CLOSED - Wednesday, July 10 Due to Weather
Scholarships
Ready to apply for a scholarship?
A scholarship is a gift for your education that does not need to be repaid, and are most often awarded to students based on academic achievement or community service involvement.
Anyone can apply for scholarships! Just make sure to fill out the OCC scholarship application or applications required by the school or organization that offers it.
Below are a few resources that list scholarships available to OCC students with brief information about next steps!
OCC Foundation Scholarships
At the link below, you will find scholarships available with brief information about their qualifications. For scholarships that require an application, sign in with the OCC username and password you use to access the campus login portal. You will then complete a general application that will help us pair you with the scholarships you are qualified for! Then you can apply to the scholarships we provide scholarships.
We encourage you to register for the current and/or upcoming semester so we can best match you with the right scholarship and award opportunities.
NYS Excelsior Scholarship
The Excelsior Scholarship, in combination with other student financial aid programs, allows students to attend a SUNY or CUNY college tuition-free. The scholarship covers any remaining gap in tuition expenses, after other federal and state grants and scholarships are applied, up to $5,500.
New applicants must have their FAFSA and NYS TAP applications on file prior to submitting their Excelsior Scholarship application.
How to Apply
The application for the Excelsior Scholarship can be completed each year on the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) website. The application for the Excelsior Scholarship is not open year-round and is typically available twice a year for 4-6 weeks. Students are encouraged to sign up for application updates on the HESC website to be notified by email or text message when the application becomes available.
To learn more about general eligibility requirements visit:
Other NY Scholarships
New York State offers a variety of other grants and scholarships administered through HESC. Keep in mind that some may require additional applications, require a service obligation, or may not be offered at OCC.
For a list of available scholarships visit: