Legal Services City Services Asylum Seekers Help

Education

Pre-Kindergarten (age 4)

All children who live in New York City and are 4 years old on or before December 1 of the current year are eligible to attend a FREE pre-kindergarten program.

Public School (age 5-21)

All NYC residents have the right to attend public school until graduation or until the end of the school year in which they turn 21 years old.

After-School and Community Programs

The NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) provides after-school and community programs for children and families, including free after-school help, information about jobs and internships, English-language and adult education, and free immigration legal help.

Call (800) 246-4646 for more information.

College/University

All residents of New York State, regardless of immigration status, are eligible to pay in-state tuition at all City University of New York (CUNY) and State University of New York (SUNY) colleges and universities.

For more information visit CUNY's website; or call (800) CUNY-YES (286-9937).
For more information visit SUNY's website; or call (800) 342-3811.

The New York State DREAM Act

On July 3, New York State released the application for the Senator Jose Peralta New York State DREAM Act (“NYS DREAM Act”), which gives undocumented and other students access to New York State‐administered grants and scholarships that support their higher education costs. New York’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) is now available to more students, including those who meet criteria related to attendance of a NYS high school or NYS high school equivalency program. Undocumented students can now also access State financial aid and State scholarships for higher education. Furthermore, this law codifies the practice of allowing all New Yorkers to access the 529 College Savings Program regardless of immigration status.

Learn more about your eligibility (and how to apply) for New York State‐administered grants, programs, and scholarships to support your higher education costs here.