Overview

• Since the July 1 launch, more than 16,500 New Yorkers aged 25–55 have applied for the state’s free community college program, with roughly 7,000 targeting CUNY campuses.
• The initiative waives tuition, mandatory fees, books and supplies for eligible adult learners pursuing associate degrees in designated high-demand fields.
• Gov. Kathy Hochul and education officials have confirmed that there is no annual cap on enrollments and that the state will cover any remaining costs regardless of federal aid eligibility.
• SUNY’s counterpart program is slated to begin this fall, extending CUNY’s existing Reconnect model to broaden access for mid-career students.
• Neither SUNY nor CUNY has yet provided a breakdown of applications by program or confirmed how many students will enroll when classes start in the fall semester.