Excelsior will apply Pell grant and TAP funds first, and institutional funding may cover any additional eligible balance. Excelsior’s Admissions Office will guide prospective students through the process.
“Excelsior University serves students globally, but New York is our home. The University’s name reflects those roots: Excelsior is the New York state motto, a Latin expression meaning ‘ever upward.’ Access to higher education is central to the progress of our state’s communities and workforce, but financial barriers often stand in the way. By removing those barriers for eligible New York learners, we can help our neighbors move ever upward in their lives and careers as they contribute to New York’s future,” said Excelsior University President David Schejbal.
While Excelsior’s online and hybrid online/in-person learning programs serve students in all 50 states and around the world, New Yorkers represent the University’s largest student population. Approximately 2,500 New York residents are currently enrolled at Excelsior, including about 300 from the Capital Region. In keeping with Excelsior’s mission to serve students often left behind by the higher education system, about 750 New York state learners are first-generation college students, and nearly 10% are active military service members or veterans. Excelsior educates more practice-ready nurses than any other school in the state, with more than 1,600 current New York students preparing to help address the state’s nursing shortage.
The free tuition program is available for qualifying students pursuing any of Excelsior’s undergraduate degree programs beginning in the Fall 2026 trimester, starting August 31. Excelsior offers online degree programs in business, health sciences, liberal arts, nursing, public service, and technology, aligned with New York’s workforce and community needs. Learn more at excelsior.edu.
Media contact Excelsior University:
Jason Bonafide, jbonafide@excelsior.edu
About Excelsior University
Excelsior University is an accredited, not-for-profit higher education institution focused on helping learners complete their degrees and advance their careers. Excelsior contributes to the development of a diverse, educated, and career-ready society by valuing lifelong learning with an emphasis on serving individuals historically underrepresented in higher education. Founded in 1971 in Albany, New York, Excelsior meets students where they are — academically and geographically — removing obstacles to the educational goals of adults pursuing continuing education and degree completion. Our pillars include innovation, flexibility, academic excellence, and integrity.
Excelsior is a not-for-profit university with a main campus in Albany, New York, and an educational site in St. Petersburg, Florida. Excelsior University’s academic programs are registered by the New York State Education Department, with additional licensing for Florida-based programs.
Licensed by the Commission for Independent Education, Florida Department of Education (License No. 12928). Additional information regarding this institution may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1414, Tallahassee, FL 323099-0400, toll-free number: (888)-224-6684.
