Student Financial Services

Financial aid awards for the 2025-26 year will be available in mid-May. Once you receive notice of your awards, please follow the steps below to view them online.

• Log in to MyHeliotrope from: purchase.edu/current-students/ (*If you have not yet activated your Purchase account as advised by the office of Admissions via email, please do so first using the “Account Activation” link.)
• Select the “Financial Aid” tab
• Select the “Award” tab and then select the 2025-2026 school year when prompted

The 2025-2026 Excelsior Scholarship Application is now open until August 31st 2025.

In order to apply, students must meet eligibility requirements, including:

• Be residents of New York State
• Plan to attend a SUNY or CUNY two or four-year college
• Complete 30 credits per year towards their program of study
• Be on track to graduate on time with an Associate’s Degree in two years or a Bachelor’s Degree in four years

To complete the application, you will need:

• 2023 IT-201 NYS Income Tax Return(s) for you and your parent(s) or your spouse, as applicable

The federal government has temporarily expanded the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility for the duration of the pandemic. Details can be found online at: Students | USDA-FNS

The Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021, temporarily expands SNAP eligibility to include students enrolled at least half-time in an institution of higher education, who either:

1. Are eligible to participate in state or federally financed work study during the regular school year, as determined by the institution of higher ed, or
2. Have an expected family contribution (EFC) of $0 in the current academic year.

If you meet the criteria above, you can access and download your SUNY Award letter (PDF) as proof through the following:

1. Go online to your MyHeliotrope account
2. Click on the Financial Aid button
3. Click the Award button
4. At the top of the page click the blue text “Print SUNY Award Letter PDF”

Due to COVID-19 there has been a suspension of loan payments, collections, and waiver of interest on ED-held student loans. Loan repayments has begun as of September 1st, 2023. You can read more regarding this on the Federal Student Aid website.

Student loans go into repayment after a 6 month grace period from your last date of attendance. You have options to repay these student loans or request deferment/ forbearance depending on your circumstance. To arrange this you will contact your Federal Loan Servicer.

To identify your own Federal Loan servicer and to review the federal loans you’ve borrowed to date please do the following:

• Go online to: https://studentaid.gov/ & log in with your FSA ID

• The screen that appears will display your total loan balance and grants:

  • Click on the View loan servicer details text at the bottom right hand side of this box to view your federal loan servicer.
  • You can also click on View Details text to review each loan you’ve borrowed to date.

On Oct. 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced a change to Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program rules for a limited time as a result of the COVID-19 national emergency. Throughout the pandemic, ED has provided a variety of benefits to borrowers.

Now, for a limited period of time, borrowers may receive credit for past periods of repayment that would otherwise not qualify for PSLF.