To be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, you must:

• Complete the FAFSA application
• Complete all CUNYfirst “To Do” items. If you have a “Verify My FAFSA” item, it must be completed and processed.
• Demonstrate financial need
• Be enrolled (matriculated) in a degree-seeking program
• Have a high school diploma, GED, or be home-schooled
• Not have already earned a bachelor’s degree or professional certificate
• Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or an eligible non-citizen
• Have a valid Social Security number
• Must be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
• Have Lifetime Pell Grant (LEU) eligibility remaining

To be eligible for Federal SEOG, you must:

• Complete the FAFSA application
• Complete all CUNYfirst “To Do” items. If you have a “Verify My FAFSA” item, it must be completed and processed.
• Demonstrate financial need
• Be enrolled (matriculated) in a degree-seeking program
• Have a high school diploma, GED, or be home-schooled
• Not have already earned a bachelor’s degree or professional certificate
• Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or an eligible non-citizen
• Have a valid Social Security number
• Must be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
• May not possess or sell illegal drugs while receiving financial aid
• May not be in default on a previous federal student loan or owe the federal government a refund of financial aid previously received

To be eligible for a TEACH Grant, you must do the following:

• Meet the basic eligibility criteria for the federal student aid programs
• Complete the FAFSA form
• Enrolled as a graduate student in a TEACH-Grant-eligible program
• Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 (on a 4.0 scale) on undergraduate coursework; OR score above the 75th percentile on a college admissions test (e.g. SAT, ACT, or GRE). You will be required to provide documentation of your test scores in accordance with Graduate Admissions Office procedures.
• Receive TEACH Grant counseling that explains the terms and conditions of the TEACH Grant service obligation. You must complete counseling each year that you receive a TEACH Grant.
• As a condition for receiving a TEACH Grant, you must sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve in which you agree to (among other requirements) teach:
  • In a high-need field;
  • At an elementary school, secondary school, or educational service agency that serves students from low-income families; and
  • For at least four complete academic years within eight years after completing (or ceasing enrollment in) the course of study for which you received the grant.
• As a continuing graduate student, you must have met the academic criteria for undergraduate coursework or test scores mentioned above. Continuing graduate students must have and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 on graduate degree coursework to receive an initial award. TEACH funds will not be disbursed if your GPA falls below a 3.25 during any subsequent semesters.

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To be considered, potential candidates must apply specifically for the TEACH Grant, for the purpose of this grant, eligible master’s degree programs at Queens College fall into seven categories–defined by the federal government as “high-need fields”:

• Mathematics education
• Science education
• Foreign language education
• Bilingual education
• Reading specialist/literacy teacher
• TESOL
• Special education

Schools that participate in the TEACH Grant Program determine which of the programs they offer are TEACH-Grant-eligible. A program that is TEACH-Grant-eligible at one school might not be TEACH-Grant-eligible at another school. Additionally, even if a program meets the eligibility requirements to be a TEACH-Grant-eligible program, it may not be designated as TEACH-Grant-eligible by the school. Contact the financial aid office at the school you are attending (or that you plan to attend) to find out which programs at that school are eligible.

Note: If you do not meet the requirements of your service obligation, all TEACH Grants you received will be converted to Direct Unsubsidized Loans. You must repay these loans in full, with interest charged from the date of each TEACH Grant disbursement.

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The TEACH grant application is now available for the 25-26 academic year. Please refer to the steps below on how to apply:

1. Be sure to first review the above requirements in addition to confirming you are in an eligible TEACH grant program at Queens College.
2. Complete the 25-26 FAFSA application
3. Complete both the TEACH Grant counseling AND sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve
4. Submit the TEACH Grant application located on the Queens College School of Education TEACH Grant website 

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TEACH Grant Application Deadlines

• For students graduating at the end of the Fall 2025 semester, the application must be submitted by December 1st, 2025.
• If students are attending both Fall 2025 and Spring 2026, the application must be submitted by April 17th, 2026.

For questions about the TEACH Grant, email Nandy Sukhai: Nandy.Sukhai@qc.cuny.edu.

