Funding Your Education

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

The City College priority deadline for filing a FAFSA is March 15 each year*. Early FAFSA filers are more likely to receive the earliest Federal Work-Study, and Federal SEOG awards. If you apply early, your financial aid award can be posted onto your student account before classes begin.

If you have not already filed a 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid, please apply by using "prior-prior year" (2022) income information FAFSA. We urge that you know what you owe to the college because you may have to pay or sign up for the payment plan. See Payment Options.

2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid, please apply by using "prior-prior year" (2022) income information (View more details)

New York State Financial Aid (TAP)

CCNY New York State code: 1411 (Undergraduate students only)

(Note: Effective with the 2010-11 academic year, with the exception of veterans, graduate students can no longer receive TAP.)

1. The Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) Grant and other New York state grants and scholarships are administered by the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (NYS HESC) for New York State legal residents.

2. APTS (Aid for Part-time Study) is a New York state grant for part-time undergraduate students (6-11 credits). Students must complete a TAP application and the CUNY Supplement form on CUNYfirst.

Need to complete the supplement form?

1. Login to "CUNYfirst"
2. Select "Student Center"
3. Select "Financial Aid"
4. On the left hand side, click "Supplement Form"

Federal Direct Loans

Federal Direct Student Loans are either "subsidized" or "unsubsidized". The federal government pays the interest on subsidized loans while a student is enrolled for six (6) or more credits. Eligibility for a subsidized loan is based on "financial need". Unsubsidized loans are available regardless of financial need. Interest is charged to the student or the parent, (see PLUS Loans) even while the student is in school. Students may borrow up to the applicable maximum for each "academic year". An academic year at City College is Summer, Fall and Spring. To apply, you must click on Direct Loan Processing Form on your CUNYfirst account.

1. Login to "CUNYfirst"
2. Select "Student Center"
3. Select "Financial Aid"
4. On the left hand side,  click  "Direct Loan Processing Form"

Federal Work-Study

The Federal Work-Study (FWS) program provides the opportunity for a student to earn money by working in a City College office or at an off-campus location.

Student are required to file a FAFSA. Early FAFSA filers are more likely to receive the earliest Federal Work-Study which is awarded to students with "financial need". Financial need is determined by the information reported on a student's FAFSA.

External Scholarships

FastWeb's free scholarship search includes more than 600,000 scholarships worth more than $1 billion. FastWeb is provided completely free and the City College is a proud FastWeb member school.

Peterson's Award Search is a database which presents 800,000 awards about 2,000 sources in 69 academic subject areas.

Federal government also assists students with numerous federal scholarships. Read more

New York State Higher Education Service Corporation (HESC) also has different scholarships for eligible students. Read More

For more information regarding scholarships, please contact the Admissions Office or visit their webpage.