2021-22 Proposed New York State Budget Recommendations

Dear Colleagues:

In his 2021-22 Executive Budget, released on January 19, 2021, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo protects access to an affordable college degree by preserving student financial aid and opportunity programs that serve New York State's neediest students in the face of economic challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Full support for over $1 billion for HESC financial aid programs

The 2022 FY Executive Budget maintains full support for over $1 billion in HESC financial aid programs, including TAP, the Excelsior Scholarship and Enhanced Tuition Awards programs.

Further, the Executive Budget assumes payment of the spring 2020 and fall 2020 withholdings and exempts financial aid and opportunity programs from the 5 percent spending reduction for the 2021-22 State fiscal year.

As a result, HESC will:

  1. Pay all remaining awards for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 academic years at 100 percent of the award value.
  2. Release the 20 percent of payments that were temporarily withheld by March 31, 2021, in accordance with State guidance.

Ensures students impacted by the coronavirus pandemic maintain their financial aid eligibility

The 2022 FY Executive Budget includes legislation to hold harmless students who, beginning in Spring 2020, were unable to complete academic requirements needed to maintain financial aid eligibility because their enrollment was disrupted by the pandemic, were unable to maintain satisfactory academic progress due to illness, course closure, or other special circumstances.

Upon enactment of the Budget, HESC will:

  1. Process spring 2020 awards containing the COVID flag.
  2. Process fall 2020 awards containing the COVID flag.

Please be aware that schools may continue to utilize the COVID flag for students who meet the established criteria during any term in which the Governor's Executive Order (EO 202, established March 7, 2020), declaring a State disaster emergency for the entire State, remains in effect.

Change for the Excelsior Scholarship program

The Executive Budget recommends the continuation of the Excelsior Scholarship tuition freeze at the 2016-17 rate for an additional 2 years, after which the tuition rate will be adjusted each year.

Thank you for your continued partnership.

Regards,
The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation

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