Saint Rose Opts In to New York State’s Enhanced Tuition Award Program

ALBANY (June 19, 2017) — The College of Saint Rose has decided to opt in to New York State’s Enhanced Tuition Award (ETA) program.

The new state program provides up to $6,000 in tuition assistance annually to eligible New York State students who attend private colleges and universities within New York State and are selected by New York State to receive the award.

Participation in the ETA program requires the College to match the students’ ETA award from New York State, and to freeze the students’ tuition rate for each year they receive the ETA award. Students must earn 30 credits per academic year to remain eligible for the ETA, and will have to live and work in New York State after graduation for the same amount of time they received the ETA award.

“Since its founding, The College of Saint Rose has served students from every socio-economic background, and we continue to make this part of the American dream possible. A Saint Rose education is a transformative life experience for students who may not otherwise be able to afford college, and, like me, may be the first in their families to attend college,” said The College of Saint Rose President Carolyn J. Stefanco. “Our decision to participate in New York State’s new ETA program assists the very students Saint Rose currently enrolls, who graduate to become successful alumni in their professions and in their service to others. By choosing to participate in the ETA program for the 2017-2018 academic year, The College of Saint Rose affirms our mission of providing a high-quality educational experience that is affordable.”

The College estimates that as many as 900 current and incoming students could meet the criteria to receive the award. There are approximately 2,600 undergraduate students at Saint Rose, and currently, 84.5 percent of them enroll from New York State. Considering the number of unknowns in this uncharted program, and because GPA and credit minimums are part of the criteria, the College cannot accurately estimate how many incoming students would be eligible.

The College’s decision balances the primary need to support student affordability and the need to make smart fiscal decisions. It is not a small commitment. The College allocated funding to ETA because the College wants to see students be successful and meet their educational goals.

“Our historic commitment to college accessibility and affordability was too compelling to decline to participate in a program that provides additional financial aid,” Stefanco said. “We could not overlook the return on investment for our students. In the end, our students were at the heart of our decision.”

For more information on the College’s affordability and its participation in the ETA, visit https://www.strose.edu/campus-offices/financial-aid/enhanced-tuition-award/.

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