QUALITYstarsNY Academic Scholarship
If you work in an early childhood program participating in QUALITYstarsNY and you are pursuing an early childhood education degree or credit-bearing coursework, you may be eligible to apply for the QUALITYstarsNY Academic Scholarship!
The QUALITYstarsNY Academic Scholarship, made possible by a partnership between QUALITYstarsNY and the Early Childhood Career Development Center, is a competitive scholarship that funds tuition for one course per semester (a maximum of two courses per year) for eligible QUALITYstarsNY participants.
Application Period has ended for the Spring 2025 Semester Scholarship
The application period for the spring 2025 semester has ended. All applicants have been notified of the status of their scholarship application. Those individuals conditionally awarded a scholarship for the spring 2025 semester must meet with their career advisor by January 17, 2025.
Scholarship Benefits
- Scholarship funds to complete an early childhood education degree or credit-bearing certification, credential, or coursework. Scholarship funds may cover one course per semester (maximum of 2 semesters per year).
- College and career advisement from the Career Development Center to ensure you are on the correct pathway for your personal career journey
Additional funding support
Funding for teacher certification exams and international transcript translation and evaluation is available through the workforce scholarship application. Workforce scholarship applications will continue to be reviewed on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted.
FAQ
Review our frequently asked questions below about the QUALITYstarsNY Academic Scholarship or you can download the full list of FAQs in English and Spanish.
To be eligible to apply for the QUALITYstarsNY Academic Scholarship, you must:
- Be working 20 or more hours per week in a participating QUALITYstarsNY programin a teaching or leadership role.
- Be a full-time or part-time student taking coursework in early childhood educationat a CUNY or SUNY college. Proof of admission or enrollment will be required for applicants.
- If eligible for Educational Incentive Program (EIP) funding, the use of EIP funding is required during the calendar year.
- Have an active, current Aspire Registry ID number and profile.
- Be in good standing with the Career Center (i.e., if you are currently a Career Center client, be up to date with required meetings, grade submissions, etc.).
- Be prepared to meet with a Career Center advisor three times per semester.
- Report your grades to the Career Center.
- Have been continuously employed for at least 12 months at a QUALITYstarsNY program.*
*Multiple locations will count
*Applicable only to tuition scholarships
Yes. You will need to work closely with your Early Childhood Career Development Center advisor for guidance on all questions and to confirm your enrollment. Failure to confirm enrollment by the start of the semester will result in a forfeit of funds.
Yes. For students who are certified in childhood or secondary education and seeking certification in early childhood education (ECE), the ECE extension cost for additional coursework and exam(s) will be covered.
Yes, if you live out of state but are employed at a participating QUALITYstarsNY program and attend a CUNY or SUNY college, you are eligible for funding. The QUALITYstarsNY scholarship will fund the CUNY/SUNY tuition rate. If your tuition is higher as an out-of-state student, you are responsible for the difference between the CUNY/SUNY tuition rate and the out-of-state rate.
Yes. Full-time and part-time students are both eligible for funding.
No, staff other than program leaders and teaching staff are not eligible for funding. The role the applicant has listed as their current position in their profile in The Aspire Registry is used to determine eligibility for teachers and program leaders. Position titles that are not eligible for the scholarship include Non-Teaching Staff, PreK Teacher Aide, School Age Care/Afterschool Provider, Student Teacher, Substitute Teacher, and Teacher Aide.
The QUALITYstarsNY Academic Scholarship application will open on October 1, 2024, on the Early Childhood Career Development Center website.
The deadline to submit the application is Sunday, November 10, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.
It should take you about 15-20 minutes to complete the application.
You must know your current, active Aspire Registry ID. If available, you should also be prepared to upload your proof of enrollment (such as an e-bill or transcript) and estimated tuition costs (such as an e-bill or screenshot of invoice).
Yes, you will be able to save your application progress and return to complete it at another time. You must submit your completed application by 11:59 p.m. on November 10, 2024, to be considered.
Yes, you can apply for the scholarship if you meet the eligibility criteria. However, all applicants that are not yet working with a career advisor at the Career Development Center will have to meet with an advisor as part of the application process. If you apply for the QUALITYstarsNY Academic Scholarship but have never worked with the Career Development Center, a career advisor in your region will reach out to you to schedule a meeting during the application process. If you are contacted by a career advisor during the application process, you must respond and attend the meeting with the advisor to be considered for QUALITYstarsNY Academic Scholarship funding. Visit the Career Development Center website if you would like to schedule an appointment before you apply for the scholarship.
