Free Community College for Adult Learners at Cayuga

With SUNY Reconnect at Cayuga, earn your degree and learn in-demand skills for careers in growing fields like healthcare, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing.

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Reimagine. Revitalize. Reconnect.

Now FREE for adult learners ages 25–55 who have not previously earned a college degree.

Flexible scheduling and online options to study while you work.

Learn skills for in-demand jobs in growing industries.

Advising and support for adult learners from start to finish

SUNY Reconnect Overview

 

SUNY Reconnect Offers:

  • Financial assistance
  • In-person & online learning options
  • Degrees designed to connect you with careers in high-demand industries

Am I Eligible?

Students must meet the following criteria to be eligible:

  • New York State resident
  • 25–55 years of age
  • Have not previously earned a college degree
  • Plan to study full-time or part-time in a degree program

Students with prior credits or who have earned a certificate or microcredential are eligible.

Financial Assistance

SUNY Reconnect covers the cost of tuition, fees, books, and supplies for specific degree programs after other forms of tuition assistance are applied.

Students must:

After all financial aid is awarded, the program will cover any remaining balance to attend. Students are encouraged to apply for FAFSA to maximize available aid.

Funding does not cover costs for housing, transportation, food, and other non-academic expenses.

Degree Options for SUNY Reconnect

Students must be enrolled in one of the following programs to be eligible for SUNY Reconnect:

Frequently Asked Questions

If a student turns 25 during a semester, do they qualify?

(e.g., The student is 24 in August but turn 25 in October.) SUNY Reconnect may be awarded to an applicant enrolling in an eligible program who is at least 25 years of age or older as of the first day of classes for which the applicant makes initial application, but in no case is more than 55 years of age as of January first of the calendar year for the semester for which the applicant makes initial application. So, for this situation where a student’s classes begin in August or September and the student turns 25 in October, they would not be eligible for that fall semester but would be eligible for the spring. If a student does not begin classes until a late start session and turns 25 before those sessions begin, they will be eligible for that semester.

Are there any income limitations (income cap) for students who are eligible for this program?

There are no income limitations for eligible students under SUNY Reconnect.

Is there a minimum length of time a student must live in New York State to be eligible for SUNY Reconnect?

To be eligible for Reconnect, a student must either meet the New York State definition of “resident” for community college students which requires a 1-year physical presence in New York State, or qualify for a statutory exemption to receive the resident rate (e.g., military status). For students who live out of a college’s sponsorship area, a Certificate of Residence is required.

Are current students in an eligible program able to receive this scholarship?

Yes, current students who meet all eligibility criteria and are enrolled in an eligible program are eligible for funding for the remainder of their program starting in Fall 2025. Funding will not be awarded retroactively for current students recently completing coursework in an eligible program.

If a student has a large balance from a previous semester or an account that has gone to collections, can they still register?

Students with past balances or financial holds will be eligible to register regardless of campus policy. SUNY Reconnect funding may not be used to pay past balances. Past balances should only be forgiven or discharged pursuant to SUNY and campus policies.

Can students be enrolled in Reconnect and the ASAP/ACE/EOP programs simultaneously?

Yes. ASAP/EOP students are eligible for Reconnect.

Are veterans and military-connected individuals eligible for this (as they are for state aid)?

Yes. Any student who is eligible for in-state tuition, is enrolled in an approved degree program, and meets all other program criteria is eligible.

If a student starts at one community college and decides to transfer to another, does the 10-semester clock restart? How will campuses be able to keep track of the number of semesters used for transfer students?

If an eligible degree program student transfers to another campus, the 10-semester time limit still applies and does not restart.

Is prerequisite, non-credit coursework counted as part of the six credits?

As part of the approved degree program, any remedial, prerequisite, and co-requisite courses the student may be required to take after program entry will qualify for the scholarship. Non-credit courses required as part of the program of study are eligible for funding; however, do not count towards the required six credits for that semester.

We offer a pre-nursing program, essentially General Studies, for students to take prereqs they may be missing when applying to the nursing program. Would SUNY Reconnect apply in this case?

A student must be enrolled in an approved degree program to qualify. Courses that are admission requirements to a program, or must be taken before enrollment, do not qualify. General studies programs as part of a pre-nursing track do not qualify.

Does the award cover testing such as NCLEX?

The scholarship covers tuition, fees, books, and supplies (after all other applicable financial aid) related to the students’ approved program. Additional costs that are outside of these categories are not covered under SUNY Reconnect.

If a student cannot complete the associate degree within the allotted 10 semesters, is there any obligation for repayment?

There is no repayment requirement.