Establishes graduate tuition assistance program awards; sets amounts of such awards; provides for restrictions on such awards; makes related provisions.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7389
SPONSOR: Hyndman (MS) TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to graduate tuition
assistance program awards
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To extend Tuition Assistance Program benefits to graduate students who
need financial aid during their time at SUNY or CUNY.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Subdivision 6 of section 661 of the education law is amended by adding a
new paragraph d to read as follows: No provision of this article shall
be deemed to restrict eligible graduate students from receiving awards
pursuant to section six hundred sixty-seven-b of this part.
The opening paragraph of subparagraph 1 of paragraph b of subdivision 3
of section 663 of the education law is amended to read as follows: The
applicant is a student who was married on or before December thirty-
first of the calendar year prior to the beginning of the academic year
for which application is made or is an undergraduate or graduate student
who has reached the age of twenty-two on or before June thirtieth prior
to the academic year for which application is made and who, during the
calendar year next preceding the semester, quarter or term of attendance
for which application is made and at all times subsequent thereto up to
and including the entire period for which application is made.
Paragraph d of subdivision 3 of section 663 of the education law, as
amended by section 6 of part J of chapter 58 of the laws of 2011, is
amended to read as follows: Any undergraduate or graduate student who
was allowed to exclude parental income pursuant to the provisions of
subdivision three of section six hundred three of this chapter as they
existed prior to July 24 first, nineteen hundred seventy-four may
continue to exclude such income for so long as he or she continues to
comply with such provisions. The education law is amended by adding a
new section 667-b.
Recipient qualifications: Notwithstanding any other provision of law or
regulation to the contrary, graduate tuition assistance program awards
shall be available for all students who are enrolled in approved post-
baccalaureate programs leading to a graduate, first professional, or
doctoral degree in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, educa-
tion or a licensed healthcare profession, and who demonstrate the abili-
ty to complete such courses, in accordance with standards established by
the commissioner, provided, however, that no award shall exceed one
hundred percent of the amount of tuition charged.
Duration: No graduate student shall be eligible for awards for more than
two years of post-baccalaureate studies. A student may not receive
awards under this section at the same time they receive awards under
section six hundred sixty-seven of this subpart, nor while they are
enrolled as an undergraduate student.
Graduate tuition assistance awards: The president shall make awards to
graduate students enrolled in approved programs at degree granting
institutions. An eligible graduate student may receive up to five thou-
sand six hundred sixty-five dollars or the cost of their tuition, which-
ever is less. The base amount of this award shall be reduced in relation
to income as laid out in the legislation.
JUSTIFICATION:
Graduate students often face the same financial struggles as undergradu-
ate students while pursuing their degree. Additionally, SUNY and CUNY
graduate students often serve as researchers and graduate assistants
during their time in school, providing vital services to their colleges
and universities. By extending the tuition assistance program (TAP) to
graduate students we can help ensure these students stay on track to
obtain their advanced degree while providing continued benefits to our
higher education institutions.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
None
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Estimated $3.0M
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date
on which it shall have become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7389
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 25, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. HYNDMAN -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A.
SEAWRIGHT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Higher Educa-
tion
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to graduate tuition
assistance program awards
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 6 of section 661 of the education law is
2 amended by adding a new paragraph d to read as follows:
3 d. No provision of this article shall be deemed to restrict eligible
4 graduate students from receiving awards pursuant to section six hundred
5 sixty-seven-b of this part.
6 § 2. The opening paragraph of subparagraph 1 of paragraph b of subdi-
7 vision 3 of section 663 of the education law, as amended by section 5 of
8 part J of chapter 58 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
9 The applicant is a student who was married on or before December thir-
10 ty-first of the calendar year prior to the beginning of the academic
11 year for which application is made or is an undergraduate or graduate
12 student who has reached the age of twenty-two on or before June thirti-
13 eth prior to the academic year for which application is made and who,
14 during the calendar year next preceding the semester, quarter or term of
15 attendance for which application is made and at all times subsequent
16 thereto up to and including the entire period for which application is
17 made:
18 § 3. Paragraph d of subdivision 3 of section 663 of the education law,
19 as amended by section 6 of part J of chapter 58 of the laws of 2011, is
20 amended to read as follows:
21 d. Any undergraduate or graduate student who was allowed to exclude
22 parental income pursuant to the provisions of subdivision three of
23 section six hundred three of this chapter as they existed prior to July
24 first, nineteen hundred seventy-four may continue to exclude such income
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08410-01-5
A. 7389 2
1 for so long as [he] such undergraduate or graduate student continues to
2 comply with such provisions.
3 § 4. The education law is amended by adding a new section 667-b to
4 read as follows:
5 § 667-b. Graduate tuition assistance program awards. 1. Recipient
6 qualifications. Notwithstanding any other provision of law or regulation
7 to the contrary, graduate tuition assistance program awards shall be
8 available for all students who are enrolled in approved post-baccalau-
9 reate programs leading to a graduate, first professional, or doctoral
10 degree in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, education or a
11 licensed healthcare profession, and who demonstrate the ability to
12 complete such courses, in accordance with standards established by the
13 commissioner, provided, however, that no award shall exceed one hundred
14 percent of the amount of tuition charged.
15 2. Duration. No graduate student shall be eligible for awards for more
16 than two years of post-baccalaureate studies. A student may not receive
17 awards under this section at the same time they receive awards under
18 section six hundred sixty-seven of this subpart, nor while they are
19 enrolled as an undergraduate student.
20 3. Graduate tuition assistance awards. The president shall make awards
21 to graduate students enrolled in approved programs at degree granting
22 institutions in the following amounts:
23 (a) for each year of graduate studies, an eligible graduate student
24 may receive up to five thousand six hundred sixty-five dollars or the
25 cost of their tuition, whichever is less; and
26 (b) the base amount as determined under paragraph (a) of this subdivi-
27 sion shall be reduced in relation to income as follows:
28 Amount of income Schedule of reduction
29 of base amount
30 (i) Less than seven thousand None
31 dollars
32 (ii) Seven thousand dollars or Seven per centum of excess
33 more, but less than eleven over seven thousand dollars
34 thousand dollars
35 (iii) Eleven thousand dollars or Two hundred eighty dollars
36 more, but less than eighteen plus ten per centum of excess
37 thousand dollars over eleven thousand dollars
38 (iv) Eighteen thousand dollars or Nine hundred eighty dollars
39 more, but not more than eighty plus twelve per centum of
40 thousand dollars excess over eighteen
41 thousand dollars.
42 (c) if the amount of reduction is not a whole dollar, it shall be
43 reduced to the next lowest whole dollar; and
44 (d) the minimum award pursuant to this section shall be one thousand
45 dollars.
46 4. Restrictions. In no event shall any award:
47 (a) exceed the amount of annual tuition charged to such student after
48 federal, state, or other education aid is received or receivable by such
49 student during the school year for which such award is applicable, that
50 in the judgement of the president would duplicate the purposes of this
51 award. The president shall promulgate rules and regulations to distin-
52 guish between duplicative aid, and non-duplicative aid such as research
53 and fellowship funding;
A. 7389 3
1 (b) be made when income exceeds the maximum income set forth in this
2 section; or
3 (c) be made for less than one thousand dollars, except where such
4 award is reduced pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivision.
5 § 5. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
6 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
7 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
8 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
9 on or before such effective date.
