This story was originally published on Oct. 14 by The City Reporter. Sign up here to get the latest stories from The City Reporter delivered to you each morning.
A couple hundred CUNY community college students who were due to receive critical state financial aid got an email last week saying their funds would be delayed until further notice, just as officials expanded the affected scholarship program.
The scholarship funding is the state component of the CUNY Reconnect Program, which offers opportunities for adult learners to get free degrees from the City University of New York. The state allocated $18.8 million for the re-enrollment initiative, including tuition, fees and books for returning students pursuing specific degrees at community colleges.
In a statement, the university said the delayed funds from the New York State Opportunity Promise Scholarship have now been delivered to campuses, and that student accounts should be updated in the next two weeks. “Delays will not affect registration, nor will students owe any money as a result,” the statement said.
Spokespersons for several community colleges directed questions to the university’s press office.
“Anyone else just get the email saying that due to budgetary constraints it’s been delayed until further notice?” one student wrote in a post on Reddit last week. “I don’t have the money for this!”
Despite assurances that the funding was on its way, the delay “jump starts panic mode,” another student posted.
To maintain eligibility for NYSOP funding, students at community colleges must take at least six credits per semester, and earn their degree within 20 semesters. The funding is a “last dollar” scholarship, meaning it is calculated and distributed after all other financial aid awards.
Students at CUNY senior colleges are eligible for other Reconnect funding opportunities, including forgiveness grants and retention grants, but not full tuition awards like the Opportunity Promise Scholarship.
Just last week, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced expanded eligibility for NYSOP, adding a number of new associates degrees and allowing for students with previous degrees in healthcare to pursue associates degrees in nursing. The program will now also support associates degree students at City Tech, Medgar Evers College and the College of Staten Island.
CUNY launched its Reconnect program in 2023, with funding from the city government, with the focus on re-enrolling and supporting returning adult learners. The state legislature introduced tuition benefits for community college students in 2025, making it a city and state program that now serves nearly 10,000 students.
Aisha Baiocchi covers the CUNY system and higher education for The City Reporter.