# New York Offers Free State Tuition Plan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e\_ZTl17Oao&t=14s States like Tennesse, Oregon, and San Francisco have been offering free community college to low-income families but New York is now the first state to offer free state 4-year college tuition. Democratic [Governor Andrew Cuomo](https://www.governor.ny.gov/) enacted the [Excelsior scholarship](https://www.ny.gov/programs/tuition-free-degree-program-excelsior-scholarship) in order to take some of the pressure of student loan debt off of the middle class. To qualify for the scholarship, students will have to accept a certain class load and surpass grade point average requirements. The state budget for the scholarship topped over $160 million, and nearly 940,000 families will qualify for free state 2-year, 4-year, and community college. Students will still have to cover some of the cost of college like room, board, books, and meal plans. The average annual tuition in New York for 4-year colleges is $6,470 and $4,350 for community colleges. To qualify for the Excelsior scholarship, the student's family must earn less than $125,000 annually. The initiative also includes $19 million for a new tuition program for students at private colleges maxing out around $3,000 per student. Governor Cuomo says, "It is incredibly hard and getting harder to get a college education today. It is incredibly expensive. And the debt is like starting a race with an anchor tied to your leg." Cuomo believes everyone deserves a fair shot at the American dream and success, "The rule of the game was everybody has a fair shot at success, that is America, and when you take that away, you take away the spirit and the values that made this country this country."