Gov. Hochul Launches Public Awareness Campaign to Encourage Students to Complete the FAFSA

Coaches with the CUNY Financial Aid Support Team.

Gov. Kathy Hochul today launched a public awareness campaign with college students, Administration officials, and education leaders to encourage students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to unlock state and federal financial aid opportunities. This week, students at the City University of New York and State University New York campuses as well as at other New York colleges and universities will assist in the public awareness campaign to help students fill out the FAFSA. Additionally, leaders from Gov. Hochul's cabinet will participate with video PSAs to post on social media and as a resource for schools to share with students. Student videos and PSAs are available here. This push is a part of Financial Aid Awareness Month, which Gov. Hochul launched at the beginning of April to ensure students can access the tools they need to pursue a higher education.

"Higher education can change people's lies, and we are expanding pathways to college for all New York students," said Gov. Hochul. "This week, we're encouraging every student pursing a college degree to fill out the FAFSA as soon as they can to access the financial support available to them."

"Education serves as the great equalizer in our society," said Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado. "I am proud to join Gov. Hochul in urging all prospective college students to complete their FAFSA now to ensure they have affordable access to higher education and a bright future."

"Each year, New Yorkers leave money for college on the table because they have not completed financial aid forms," said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. "We know this year has been even more challenging to complete the federal forms because of glitches and delays. CUNY encourages all families to be persistent and fill out the FAFSA. CUNY is here to help them troubleshoot any problems. We thank Gov. Hochul for her commitment to higher education and to our student ambassadors, who are spreading the word to prospective and returning students to fill out the forms. We have no better messengers than our students on the value of college and perseverance."

Last year, New York's high school students left over $200 million in federal aid unclaimed by not filling out the FAFSA. Mirroring national trends, FAFSA submission rates in New York State are down 24 percent compared to the same time last year as a result of federal challenges and delays issuing the new FAFSA form. The FAFSA is free, and opens the door to federal and state aid, including Tuition Assistance Program and Excelsior Scholarship, as well as other college funding awards.

Earlier this month, CUNY launched the CUNY Financial Aid Support Team (FAST) to help students and families access financial aid. Coaches participating in CUNY FAST are leading the FAFSA completion efforts on their campuses and on social media to offer support and make sure students know what financial aid is available to them. Students can follow #FAFSAReady to hear from current college students about their FAFSA experience.

"Coming from an immigrant family and being the first to attend college, filing the FAFSA was important but new for my family to navigate," said CUNY FAST Coach Sunny Kwong. "The constant struggle with translating difficult financial terms and concerns about paying for college out of pocket, my family hesitated to fill out the application. Being a CUNY FAST Coach, I'm passionate about helping students who were once in my shoes to receive their OWN college experience."

"As first-generation college students, my siblings and I struggled with understanding the college process," said CUNY FAST Coach Sigelis Sued. "The language barrier made it difficult for us to navigate FAFSA by ourselves without additional support. We knew we could not pay for college out of pocket, and we needed help figuring out how to get aid. As a CUNY FAST Coach, I am dedicated to making sure that those students who may feel the same have the support they need to succeed in the financial aid process."

In 2023, SUNY launched the SUNY FAFSA Completion Corps to help prospective students complete the FAFSA. SUNY received a nearly $300,000 grant from AmeriCorps to launch the initiative, and there are currently nearly 50 SUNY students involved across seven SUNY campuses.

In addition to students, the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC), CUNY, SUNY and academic and community organizations in New York are joining the Governor in her campaign to make sure New Yorkers take every opportunity to access funding for college.

Each institution continues to host multiple events this month to help students and their families complete the FAFSA or the Dream Act, and Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) applications. Events include information sessions on how to fill out financial aid applications, virtual drop in opportunities to connect with HESC, SUNY and CUNY experts, and discussions about scholarship opportunities for students. A full schedule of events can be found online.

In the FY 2025 Enacted Budget, Gov. Hochul secured provisions to help expand access to financial aid. The initiatives include making FAFSA completion universal in New York State and expanding TAP. The TAP expansion increases the minimum award from $500 to $1,000. Additionally, the Budget increases the dependent student net taxable income (NTI) limit for TAP eligibility from $80,000 to $125,000, the independent married student NTI limit from $40,000 to $60,000, and the independent single student NTI limit from $10,000 to $30,000.

State Department of Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa said, "The FAFSA is an investment in a student's future that will open doors to opportunities. By completing the FAFSA, students unlock access to financial aid that can make higher education more affordable and attainable. I encourage all of New York's students and families to seize the chance to pave your path to success by completing and submitting your FAFSA today."

