NYS Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Incentive Program

The NYS STEM Incentive Program provides tuition awards to students who are New York State residents attending a public degree-granting college or university located in New York State. Recipients must be in the top 10 percent of students of their high school graduating class, pursue an approved, two or four-year STEM degree program and agree to live in NYS and work in a STEM field in NYS for five years after graduation.

  • STEM Incentive Program
  • NYS DREAM Act STEM Applicants

Eligibility

An applicant must:

  • be a NYS resident and have resided in NYS for 12 continuous months prior to the beginning of the fall college term;
  • be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen;
  • be a high school senior/recent high school graduate who will be enrolled full time at a public college located in NYS, beginning in the fall term following his or her high school graduation;
  • be ranked in the top 10 percent of his/her high school graduating class at a NYS high school;
  • be matriculated in an approved undergraduate program leading to a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics at a public college located in NYS;
  • maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher;
  • execute a Service Contract agreeing to reside and work in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics in NYS for five years.  View the terms and conditions of the service contract.

Students matriculated in these programs of study may be eligible for a STEM Incentive Program award. The program of study must result in an approved occupation.

Award Amount

A recipient receives an annual award for full-time study up to the annual tuition charged to NYS resident students attending an undergraduate program at the State University of New York (SUNY). For the 2023-24 academic year, the standard tuition rate is a maximum of $7,070 per year.

The STEM Incentive Program award will be reduced by the amount of any other tuition-only assistance award, such as the NYS Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), received.

Note: Any award payment received may have tax implications. Any questions regarding this should be directed to a tax professional, the Internal Revenue Service, or the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance.

Duration

A recipient is entitled to annual award payments for not more than four academic years of full-time undergraduate study while matriculated in an approved program leading to a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics or five years if the program of study requires five years.

How to Apply

The deadline for the NYS Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Incentive Program has passed.   The application for the NYS Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Incentive Program for the 2024-25 academic year will available in spring 2024.

Note: Previous recipients do not have to submit another STEM Incentive Program Application, but must request payment each year. See Payment below.

Payment

A recipient is not required to submit another NYS Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Incentive Program Web Application once awarded this scholarship, but must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the NYS Student Aid Payment Application each year to receive payment.

Awards will be paid directly to the colleges on behalf of students upon the successful completion of each term. Successful completion of a term means the applicant meets all of the eligibility requirements for the award.

Frequently Asked Questions

View commonly asked questions pertaining to STEM.

Questions?

Please contact the HESC Scholarship Unit at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with questions about this Program.

Eligibility

  1. Your permanent home is in NYS and you are or have ONE of the following:
    1. U-Visa
    2. T-Visa
    3. Temporary protected status, pursuant to the Federal Immigration Act of 1990
    4. Without lawful immigration status (including those with DACA status)
    5. AND you meet ONE of the following criteria:
      1. You attended a NYS high school for 2 or more years, graduated from a NYS high school, and enroll or enrolled for undergraduate study at a NYS college within 5 years of receiving your NYS high school diploma OR
      2. You received a NYS high school equivalency diploma, and enroll or enrolled for undergraduate study at a NYS college within 5 years of receiving your NYS high school equivalency diploma OR
      3. You are or will be charged the NYS resident in-state tuition rate at a SUNY or CUNY college for a reason other than residency.
  2. Your permanent home is outside of NYS and you are or have ONE of the following:
    1. U.S. citizen
    2. Permanent lawful resident
    3. Of a class of refugees paroled by the attorney general under his or her parole authority pertaining to the admission of aliens to the U.S.
    4. U-Visa
    5. T-Visa
    6. Temporary protected status, pursuant to the Federal Immigration Act of 1990
    7. Without lawful immigration status (including those with DACA status)
    8. AND you meet ONE of the following criteria:
      1. You attended a NYS high school for 2 or more years, graduated from a NYS high school, and enroll or enrolled for undergraduate study at a NYS college within five years of receiving your NYS high school diploma OR
      2. You received a NYS high school equivalency diploma,and enroll or enrolled for undergraduate study at a NYS college within five years of receiving your NYS high school equivalency diploma OR
      3. You are or will be charged the NYS resident in-state tuition rate at a SUNY or CUNY college for a reason other than residency.

Note: A student seeking New York State financial aid, including TAP, for the first time, must pass a federally approved ATB test identified by the Board of Regents if the student does not possess a U.S. high school diploma or its recognized equivalent.

Award Amount

A recipient receives an annual award for full-time study up to the annual tuition charged to NYS resident students attending an undergraduate program at the State University of New York (SUNY), or actual tuition charged, whichever is less. For the 2022-23 academic year, the standard tuition rate is a maximum of $7,070 per year.

The STEM Incentive Program award will be reduced by the amount of any other tuition-only assistance award, such as the NYS Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), received.

Note: Any award payment received may have tax implications. Any questions regarding this should be directed to a tax professional, the Internal Revenue Service, or the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance.

Duration

A recipient is entitled to annual award payments for not more than four academic years of full-time undergraduate study while matriculated in an approved program leading to a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics or five years if the program of study requires five years.

How to Apply

Students newly applying for NYS financial aid under the provisions of the DREAM Act must first apply for eligibility under the NYS DREAM Act before applying for the NYS STEM Incentive Program.  If you have previously qualified under the NYS DREAM Act, you will simply need to update any prior year information that may have changed to apply for the NYS STEM Incentive Program.

Payment

A recipient is not required to submit another NYS Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Incentive Program Web Application once awarded this scholarship, but must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the NYS Student Aid Payment Application each year to receive payment.

Awards will be paid directly to the colleges on behalf of students upon the successful completion of each term. Successful completion of a term means the applicant meets all of the eligibility requirements for the award.

Frequently Asked Questions

View commonly asked questions pertaining to STEM. 

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