No More Student Worker Fees For These New York Graduate Students

Close to 10,000 graduate student workers across New York State will be able to pursue master and doctoral level study at a more affordable cost thanks to a four year fee phase out process.

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Governor Hochul's Office Announces Elimination of SUNY Graduate Student Worker Fees

Following a four year phase out, Governor Hochul's office announced the official elimination of mandatory fees for graduate students who, in addition to completing master's or doctoral level study, are also employed at 'SUNY State-operated campuses.' The typical fees associated with this level of study amounted to an average of $2,000 per year, which will add up to a significant savings over the course of post-bachelor studies.

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SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr., with regard to the announcement, shared the following statement:

The elimination of fees for graduate student workers advances SUNY’s commitment to affordable excellence for students throughout New York State. Thank you to Governor Hochul, the State Legislature, and SUNY Board of Trustees for continuously supporting initiatives that help our students thrive.

SUNY, with 64 campuses across New York State, is committed to offering access to an affordable education that 'helps our students reach their full potential.' Graduate student workers provide a variety of services to their respective campuses both in the classroom and in roles supporting overall campus operations.

Governor Hochul's Continued Investment in SUNY

The graduate student fee phase out is not the first of it's kind when it comes to Governor Hochul's priorities and investment in SUNY. The Governor has always been a champion for fee free SUNY applications, an annual event that makes the application process more affordable during college application month. Going back to 2022, Governor Hochul helped to launch a multi-million dollar initiative to expand/create 'high-quality child care centers' across SUNY and CUNY campuses.

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SUNY provides academic excellence, and through my administration, we are looking at every possibility to make higher education more affordable. Our graduate student workers serve as teachers, researchers and other critical functions on our campuses while pursuing their degrees, and, with this step forward, we are supporting them in continuing to play these vital roles.