New York State (NYS) Math and Science Teaching Incentive Scholarships are offered to encourage students to pursue careers as secondary math and science teachers (grades 7–12). This program provides awards to students attending school at the undergraduate and/or graduate degree level in exchange for five years of full-time employment as secondary education math or science teachers in New York State. Refer to the NYS-HESC website for application details and deadlines.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Be U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens
• Be attending a college located in New York State
• Be matriculated in an approved undergraduate or graduate program at a degree-granting institution in NYS leading to a career as a secondary education math or science teacher
• Have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher (for returning students)
• Not be a recipient of an award under the NYS Masters-in-Education Teacher Incentive Scholarship Program
• Execute a service contract in which they agree to work for five years as a secondary school math or science teacher (view the terms and conditions of the service contract)
• Not be in default on a federally guaranteed student loan
• Be in compliance with the terms of any service condition imposed by a NYS award

Award Amounts

Recipients shall receive an annual award for full-time study equal to the annual tuition charged to NYS resident students attending an undergraduate program at the State University of New York, or actual tuition charged, whichever is less (for the 2023–2024 academic year, the standard SUNY tuition rate is $7,070).

Note: Any award payment received may have tax implications. Any questions regarding potential tax implications should be directed to a tax professional, the Internal Revenue Service, or the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance.

New applicants will be ranked by GPA and total credits earned. If there are more applicants than available funding, awards will be paid according to rank.

Duration

Recipients are entitled to an annual award for not more than four academic years of full-time undergraduate study and one academic year of full-time graduate study while matriculated in an approved program leading to permanent certification as a secondary education teacher in mathematics or science.

Apply for Payment

Recipients are not required to submit another NYS Math and Science Teaching Incentive Scholarship Program Supplement once they have been awarded this scholarship, but they must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and apply for the Payment of State Grants, Scholarships, and Awards Application each year to receive payment.

A recipient seeking payment who is not a resident of New York State may contact the HESC Scholarship Unit at scholarships@hesc.ny.gov or schedule an appointment with an HESC representative.

Awards will be paid directly to the colleges on behalf of students upon the successful completion of each academic year.

Note: An applicant may attend less than full time during the last undergraduate or graduate year if less than a full-time course load is necessary to complete the degree.

Please contact the HESC Scholarship Unit at scholarships@hesc.ny.gov or schedule an appointment with an HESC representative to inquire about the program.