The following is a statement from Kirsten E. Keefe, Senior Director of New York Policy & Advocacy at The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS):
TICAS congratulates Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature on passing the 2025-26 Enacted State Budget that continues to recognize the importance of higher education. Increased investments to State University of New York (SUNY) and City University of New York campuses will support continued growth without increasing tuition costs for students.
New York’s investments this year evidence the state’s commitment to ensuring that people who are financially disadvantaged have equal access to and can succeed in postsecondary education. We specifically applaud the following:
- The creation of the New York State Opportunity Promise Scholarship providing funding for tuition, fees, books, and supplies for students between the ages of 25 and 55 to pursue degrees at state community colleges in high-demand fields.
- Increasing the Excelsior Scholarship award amount to the resident tuition rate at SUNY.
Additionally, we call on the Assembly to take up two proposals not included in the budget that have passed the Senate: A.5320 ensures students experiencing homelessness can access TAP, and A.508 extends the eligibility for TAP from four to six years, meeting the realities of increased college completion timelines.
Affording the total cost of college continues to be a barrier for too many New York residents—especially with rising costs of housing, food, transportation, and other living expenses. Students in the lowest-income brackets and independent students who are entitled to less state aid through the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) still don’t receive sufficient grant aid to cover these costs. While the New York State Opportunity Promise Scholarship helps to defray shortfalls in meeting total cost of attendance for independent students ages 25 to 55, younger independent students still receive too little TAP assistance. Looking ahead, New York policymakers should eliminate these disparities in TAP’s funding structure, increase the income eligibility to receive a maximum TAP award, and provide assistance to cover college costs beyond tuition.
We look forward to working with Governor Hochul and the New York State Legislature to make it possible for all New Yorkers to get to and through college without taking on burdensome debt.
