Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the Syracuse Say Yes to Education (SYTE) tuition guarantee grant?
• Who is eligible for a Say Yes financial aid guarantee?
• How does a student qualify for the Say Yes financial aid guarantee?
• Where can students and parents find a list of colleges that participate in the Say Yes financial aid guarantee?
• Are there any income restrictions for receiving the financial aid guarantee?
• What does a high school senior need to do to ensure that they are considered for Say Yes?
• What does a student need to do to remain eligible for Say Yes once they are admitted to a college?
• What happens if a student does not earn the required 12 credit hour or does not have a GPA of 2.0 or better?
• How long is Say Yes funding available?
• If a student graduates from high school, how long do they keep their Say Yes eligibility if they do not go to college right away?
• If a Say Yes eligible student wishes to transfer to a Say Yes college, what steps do they need take?

What is the Syracuse Say Yes to Education (SYTE) tuition guarantee grant?

Students who qualify for the SYTE college scholarship program receive a guarantee that the cost of tuition at an eligible college will be paid for by grants and scholarships from that college or the Syracuse Say Yes to Education program will award a grant to make up the difference.

Who is eligible for a Say Yes financial aid guarantee?

To be eligible for the Syracuse Say Yes to Education financial aid guarantee, a student must meet the following qualifications:

• Be a resident of the city of Syracuse.
• Have continuous enrollment in a Syracuse City School District High School for three years, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades [or be legally designated as having refugee status on an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)]. 
• Graduate from one of the SCSD high schools in or after June 2009.
• Enroll as a full time student in a Say Yes eligible college or university within one academic year after graduation (in addition students must apply for and otherwise be eligible for federal and state financial aid programs).

How does a student qualify for the Say Yes financial aid guarantee?

All students who meet the eligibility criteria stated above automatically qualify. If a student has questions regarding their eligibility, they should speak to the post secondary counselor at their high school.

Though there is no formal registration process, students should register their e-mail addresses with Say Yes by:

• Sending an e-mail to SayYesCollege@syr.edu with the subject line "E-mail address".
• Include their first and last name, date of birth, the current grade they are in, and what high school they are attending in the body of the e-mail.

This will ensure that the student will receive regular information regarding the program.

Where can students and parents find a list of colleges that participate in the Say Yes financial aid guarantee?

Students who in enroll in most of the colleges in the State University of New York (SUNY) and City University of New York (CUNY) are eligible to receive the Say Yes financial aid guarantee. In addition over 20 private colleges and Universities participate in the program. Review a complete list of Say Yes Colleges.

Are there any income restrictions for receiving the financial aid guarantee?

Students may enroll in most of the campuses of the State University of New York (SUNY) or the City University of New York (CUNY) system and be guaranteed that their tuition will be paid for by scholarships and/or grants regardless of family income. The majority of the private colleges limit the full tuition guarantee to admitted students with family incomes less than $75,000 per year. However, Syracuse University and Cooper Union do not have income restrictions.

What does a high school senior need to do to ensure that they are considered for Say Yes?

The Say Yes program monitors the progress of all students enrolled in the Syracuse City School District. When a student reaches the 12th grade and is on track for graduating, they will be notified that fall by Say Yes and asked to provide additional information.

What does a student need to do to remain eligible for Say Yes once they are admitted to a college?

Students will need to apply for financial aid each year and complete the financial aid process at their college. Students must also maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress. For Say Yes this is defined as successfully completing a minimum of 12 credit hours for each semester (fall and spring) and maintaining a GPA of 2.0 or better.

What happens if a student does not earn the required 12 credit hour or does not have a GPA of 2.0 or better?

A student’s academic record will be reviewed at the end of each academic year. If a student completes less than 12 credit hours in the fall or does not have a 2.0 GPA, then they can make up for it by taking additional credits in the spring and/or bringing their grade point average up.

If at the end of the spring semester the student has not completed the required 24 credit hours and does not have a 2.0 or better then the student will not be eligible for funding for the following year.

Students that do not meet the standards of academic progress at the end of an academic year can enroll over the summer to make up their deficiencies. Remember that no Say Yes funding is available to students over the summer.

How long is Say Yes funding available?

Say Yes funding is available for 4 semesters at a community college or 8 semesters at a 4 year college. While students will need to maintain at least 12 credit hours a semester for fall and spring, most students will need to complete at least 15 credit hours a semester to complete their degrees during the time requirement of Say Yes.

It is important that students remain on track to complete their degrees in a timely manner. Students will continue to receive a Say Yes award as long as they maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (see answer to the above question).

If a student graduate from high school, how long do they keep my Say Yes eligibility if they do not go to college right away?

Eligible students who decide not to go to college right after graduation will remain eligible for Say Yes benefits for one academic year after their high school graduation. Therefore, if you graduated in June 2009, you are still eligible if you enroll in a Say Yes college in September 2010.

If a student is Say Yes eligible and wishes to transfer to a Say Yes college, what steps do they need take?

All Say Yes students attending college need to follow the same transfer process as all other college students. For most colleges you will find the transfer admissions procedures on the schools website. Please also review the list on this website of eligible Say Yes colleges as not all of the privates will recognize the Say Yes eligibility of transfer students. If you have questions regarding the process you should call or visit the college’s admissions office.

Say Yes students also need to follow the regular financial aid process and meet all the financial aid deadlines.

Once you have decided on the college you will be transferring to, you need to complete a new Say Yes Student Certification Form to let us know of your intentions. We will contact the college you wish to transfer to and determine your Say Yes eligibility there.

Contact Us

Interested in getting in touch with someone from Syracuse Say Yes to Education? Do you have more questions? You can reach us at: