Dear Colleague:

The Enhanced Tuition Awards (ETA) program continues into its fourth academic year in 2020-21, enabling a new cohort of resident students attending New York State private, degree-granting colleges to receive financial assistance to complete their college degrees on time.

ETA recipients are eligible to receive annual awards of up to $6,000 through a combination of their TAP award, ETA award, and a match from their participating private colleges.

As an eligible private, degree-granting college, you may opt to participate in the ETA program each year. Colleges opting into the program must both provide a match of up to $3,000 annually for the duration of the recipient's attendance at your college, and freeze the student's tuition for the duration of the award to maximize the financial benefit to the student. Colleges may seek an exemption from the match requirement if they have reduced their tuition rate by more than 15 percent over the prior six years.

To participate in 2020-21, please have your Chief Executive Officer or other fiduciary officer complete and sign the ETA Participation Form, and return via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or via mail to: New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC), 99 Washington Avenue, 13th Floor, Albany, New York 12255, Attention: Danielle McKeever by March 24, 2020.

If you choose not to participate in 2020-21, no action is required.

Colleges seeking an exemption from the match requirement must submit a complete ETA Match Exemption Form to HESC by March 24, 2020.

Please be aware that your participation decision made in any one year neither obligates nor precludes your college from opting differently in future years; however, you must continue to both freeze the tuition charge and provide annual matching funds to ETA Program recipients who remain eligible for awards for the duration of such students' attendance at your institution.

Please feel free to contact my office at (518)474-5592 should you have any questions. Legal questions may be directed to HESC at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Dr. Guillermo Linares
President