NYS budget includes $47M for free community college in certain fields

ALBANY — Adult learners can attend community college free in New York State starting as soon as this fall under a new scholarship aimed at helping those pursuing degrees in high-demand fields, including nursing, teaching, artificial intelligence and engineering.

The $254 billion state budget, approved last week, included $47 million for a "New York Opportunity Promise Scholarship," which covers the cost of tuition, fees, books and supplies for state residents aged 25 to 55 that don’t already have a college degree and are looking to enter high-demand fields.

The funding includes $18.8 million for schools in the City University of New York system, or CUNY, and $28.2 million for schools in the State University of New York system, known as SUNY.

SUNY on Friday is expected to announce plans to launch the scholarship this fall under a "SUNY Reconnect" program across its 30 community colleges, including Nassau Community College and Suffolk County Community College.

"The SUNY Reconnect program, launching for the Fall 2025 term, will help break barriers to a college degree and provide financial support and flexibility for adult students to enroll, and more importantly, to succeed through to graduation at one of our excellent community colleges," SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said in a news release provided to Newsday.

CUNY also is planning to implement the scholarship program in the fall, spokesman Noah Gardy told Newsday in an email.

The scholarship comes as the state looks to become a hub for computer chip manufacturing and artificial intelligence and aims to increase renewable and green energy use — all of which require skilled workers. The state also is facing shortages in nursing and, in some areas of the state, teaching.

The scholarship covers the cost of community college for adults pursuing degrees in fields such as nursing and allied health professions, technology, engineering, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, green and renewable energy, cybersecurity and pathways to teaching in shortage areas. The list of fields will be updated annually, and students already enrolled in an eligible program can still apply, according to the budget language.

"Many working adults on Long Island and across New York have seen opportunities shrink in recent years due to the affordability crisis in our state. Expanding opportunity is exactly what our communities need right now," said Assemb. Ed Ra (R-Garden City South) in the release. "With the largest single-campus community college within the SUNY system in my district, Nassau Community College is well-positioned to help connect more adults to in-demand careers."

To qualify, students also must apply  for the state Tuition Assistance Program, or TAP. and to remain eligible they must complete at least six credits per semester for a total of at least 12 credits per academic year and make "satisfactory academic progress," according to the budget language.

Sen. Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) in the release applauded Gov. Kathy Hochul's efforts to provide New Yorkers with "expanded and more affordable access to a college degree and/or critical workforce training. Suffolk County Community College and our 2-year institutes across the state are invaluable partners in equipping nontraditional students with the tools, resources, and skills they need to thrive in today's complex economy."