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, "There is a place at SUNY for every New Yorker, and access to financial aid is crucial to helping students achieve their college dreams. Across New York State, SUNY and our partners in higher education are proudly banding together with Gov. Hochul to make sure every single high school senior as well as every prospective and returning college student knows that there is federal and New York State tuition assistance available and that completing the FAFSA is the key to gaining access to that funding. SUNY campuses and our SUNY FAFSA Completion Corps are providing in-person and virtual assistance throughout the spring, and we will keep going."

New York State HESC President Dr. Guillermo Linares said, "The significant enhancements to the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), including expanded eligibility and increased awards, represent a monumental shift in our approach to supporting New York's students. By making FAFSA and TAP application completion a focal point, we are not only unlocking critical funding for students but also paving the way for a more inclusive and prosperous future. I am profoundly thankful for Gov. Hochul's leadership and the legislature's support in recognizing the importance of these measures. Our collective efforts will ensure that many more students will have the resources they need to pursue and achieve their academic goals."

State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky said, "FAFSA is not being utilized by thousands of high school seniors who don't know that they are eligible for student aid. This campaign is an important step toward informing students so more potential college students will fill out the FAFSA form and continue their educational journey and improve their career trajectory."

Assembly Member Patricia Fahy said, "Last year, New York students left more than $200 million in federal student aid in the table - real funds that could've put the dream of a higher education in reach for thousands of students. I want to encourage all New York students this year to complete the FAFSA and take advantage of the aid that's out there - aid you can only take advantage of if you apply. I'm thrilled that we're taking action in this year's budget to ensure that going forward, no New York students misses out on these financial opportunities. It's critical more now than ever that we address college affordability when 70% of students cite it has the major barrier to accessing higher education, and I commend Gov. Hochul for making this a top priority."

New York State has been working to improve the FAFSA completion statistics by training college students to provide in-person assistance with the financial aid application process.

CUNY has taken several steps to assist students and their families in applying for financial aid to make college more affordable including:

• Delaying deposit deadlines at state operated campuses until no earlier than May 15 and June 1 for commitment day at CUNY campuses, so that families have time to make an informed decision with their financial aid offers
• The launch of CUNY Financial Aid Support Team (FAST) earlier this month to help 100,000 students complete the FAFSA. The Petrie Foundation awarded CUNY $1 million for the initiative.
• Helping high school students complete FAFSA forms through CUNY's K16 Initiatives College and Career Advisory Programs
• CUNY sent emails to current CUNY students and Fall 2024 applicants about changes to the form and launched a social media campaign. The University will also host FAFSA Completion Workshops with Admissions. View workshop dates online.
• CUNY campuses have increased financial aid workshops and completion events all spring and have leveraged Federal Work Study funds in partnership with the National Partnership for Student Success to hire students to support financial aid offices. The University will also host FAFSA Completion Workshops with Admissions. Workshop dates will be posted online.

Steps taken by SUNY include:

• FAFSA information sessions across the state, including FAFSA Completion events in Rochester, Buffalo, Yonkers and New York City
• Virtual FAFSA completion workshops, held in English and Spanish to help families complete the FAFSA
• Working with State partners to develop and promote online resources including print-ready resources for counselors and students to help guide them through the financial aid process; and
• The launch of the SUNY FAFSA Completion Corps, an AmeriCorps funded program that supports nearly 50 SUNY students serving as near-peer mentors to help students complete the FAFSA.

About City University of New York

The City University of New York is the nation's largest urban public university, a transformative engine of social mobility that is a critical component of the lifeblood of New York City. Founded in 1847 as the nation's first free public institution of higher education, CUNY today has seven community colleges, 11 senior colleges and seven graduate or professional institutions spread across New York City's five boroughs, serving more than 225,000 undergraduate and graduate students and awarding 50,000 degrees each year. CUNY's mix of quality and affordability propels almost six times as many low-income students into the middle class and beyond as all the Ivy League colleges combined. More than 80 percent of the University's graduates stay in New York, contributing to all aspects of the city's economic, civic and cultural life and diversifying the city's workforce in every sector. CUNY's graduates and faculty have received many prestigious honors, including 13 Nobel Prizes and 26 MacArthur "Genius" Grants. The University's historic mission continues to this day: provide a first-rate public education to all students, regardless of means or background. To learn more about CUNY, visit www.cuny.edu.

About the State University of New York

The State University of New York, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY's 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country's oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.

About the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation

HESC is New York State's student financial aid agency and a national leader in providing need-based grant and scholarship award money to college-going students. At HESC's core are more than two dozen grant, scholarship and loan forgiveness programs, including the NYS Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and the Excelsior Scholarship. HESC puts college within the reach of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers each year through programs like these and through the guidance it provides to students, families and counselors. HESC helps more than 300,000 students achieve their college dreams each year by providing more than $800M in grants, scholarships and loan forgiveness benefits.

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