Applying for financial aid at SUNY Polytechnic Institute is as simple as completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Complete instructions on how to apply for financial aid are available online. For more information concerning the affordability of a SUNY Poly education, visit the Financial Aid Office website.

Merit Scholarships

SUNY Poly is committed to acknowledging academic achievement through our merit scholarship program. Academic merit scholarships are typically awarded to the top 20% of the admitted class. All students are reviewed by the Admissions Office upon acceptance. Scholarship criteria include high school academic achievement; strength of coursework (AP, IB, college-level, honors, etc.); SAT or ACT scores; letters of recommendation; personal statements; and extra-curricular activities. Scholarship candidates will be selected from the top ranks of admitted first-year students. Review by the Admissions Office will begin in January.

Those seeking merit scholarships are recommended to submit and complete the admission application process by February 1. Available scholarship funds are limited and distributed among a competitive applicant pool based on acceptance date. Scholarship opportunities may not be available for students applying after February 1.

These scholarships are renewable annually provided recipients meet renewal requirements and full-time status at SUNY Poly. Currently the top 20-25% of our entering first-year students receive an academic merit award.

Scholarship Renewal Requirements

• First-year students entering SUNY Poly on a merit scholarship are required to maintain a 2.75 cumulative grade point average (GPA) and be enrolled full-time through their first two years of student (first four semesters).
• Renewal review will occur on a semester basis. Students not meeting the scholarship criteria will be notified of their scholarship standing after each semester.
• Starting their junior year (completion of the fifth semester), students are required to achieve either a 3.0 cumulative GPA or 3.0 semester GPA as a minimum AND be enrolled full-time.
• Students who do not achieve the minimum GPA requirement stated above will have the opportunity to appeal their loss of scholarship to the Scholarship Appeals Committee through the Financial Aid Office.
• Scholarship awards that include a residential portion will require the recipient to be enrolled full-time AND live on-campus to receive the full award amount. The GPA requirement does not pertain to the residential portion of a scholarship.