paying for college
Scholarships
Scholarships
SUNY Sullivan is committed to making your college experience affordable. In the 2021-22 school year SUNY Sullivan students received: $237,398 in scholarships!
Description: The Sullivan Promise Scholarship provides Sullivan County residents* who earn a high school diploma or GED in 2025 the opportunity to receive FREE TUITION AND FEES* for one year of attendance at SUNY Sullivan.
Amount of Scholarship: Full Tuition & Fees after State Aid, PELL, and any other SCCC Foundation scholarships have been awarded.
Awarded by: SCCC Foundation Scholarship Fund & SUNY Sullivan.
Eligibility and Criteria:
- You may be eligible for a Sullivan Promise Scholarship if you are a Sullivan County resident* who is also one of the below:
- A member of the current graduating class of an area high school (“current” means the student graduated in the winter or spring of 2025); OR
- A student who is certified by a state-approved, non-public school located and operating in Sullivan County, and who is a documented graduate of the 2025 school year; OR
- A recipient of a General Equivalency Diploma (GED) during 2025.
*You must be a resident of Sullivan County for a period of two full years prior to graduation or receipt of GED, with a 70 GPA or higher. The determination of residency status shall be at the sole discretion of SUNY Sullivan.
SUNY RECONNECT is a scholarship/grant program offering a free college education to New York State residents aged 25-55 who do not already have a college degree. It covers tuition, fees, books, and supplies for those pursuing associate degrees in high-demand fields. The program is part of the New York State Opportunity Promise scholarship, and is designed to remove financial barriers to higher education.
Applicable Degree Programs:
This gives undocumented and other students access to New York State‐administered grants and scholarships that support higher education costs, providing access to the Excelsior Scholarship, the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), as well as other state-administered scholarships that were not previously available. Students meeting the NYS Dream Act eligibility criteria can apply for one or more HESC-administered grant and scholarship programs at the HESC website.
Students must first apply for FAFSA and for TAP. After applying for those, Students will need to apply for the Excelsior Scholarship. The Excelsior Scholarship will cover the remaining balance of tuition for eligible students.
The application is available online at https://www.hesc.ny.gov/excelsior/ and must be completed by the deadline.
The Higher Education Services Corporation (www.hesc.ny.gov) has the responsibility of administering the Excelsior Scholarship.
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Students must be New York State residents with a combined federal adjusted gross income of $125,000 or less
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Students must attend a SUNY or CUNY college; SUNY Sullivan is a member institution
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The maximum last-dollar award is $5,500 per year
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Students must be able to graduate “on-time.” This means students must complete their two-year degree in two years or less, they must complete thirty (30) academic credits per year (including summer and winter intersession).
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Recipients of the Excelsior Scholarship must reside in New York State for the number of years that he/she receives the award; If a student receives the awards for two years, then they must live in New York State for two years after graduation
There are many outside scholarship opportunities available. Talk about scholarships with your high school guidance counselor, and use these links to help you get started with your search. Remember, you should never pay to search or apply for scholarships!
New York State Scholarships
College Board’s Big Future
Fastweb Scholarship Search
SUNY SULLIVAN FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS
Use the following guidelines when applying for a Sullivan County Community College Foundation Scholarship:
- Review the criteria for the scholarship(s) that you are applying for.
- Follow the specific instructions for each scholarship.
- Complete the application form for each scholarship.
- Obtain and submit all the necessary information required (i.e. transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc.)
- You must apply for financial aid to be eligible for certain scholarship awards. Financial aid includes FAFSA,NYS TAP, and/or NYS Jose Peralta Dream Act.
- Submit the required essay. The 500-word typed essay should focus on the following, unless otherwise noted: Describe your goals and how Sullivan County Community College will play a part in helping you achieve these goals.
Completed applications must be in the SUNY Sullivan Office of Financial Aid, 112 College Road, Loch Sheldrake, NY 12759 or finaid@sunysullivan.edu by deadline.
To find out more, or for help with your application to SUNY Sullivan, contact an Enrollment Specialist today at admissions@sunysullivan.edu. For general information about SUNY Sullivan please send an email to info@sunysullivan.edu.
Description: Introduced in 2012, SUNY Sullivan’s Presidential Scholars program makes a college education more accessible and more affordable for high-achieving students graduating from Sullivan County high schools. Students with a minimum overall grade average of 90 are eligible to receive the scholarship.
