Governor Kathy Hochul’s SUNY and CUNY Reconnect initiative offers free tuition, fees, books, and supplies for adult learners aged 25-55 pursuing associate degrees in high-demand fields at New York’s community colleges. Launched in the FY26 Enacted Budget, this program supports over 16,500 applicants in fields like nursing, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing, empowering New Yorkers without prior degrees to build careers and strengthen the state’s workforce.
Governor Hochul Welcomes SUNY and CUNY Reconnect Students to Community Colleges Throughout New York State
Governor’s SUNY/CUNY Reconnect Provides Free Community College Tuition, Fees, Books and Supplies for Eligible Adult Learners Pursuing Degrees in High-Demand Fields. Helps Those Without a Prior Degree Receive One, Building a Stronger Workforce for the Future.
As community colleges throughout New York State begin their fall 2025 classes this week, Governor Kathy Hochul today welcomed SUNY and CUNY Reconnect adult students who are pursuing free community college degrees in high-demand fields. Under Governor Hochul’s SUNY and CUNY Reconnect initiative, New York State will provide free tuition, fees, books and supplies for adults ages 25-55 who do not already have a college degree and are pursuing an associate degree in a high-demand field.
“The cost of going to college should never stand in the way of any New Yorker achieving their personal and professional dreams,” Governor Hochul said. “SUNY and CUNY Reconnect represent another important step forward in ensuring that quality education remains affordable and accessible for any student who is looking to fill key roles in fast-growing, good-paying fields throughout New York State.”
Launched following passage of the FY26 Enacted Budget, SUNY and CUNY Reconnect now makes it possible for eligible adult students, ages 25-55, to pursue degrees in high-demand fields for free at all SUNY and CUNY community colleges. The response has been overwhelmingly positive with over 16,500 adult learners applying throughout the State.
SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, “Community colleges are engines of student success and economic prosperity, and the SUNY Reconnect program will help more New Yorkers access these essential institutions of upward mobility. This ambitious program launched by Governor Hochul and supported by our State Legislature means more adult students will have access to an affordable world-class education at SUNY community colleges starting now. Congratulations to all of the students beginning – or continuing – their educational journey through the SUNY Reconnect program during the Fall2025 semester.”
CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez said, “CUNY is grateful to Governor Hochul and the State Legislature for expanding access to the opportunities of a CUNY education through the Reconnect free community college program. The Governor’s sustained support will help cultivate a crucial segment of untapped talent for New York’s workforce, enabling many more individuals to obtain an associate degree and move into prosperous, sustaining careers.”
SUNY Board of Trustees said, “With the support of Governor Hochul and the State Legislature more adult New Yorkers can access a high-quality education at SUNY community colleges across the state that will help them secure jobs in high-demand fields. SUNY community colleges, and the entire SUNY system, continue to be ready to welcome an influx of adult learners this year, and congratulate students who are beginning their degree programs this semester. We thank Governor Hochul and state leaders for investing in New York’s future by supporting SUNY Reconnect.”
CUNY Board of Trustees Chairperson William C. Thompson Jr. said: “Governor Hochul’s free community college initiative greatly expands access to CUNY’s programs for non-traditional students by attracting working adults interested in careers in health care, education, and tech. The Reconnect program successfully leverages CUNY’s seven community colleges to support workforce needs in high-demand sectors of New York. We are grateful to the Governor for this transforming investment in New Yorkers’ career development.”
Assemblymember Alicia Hyndman said, “As Chair of the Higher Education Committee, I am incredibly proud to see New York continue to lead the way in expanding access to life-changing educational opportunities. The SUNY and CUNY Reconnect programs are truly breaking down barriers for adult learners aged 25-55, making college accessible and affordable for New Yorkers who are balancing work, family, and other responsibilities. By investing in our people and preparing them for careers in high-demand fields, we are not only transforming individual lives and providing pathways to the middle class, but also strengthening the economic future of our communities and our state. My thanks to Governor Hochul and Speaker Heastie for their foresight and commitment to this great endeavor. This initiative gives ‘back to school’ a whole new meaning for adults across New York.”
SUNY and CUNY Reconnect will fund degrees in high-demand fields including:
- Advanced manufacturing
- Artificial Intelligence
- Cybersecurity
- Engineering
- Technology
- Nursing and allied health fields
- Green and renewable energy
- Pathways to Teaching in shortage areas
In addition to SUNY and CUNY Reconnect, the FY26 Enacted Budget provides $13 million in increased operating aid to community colleges — the first back-to-back operating aid increases for these institutions since the pandemic — and maintains the 100 percent community college funding floor, which protects community colleges from $124 million in lost direct state tax support.
The FY26 Enacted Budget continues to build upon Governor Hochul’s investments in SUNY and CUNY’s community colleges. The Budget included $754 million for community college programs, a $60 million increase from FY25. These investments ensure that New York’s community colleges have the necessary faculty, staff and state of the art technology to meet New York’s workforce and educational needs of the future.
About The State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.16 billion in fiscal year 2024, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit www.suny.edu.
About The City University of New York
The City University of New York is the nation’s largest urban public university, a transformative engine of social mobility that is a critical component of the lifeblood of New York City. Founded in 1847 as the nation’s first free public institution of higher education, CUNY today has seven community colleges, 11 senior colleges and eight graduate or professional institutions spread across New York City’s five boroughs, serving nearly 240,000 undergraduate and graduate students and awarding 50,000 degrees each year. CUNY’s mix of quality and affordability propels almost six times as many low-income students into the middle class and beyond as all the Ivy League colleges combined. More than 80 percent of the University’s graduates stay in New York, contributing to all aspects of the city’s economic, civic and cultural life and diversifying the city’s workforce in every sector. CUNY’s graduates and faculty have received many prestigious honors, including 13 Nobel Prizes and 26 MacArthur “genius” grants. The University’s historic mission continues to this day: provide a first-rate public education to all students, regardless of means or background. To learn more about CUNY, visit www.cuny.edu.
August 26, 2025
Albany, NY
Sources: Governor.NY.gov , Big New York News BigNY.com