To be eligible for the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), you must:

• Be enrolled in at least 12 credits or the equivalent each semester in your approved program

• Be an undergraduate student

• Be a legal resident of New York State for at least one year before the term for which you are seeking payment

• Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or other eligible non-citizen

• Attend an approved postsecondary institution in New York State

• Be matriculated in a degree program (enrolled in a program leading to a degree)

• Declare a major by the end of the add/drop period in your first semester as a junior (60 credits or more) in an approved four-year program

• Maintain good academic standing for New York State financial aid by meeting academic progress and program pursuit requirements each semester you receive TAP

• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of “C” after receiving two annual TAP payments

• Be charged at least $200 in tuition per academic year

• Meet income eligibility limits set by New York State

• Have a high school diploma, recognized GED, or approved ability-to-benefit test score

• Not be in default on any state or federal student loans

• Be in compliance with the terms of any service condition required by a New York State award

*Up to the equivalent of six semester hours in remedial, noncredit study can be included as part of the minimum semester full-time course load, except that in the first semester of postsecondary study, a student’s minimum full-time course load need include only three semester hours of credit-bearing coursework.

Same as the TAP eligibility requirements excluding Good Academic Standing; in addition to meeting the additional requirements below:

• Meet the New York State household income limit, which is currently $125,000 or less
• Complete both the FAFSA and the NYS TAP application each year
• Be enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at a SUNY or CUNY college
• Register for at least 12 credits per semester and earn at least 30 credits each academic year toward your program of study. Winter and summer credits may be used to meet the 30 credit requirement if needed
• Declare a major by the end of the add/drop period in the first semester of your junior year (once you have earned 60 credits)
• Be on track to graduate on time, which is two years for an associate degree or four years for a bachelor’s degree

*Excelsior Scholarship requires that a student must register for the minimum of 12 credits and must earn at least 30 credits each academic year, including winter and summer credits.

For more information on Excelsior Scholarship eligibility and application availability, visit the HESC website.

There are two ways you can be eligible for the New York State DREAM Act, if your permanent home is in NYS and if you permanent home is NOT in NY.

LEAD Coalition created a eligibility flow chart and video guide. Take a look at it to determine your eligibility:

• NYS Dream Act Module 2 – Eligibility and State Funding
• Eligibility Flow Chart

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To be eligible for TAP as an undocumented student you have to submit TWO applications, 1. the New York State Dream Act and 2. the Tuition Assistance Program application. This second application will be submitted through the New York State Dream Act portal. To see what this looks like take a look at the walk through below.

• NYS Dream Act Preview Walkthrough by Adelante Student Voices

The NYS Dream Act application also may require you to submit documents based on your immigration status. If you are unsure what documents to submit check out the document below.

• NYS Dream Act Supporting Documents

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To review your eligibility and to learn more, please visit the HESC website

To receive SEEK funding, students must complete both the FAFSA and TAP applications and must register as a full-time student. Students who are ineligible to complete a FAFSA must complete the NYS Dream Act application. Admission into the SEEK program is part of the CUNY admissions process.

To be eligible for SEEK, you must:

• Be a legal resident of New York State for at least one year prior to entering college
• Be a high school graduate or recipient of a state-approved equivalency diploma
• Be inadmissible according to the admissions criteria established for the CUNY four-year college you want to attend
• Be a first-time freshman or previously enrolled in College Discovery (CD) Program, an Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), or Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP); and
• Have a gross family income that meets the New York State guidelines

To be eligible for APTS, you must:

• Enroll part-time (3-11 credits) as matriculated students in approved undergraduate degree programs or registered certificate programs at degree-granting institutions in New York State
• Meet the program income limits
• Be New York State residents and either United States citizens or qualifying non-citizens
• Not have used up Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) eligibility
• Maintain good academic standing
• Not be in default on any Federal or State student loan or on any repayment of state awards
• You must maintain a “C” average after having received the equivalent of two full years of payment of State-sponsored student financial aid
• Have graduated from high school in the United States, or earned a high school equivalency diploma by passing the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC), formally known as GED, or passed a federally approved “Ability to Benefit” test as defined by the Commissioner of the State Education Department

Note: To apply for APTS, students must complete the TAP application, and the CUNY Supplement form located in the Student Center on CUNYfirst. All applications must be completed by the established deadline to be considered for the APTS award. You can complete the Supplement form by doing the following:

 

1. Log into your CUNYfirst account
2. Click on Student Center tile
3. Click on Financial Aid tile
4. On the left hand side, scroll down and click on the Supplement form link
5. Complete the form and submit