Your Quality Improvement Specialist will confirm your status in QUALITYstarsNY as part of the review process. A Career Center advisor will review your application to determine your eligibility. If you are determined to be eligible for funding, all applications will be reviewed through a competitive selection process using a rubric that takes a range of criteria into account.
The spring 2025 semester deadline to apply for the scholarship is Sunday, November 10, at 11:59 p.m. Exceptions will not be made for late submissions; however, you can apply for future semesters when a new application opens.
You will be notified about the status of your application by November 21, 2024. If you are conditionally awarded scholarship funding, advisement meetings will begin the following week. You must confirm your enrollment by the beginning of the semester, or you will forfeit your funding.
Due to the limited funds, decisions are final.
Yes! Your advisor can help you explore available funding opportunities and options.
If you do not receive funding for the spring 2025 semester, you may reapply for future semesters. You must submit a new application when it becomes available. The scholarship is contingent upon available funds from our funders. We encourage applicants to discuss future funding opportunities for each semester with their career advisor.
No. The QUALITYstarsNY Academic Scholarship evaluates all applications each semester. Funding in one semester does not guarantee funding in future semesters.
Coverage is determined by budget availability, demonstration of acceptable grades and meeting the requirement of the scholarship program. The maximum coverage is one course (or equivalent up to four credits) per semester (two courses per year). All approvals are at the discretion of available funding.
A QUALITYstarsNY Academic Scholarship can be used at non-CUNY or SUNY schools only under unique circumstances, which include:
- A student who was previously a QUALITY Scholars or QUALITYstarsNY Scholarship awardee and still needs to complete their degree.
- A student who is attending a Tribal college.
- A student undergoing the review process. Requests will be declined for programs similar to existing CUNY and SUNY programs.
No. Fees for books relevant to the coursework are not covered.
No. Bursar holds and prior bills will not be covered.
If you work in a participating QUALITYstarsNY program, QUALITYstarsNY may cover international transcript evaluation and translation, but not through the QUALITYstarsNY Academic Scholarship. You must apply separately using the workforce scholarship application. Applications will continue to be reviewed on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted.
If you work in a participating QUALITYstarsNY program, QUALITYstarsNY may cover your early childhood education teacher exam fees, but not through the QUALITYstarsNY Academic Scholarship. You must apply separately using the workforce scholarship application. Applications will continue to be reviewed on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted. Exam fees for subjects outside early childhood education (such as School Building Leadership or all grades literacy) are not covered.
No, the QUALITYstarsNY Academic Scholarship does not cover application fees.
No. The QUALITYstarsNY Academic Scholarship is for credit-bearing coursework. Workshop fees are not covered.
- Early childhood
- Programs leading to early childhood teacher certification in New York
- Infant-toddler development
- Credit-bear Child Development Associate (CDA)
- Early childhood special education
- Early childhood bilingual education
- Children’s Program Administrator Credential (CPAC)
- Early childhood business management
- Early childhood/childhood dual teacher certification
The QUALITYstarsNY Academic Scholarship does not fund doctoral candidates at this time.
Applicants attending Tribal colleges will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. We want to ensure that all participants’ needs are met and that colleges meet QUALITYstarsNY requirements and NYS Higher Education standards, including that the college is accredited.
You must meet with your Career Center advisor between November 25, 2024 and January 10, 2025, to accept your conditionally awarded scholarship. Your school will be notified after you meet with your advisor.
Yes. Failure to do so will result in a denial of future funds.
QUALITYstarsNY Academic Scholarship recipients are required to meet with advisors at least three times per semester. Participants who fail to meet this requirement may have their scholarship suspended.
If you change or drop the course your scholarship was awarded to fund, you are required to report the change to your Career Development Center career advisor as soon as possible. Drops are only defined as class changes or removal from enrollment with zero financial liability prior to the start of the term. Failure to report the change or drop will result in suspension from funds for up to 12 months.
QUALITYstarsNY Academic Scholarship funds cover courses even if you fail, but you will not be eligible for additional funds the following semester. Students who fail, drop or withdraw from courses will become eligible for funds again in 12 months.
You can initially connect with your career advisor, who can share the payment status of your account. QUALITYstarsNY cannot cover the balance of your tuition until we receive an invoice from your school. You can expect your campus to invoice QUALITYstarsNY after the last drop/withdraw date of classes. Please expect 6-8 weeks for payment to your institution after your institution invoices QUALITYstarsNY. Your college bursar account will continue to show a balance until the account is paid.