Amount of Scholarship: Full Tuition & Fees after State Aid and PELL and any other SCCC Foundation scholarships have been awarded
Awarded by: SCCC Foundation Scholarship Fund & SUNY Sullivan prior to the Fall semester
Eligibility and Criteria:
- Presidential Scholars funds are awarded to graduates of Sullivan County schools who have a minimum overall grade point average of 90 and are planning to attend SUNY Sullivan full-time for Fall. Final grades must be reported through an official high school transcript.
- Presidential Scholars funds cover tuition and fees, less PELL and State Aid and any other SUNY Sullivan Foundation scholarships, offering a minimum award of $300 per semester.
- Recipients must be in the graduating class preceding the start of their first Fall semester of study.
- Recipients MUST apply for financial aid.
- The Presidential Scholars award is a maximum continuous two-year scholarship for the Fall and Spring semesters. No stop-outs in study are permitted.
- After the first year, continuation as a Presidential Scholar is based upon the achievement of an overall 3.25 GPA for the first year of study.
- Contact the Admissions office at admissions@sunysullivan.edu or 845-434-5750 ext. 4284 for further information.
- Complete the Presidential Scholars application below.
This fund awards a $500 scholarship to an incoming first-year student enrolling in a Business or Insurance program at SUNY Sullivan.
How to Apply:
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Additional Question: Indicate if you are an employee, or the family member of an employee, of The Rhulen Agency, Frontier Insurance, or Merkel Agency.
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Essay Requirement: Submit a 500-word essay describing your career goals and explaining how SUNY Sullivan will help you achieve them.
This fund awards a $1,000 scholarship each fall semester to a student enrolled in SUNY Sullivan’s Nursing program. Applicants must be Sullivan County residents in good academic standing with a minimum 2.5 overall GPA. School activities and civic achievements will also be considered.
How to Apply:
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Additional Question: Submit a list of any high school activities and civic achievements.
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Essay Requirement: Submit a 500-word essay describing your career goals and explaining how SUNY Sullivan will help you achieve them.
This fund awards a $300 scholarship to a student pursuing an education in Science, Natural Science, or Environmental Science. Applicants must be residents of Sullivan, Orange, or Ulster County.
How to Apply:
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Additional Question: Submit a list of any high school activities and civic achievements.
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Essay Requirement: Submit a 500-word essay describing either:
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Your ultimate career goal in science and why you are pursuing it, or
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An environmental project you have completed, or one you would like to complete.
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Letter of Recommendation: Provide a letter from a high school teacher/advisor, college faculty member, or community member familiar with your interests and goals.
This fund awards a $1,000 scholarship to assist returning Nursing students who are Sullivan County residents. Applicants must be entering the second year of the Nursing Program at the time of application and have a minimum 3.0 GPA.
How to Apply:
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Essay Requirement: Submit a 500-word essay describing your career goals and explaining how SUNY Sullivan will help you achieve them.
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Letters of Recommendation: Provide two letters of recommendation.
This fund awards a $500 scholarship to a first-year student from either the Monticello Central School District or Fallsburg Central School District. An additional $500 may be awarded in the second year if the student demonstrates satisfactory performance.
How to Apply:
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Requirement: Applicant must be a graduate of the Monticello or Fallsburg Central School District.
This fund awards a $1,000 scholarship to assist students who are residents of Sullivan, Orange, Ulster, or Delaware County and who are attending or planning to attend SUNY Sullivan. Applicants must have participated in student government or volunteered with community service organizations, and must be nominated by a SUNY Sullivan faculty or staff member.
How to Apply:
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Documentation: Provide proof of your participation in student government and/or community service organizations.
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Letter of Recommendation: Submit a letter of recommendation from the faculty or staff member nominating you for this award.
Description: To assist a student graduating from SUNY Sullivan with an associate’s degree to continue their education when they transfer to pursue a bachelor’s degree at a State University of New York (SUNY) school.
Amount of Scholarship: $5,000
Eligibility:
- Be a resident of Mamakating or Thompson;
- Have graduated from SUNY Sullivan;
- Be admitted to a SUNY institution as a transfer student (proof of acceptance required);
- Demonstrate financial need (FAFSA) that exceeds funds available from other sources;
- Maintain a 3.0 GPA, and;
- Provide at least one letter of recommendation from a faculty member or advisor.
Additional Information: For more information on how SUNY Sullivan students can apply, contact Klu Padu, Career Placement & Transfer Advisor at (845) 434-5750 x4202.
FINANCIAL AID AWARD QUESTIONS & APPEALS
Students with questions about their financial aid award or who are dissatisfied with the type or amount of aid offered, may appeal, in writing, to:
Keri Whitehead
Director of Financial Aid
SUNY Sullivan
112 College Road
Loch Sheldrake, NY 12759
Calling all Sullivan County 2025 Grads & GED/HSE recipients:
Attend SUNY Sullivan with FREE TUITION & FEES!
