All opportunity programs are geared towards students who meet two essential criteria: those who may not have been as successful at achieving high grades as their peers were and those that may be struggling financially. The opportunity programs allow students to catch up academically to their peers so that they may be successful in college.

CD - College Discovery 

This is a program based on student need and is offered at all CUNY 2-year programs. The program provides counseling, a stipend, literacy and English as a second language training, tuition assistance, tutoring and supplemental instruction. This program requires that students fill out the FASFA and indicate on their CUNY application that they would like to be considered for the program. To be eligible a student must:

• Be a legal resident of New York State for at least a year prior to entering college
• Be a citizen or have permanent resident status
• Be a high school graduate or recipient of a state-approved equivalency diploma
• Be a first-time freshman or previously enrolled in an HEOP or EOP program
• Have a gross family income that meets the New York State guidelines
• Have earned a College Admissions Average (CAA) of less than 80 percent or a rank in the class at the 65th percentile or lower

SEEK- Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge

This is a program based on student need and is offered at all CUNY 4-year programs. The program provides counseling, a stipend, literacy and English as a second language training, tuition assistance, tutoring and supplemental instruction. This program requires that students fill out the FASFA and indicate on their CUNY application that they would like to be considered for the program. To be eligible a student must:

• Be a legal resident of New York State for at least a year prior to entering college
• Be a citizen or have permanent resident status
• Be a high school graduate or recipient of a state-approved equivalency diploma
• Be a first-time freshman or previously enrolled in an HEOP or EOP program
• Have a gross family income that meets the New York State guidelines
• Be inadmissible according to the freshman admissions criteria established for the CUNY senior college you want to attend

EOP - Education Opportunity Program

The EOP is the opportunity program for SUNY Schools. Students enrolled in the program receive academic, financial, personal, and career support.  This program requires that students fill out the FASFA and request an application that they will submit with their college application. To be eligible a student must:

• Be a legal resident of New York State for at least a year prior to entering college
• Ineligible for admission under traditional standards, but demonstrate potential for completing a college program
• In need of financial assistance within established income guidelines

HEOP- Higher Education Opportunity Program

The HEOP is for independent and private colleges and universities. Students enrolled in the program receive academic, financial, personal, and career support.  This program requires that students fill out the FASFA and request an application that they will submit with their college application. The HEOP application is usually due by February 1st of the year in which you intend to start school. To be eligible a student must:

• Be a legal resident of New York State for at least a year prior to entering college

• Possess a high school diploma or state-approved equivalency diploma or its equivalent
• Be educationally disadvantaged. An educationally disadvantaged student is one who otherwise would not be accepted as a matriculated student under the institution's normal admissions standards in the degree program for which application is made. At open admissions institutions, an educationally disadvantaged student must meet one of the following three criteria:  possess a high school equivalency diploma, possess the equivalent of a GED, or have no high school diploma.
  

• Meet other acceptable academic criteria, which differentiate the HEOP student form regularly admitted students
• Have the potential and motivation for successful completion of college
• Be economically disadvantaged
• Have been in an approved opportunity program if a transfer student