Citizenship Now!

CUNY In-State Tuition Issues

All CUNY students, including undocumented students, benefit from a 2001 New York State law that expanded who can qualify for in-state tuition <pdf>.  That law allows students, including undocumented students, to pay in-state tuition if any of the following applies:

• were enrolled in CUNY for the Fall 2001 semester, and qualified for in-state tuition at that time; or
• attended a New York State high school for two or more years, graduated, and applied to attend a CUNY institution within five years of receiving a New York State diploma; or
• they attended an approved New York State program for the General Educational Development (GED) exam preparation, received a GED from New York State, and applied to attend a CUNY institution within five years of receiving the New York State GED.  GED holders who graduated from High School either in the United States or overseas are not eligible for this benefit.

Individuals qualifying based on the 2001 state law are eligible for in-state tuition even if they have not resided in New York State for one year.  One final note: To get in-state tuition, undocumented immigrants must file an affidavit stating that they have applied to legalize their status, OR that they will apply to do so as soon as they are eligible.  Your college can provide you with a sample affidavit.

Financial Assistance for Undocumented Students

CUNY has limited scholarships available for undocumented students.  If you graduated from a New York City high school, public or private, with a B average or better, you may qualify for a New York City Council-Vallone Academic Scholarship.  To get a Vallone scholarship, you must enroll in a CUNY college within two semesters of your high school graduation.  To keep the scholarship, you must maintain a B average or better in college.  Also, some schools offer scholarships based on merit.  Speak with an admissions counselor for further information on the Vallone Academic Scholarship, other scholarships, financial assistance, and how to apply to CUNY.  Applications are also available on the CUNY web site, www.cuny.edu, and from the Office of Admission Services (Call toll-free: 1-800-CUNY-YES).

The full tuition grants of the CUNY Honors College are also available to undocumented students.  The Honors College is available to only the most outstanding students.  In addition to the full tuition grant, Honors College students receive a stipend and many other benefits.  For additional information about the CUNY Honors College contact:

Macaulay Honors College
35 West 67th Street
New York, NY 10023
Phone: 212-729-2900
Fax: 212-580-8130
Email: info@mhc.cuny.edu
Web: macaulay.cuny.edu