Attention Adult Learners:
Get Your Degree FREE!
Meet the Financial Aid Team
Keri Whitehead
DIRECTOR
kwhitehead@sunysullivan.edu
845-434-5750 x4231
Room E106
Adam Linko
Financial Aid Officer
alinko@sunysullivan.edu
845-434-5750 x4201
Room E105B
Nicole Feller
Financial Aid Officer
nfeller@sunysullivan.edu
845-434-5750 x4391
Room E105B
An institutional financial aid professional is expected to always maintain exemplary standards of professional conduct in all aspects of carrying out his or her responsibilities, specifically including all dealings with any entities involved in any manner in student financial aid, regardless of whether such entities are involved in a government sponsored, subsidized or regulated activity.
The Financial Aid Professional shall:
- Refrain from taking any action for his or her personal benefit.
- Refrain from taking any action he or she believes is contrary to law, regulation or the best interests of the students and parents he or she serves.
- Ensure that the information he or she provides is accurate, unbiased and does not reflect any preference arising from actual or potential personal gain.
- Be objective in making decisions and advising his or her institution regarding relationships with any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.
- Refrain from soliciting or accepting anything of other than nominal value from any entity (other than an institution of higher education or a governmental entity such as the U.S. Department of Education) involved in the making, holding, consolidating or processing of any student loans including anything of value (including reimbursement of expenses) for serving on an advisory body or as part of a training activity of or sponsored by any such entity.
- Disclose to his or her institution, in such manner as his or her institution may prescribe, any involvement with or interest in any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.
Please note that this pertains to FFELP loans awarded prior to the 2008-2009 school year and to alternative loans. Since the 2008-2009 school year Sullivan County Community College continued to process alternative loans but began and will continue to award student loans through the Federal Direct Loan program.
- Sullivan County Community College works diligently to ensure that its officers, employees and agents avoid conflicts of interest in connection with their responsibilities relating to providing and administering student loans for our students. In accordance with state and federal law, you should be aware that the following activities are prohibited. Some of these prohibitions involve technical definitions which can be found by referring to the applicable state and federal law. If you wish to obtain this information, please contact the financial aid office.
- Sullivan County Community College does not enter into any revenue-sharing arrangement with any lender.
- No officer, employee or agent of Sullivan County Community College who is employed in the financial aid office or who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to education loans will solicit or accept any gift or other thing of value from a lender, guarantor or loans or servicer of education loans. You should be aware that certain items provided or contributed by lenders are not considered gifts such as training materials, philanthropic contributions unrelated to education loans and entrance and exit counseling services.
- No officer, employee or agent of Sullivan County Community College who is employed in the financial aid office or who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to education loans will accept from any lender or affiliate of any lender any fee, payment or other financial benefit (including the opportunity to purchase stock) as compensation for any type of consulting arrangement or other contract to provide services to a lender or on behalf of a lender relating to education loans.
- Sullivan County Community College will not for any first-time borrower assign, through award packaging or other methods, the borrower’s loan to a particular lender or refuse to certify or delay certification of any loan based on the borrower’s selection of a particular lender or guaranty agency.
- Sullivan County Community College will not request or accept from any lender any offer of funds to be used for private education loans, including funds for an opportunity pool loan, to students in exchange for the campus providing concessions or promises regarding providing the lender with a specified number of loans made, insured or guaranteed a specified loan volume or a preferred lender arrangement for such loans.
- Sullivan County Community College does not request or accept from any lender any assistance with call center staffing or financial aid office staffing.
- No employee of Sullivan County Community College who is employed in the financial aid office or who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to education loans or other student financial aid and who serves on an advisory board, commission or group established by a lender, guarantor or group of lenders or guarantors will receive anything of value from the lender, guarantor or group of lenders or guarantors for such service.
MISSION STATEMENT OF THE FINANCIAL AID OFFICE
The Office of Financial Aid at SUNY Sullivan is comprised of a team of dedicated professionals committed to assisting students and their families in obtaining financial resources to help meet their financial obligation to the college while assuring compliance with Federal, State and Institutional regulations. The Office of Financial Aid provides quality customer service in delivering information on federal, state, institutional and alternative sources of financial aid, and debt management while in college and thereafter. In pursuing our mission, we provide accurate and accessible information to the campus community recognizing that only together we can achieve our common goal to enhance enrollment, retention and the academic success of our students
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