NYS Memorial Scholarships

Memorial Scholarships for Families of Deceased Firefighters, Volunteer Firefighters, Police Officers, Peace Officers and Emergency Medical Service Workers provide financial aid to children, spouses and financial dependents of deceased firefighters, volunteer firefighters, police officers, peace officers*, and emergency medical service workers who have died as the result of injuries sustained in the line of duty in service to the State of New York.

NOTE: Funding for this program depends on the enacted New York State budget for 2010-11.

*Peace Officers are defined in the criminal procedures law and include many categories including New York State Correction Officers.

Eligibility

Students must:

• Be children, spouses and financial dependents of deceased firefighters, volunteer firefighters, police officers, peace officers*, and emergency medical service workers who have died as the result of injuries sustained in the line of duty in service to the State of New York.

Additionally students must:

• Study at an approved postsecondary institution in New York State
• Have graduated from high school in the United States, earned a GED, or passed a federally approved "Ability to Benefit" test as defined by the Commissioner of the State Education Department
• Be enrolled as a full-time student taking 12 or more credits per semester
• Be matriculated in an approved program of study and be in good academic standing
• Have at least a cumulative "C" average after receipt of two annual payments
• Not be in default on a student loan guaranteed by HESC or on any repayment of state awards
  

How to Apply

Complete and submit the NYS Memorial Scholarship Web Supplement. Be sure to print the Web Supplement confirmation, sign the supplement and submit it along with the required documentation according to the instructions.

Once you have established your eligibility and are assigned an account number by HESC, you must do one of the following by May 1 of each academic year to request payment:

• Current New York State residents – Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and TAP on the Web application. FAFSA and TAP applications and instructions are available at www.hesc.org.
• If you are not a resident of New York State – Contact the HESC Scholarship Unit at 1-888-697-4372 to request a Scholarship and Grant Payment Application.

Award Amount

Memorial Scholarships provide funds to help meet the cost of attending college. The award covers up to four years of full-time undergraduate study (or five years in an approved five-year bachelor's degree program) and includes the following components:

• At a public college or university (SUNY or CUNY): Actual tuition and mandatory educational fees; actual room and board charged to students living on campus or an allowance for room and board for commuter students; and allowances for books, supplies and transportation.
• At a private institution: An amount equal to SUNY four-year college tuition and average mandatory educational fees (or the student's actual tuition and fees, whichever is less) and allowances for room and board, books, supplies and transportation.
• In all cases, the total of all aid received by the recipient cannot exceed the student's cost of attendance.

Note: Legislation enacting the 2009-10 New York State budget included changes to certain grant, scholarship and loan forgiveness programs to meet statutorily mandated savings. As a result, the award amount to each student will be reduced by 2 percent.

Award Payment

HESC will make payments to schools on behalf of students upon certification of eligibility and submission of appropriate financial aid applications.