Governor Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced the release of the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation’s 2025-26 Annual Report, highlighting efforts to expand college affordability and access, the governor’s office said. The report says HESC administered nearly $1 billion in state financial aid to approximately 300,000 students during the 2025-26 academic year.
The governor’s office said the report outlines expanded eligibility for aid, new resources, and outreach aimed at helping more New Yorkers apply to and pay for college. “New York is setting the national standard for expanding access to affordable higher education,” Governor Hochul said.
The report says 130 colleges and universities waived application fees during 2025 New York State College Application Month, covering nearly 300,000 submissions and saving families an estimated $15 million. It says 670 high schools participated, and state landmarks were illuminated to raise awareness of the initiative.
According to the report, HESC administered $1 billion in aid to nearly 300,000 students, including 152,438 who newly benefited from an increased maximum Tuition Assistance Program income threshold. The report says three part‑time aid programs were consolidated into a single Part‑Time TAP program, and the minimum enrollment requirement was reduced from six to three credits.
The governor’s office said the Veterans Tuition Award expansion, effective July 2025, eliminated the combat service requirement for veterans with at least four years of active‑duty service and extended eligibility to combat veterans regardless of service length. The report says the expansion drove a nearly 70 percent increase in the number of veterans receiving support over the past year.
As of June 2026, New York ranked sixth nationally in Free Application for Federal Student Aid completions, the report says. It says FAFSA completions rose nearly six percent compared to the previous graduating class, and more than 160,000 FAFSA applications and 35,000 TAP applications were submitted during April’s Financial Aid Awareness Month.
The report says HESC launched a Financial Aid Navigator in fall 2025 to help students find grants, scholarships and loan forgiveness programs. It also says the agency introduced a FAFSA Completion Dashboard in April 2026 with statewide and local completion data by school district, legislative district, county, and city or town to identify gaps and target support.
According to the report, HESC hosted hundreds of in‑person and virtual events in 2025-26, supporting more than 12,000 students, families and partners, and expanded its network to more than 130 community and academic organizations. The agency hosted New York’s first statewide College Access Conference in March 2026, where 30 individuals and organizations received the inaugural New York State College Access Awards, the report says.
The governor’s office said HESC advanced its Financial Aid Modernization Project by selecting a vendor for a new student aid processing portal. The report says the agency also restored direct inbound calling at its contact center in March 2026 to ease access to assistance.
The report credits collaboration with SUNY, CUNY, the New York State Education Department, and private college groups for extending reach to students and families. “Behind every financial aid award is a student working toward a brighter future,” HESC Acting President Doris B. González said.
The report says HESC’s redesigned website received Government Technology’s Best Application Serving the Public award in September 2025, and the Times Union named the agency a Top Workplace of the Capital Region in April 2026. The governor’s office provided a link to the annual report.