Pre-College & High School Equivalency Programs

• Future Now – High School Equivalency program for youth 17-24 years old (Bronx Community College)
• Project Impact – High School Equivalency program for youth 17-24 years (Borough of Manhattan Community College)
• HSE Connect – High School Equivalency program for system-involved students 25 years and older (John Jay College Institute for Justice & Opportunity and the Manhattan Educational Opportunity Center)

Credit-Bearing Education & Training Programs

Inside Correctional Facilities

• Prison-to-College Pipeline (P2CP) @ Otisville Correctional Facility (John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity)
• Freedom Prep @ Horizon Juvenile Center & Crossroads Juvenile Center

In the Community

• Freedom Prep @ Bronx Community College & LaGuardia Community College
• Navigator Certificate in Human Services & Community Justice (John Jay College Institute for Justice & Opportunity) + credit articulation agreements with CUNY campuses
• Certificate in Community Leadership – CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies
• Holistic Oasis for Parents’ Education (HOPE) Program – Hostos Community College

Non Credit-Bearing Education & Training Programs

Inside Correctional Facilities

• College Justice Program @ Edgecombe Correctional Facility *PAUSED DUE TO COVID-19* (Queensborough Community College)
  Contact Professor Angieszka Tuszynska ATuszynska@qcc.cuny.edu; Professor Alison Cimino ACimino@qcc.cuny.edu

• Courses at Queensboro Correctional Facility *PAUSED DUE TO COVID-19* (LaGuardia Community College)
  Contact Professor John Chaney jchaney@lagcc.cuny.edu
• Introductory courses to college and various professions i.e. entrepreneurship, music production, construction, emerging trends in health care @ Horizon Juvenile Center, Crossroads Juvenile Center, and Close to Home sites (Kingsborough Community College Continuing Education and Workforce Development)
  Contact Alissa Levine, Director of Programs alissa.levine@kbcc.cuny.edu

In the Community

Tech 101: Introduction to Technology in the Workplace *PAUSED DUE TO COVID-19* (John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity)

Fellowships & Experiential Learning Opportunities

• David Rockefeller Fund Fellowship

Legal Services

• John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity & Community Service Society of New York (CSS) Legal Services for CUNY Students Impacted by the Criminal Legal System

Support Programs & Communities

• John Jay College Institute for Justice & Opportunity – College Initiative
• Borough of Manhattan Community College – Project Impact
• Bronx Community College – Future Now
• CUNY School of Law – Formerly Incarcerated Law Students Advocacy Association

Community Colleges

Borough of Manhattan Community College

• Project Impact

Bronx Community College

• Future Now
• Kalief Browder Memorial Scholarship
• Justice@BCC

Hostos Community College

• CUNY Fatherhood Academy
• Justice@Hostos
• Holistic Oasis for Parents’ Education (HOPE) Program – a two-generation summer program for parents/caregivers and children ages 0-11, where students earn college credits while children participants in classroom learning and enrichment activities on and off-campus.

LaGuardia Community College

• CUNY Fatherhood Academy

Kingsborough Community College

• CUNY Fatherhood Academy
• Continuing Education and Workforce Development offers non credit-bearing introductory courses to college and various professions in partnership with New York City’s Administration of Children Services to incarcerated youth at Horizon Juvenile Center, Crossroads Juvenile Center, and Close to Home sites.
  Contact Alissa Levine, Director of Programs alissa.levine@kbcc.cuny.edu

Queensborough Community College

• College Justice Program @ Edgecombe *PAUSED DUE TO COVID-19*
  Contact Professor Angieszka Tuszynska ATuszynska@qcc.cuny.edu; Professor Alison Cimino ACimino@qcc.cuny.edu

Senior Colleges & Graduate Centers

CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies

• Certificate(s) in Community Leadership

CUNY School of Law

• Formerly Incarcerated Law Students Advocacy Association

CUNY Graduate Center

• CUNY BA + Bard Prison Initiative partnership
  Contact Nikko Vaughn, Continuing Education Specialist nvaughn@bard.edu

John Jay College of Criminal Justice

• John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity
  • HSE Connect
  • Prison-to-College Pipeline
  • College Initiative
  • Navigator Certificate in Human Services & Community Justice
  • Tech 101: Introduction to Technology in the Workplace *PAUSED DUE TO COVID-19*
  • Tow Policy Fellowship *John Jay Graduate Students Only*

Lehman College

• Adult Degree Program
• Adult Learning Center
• Reentry @Lehman

ASAP/ACE

• ASAP – a comprehensive program for associate-degree seeking students at CUNY community colleges and select comprehensive colleges that provides extensive academic, personal, and financial support for students.
•  ACE – the four-year/senior college equivalent of ASAP. Currently offered to students at John Jay College and Lehman College.

SEEK/College Discovery

• College Discovery – a comprehensive support program for first-year community college students who meet specific annual income guidelines. Students are provided with counseling, academic, and supplemental financial support.
• SEEK – the four-year/senior college equivalent of College Discovery for students who fall short of the typical admissions standards of the institution and meet specific annual income guidelines.

CUNY Start & Math Start

• CUNY Start – a college success program for associate degree-seeking CUNY students to prepare for college-level course work in reading, writing, and math prior to their matriculation in credit-bearing courses for a low-cost fee. A College-Knowledge Seminar, in addition to academic course work, helps students prepare for college. Full-time and part-time options are available.
• Math Start – a college success program for associate degree-seeking CUNY students to prepare for college-level math proficiency only. A College-Knowledge Seminar, in addition to academic course work, helps students prepare for college.

CUNY Black Male Initiative

A CUNY-wide student development initiative with more than 30 projects committed to supporting the matriculation, retention, and graduate rates of underrepresented students, particularly men of color. Find out which CUNY Black Male Initiative project(s) exist at your campus!

CUNY Campus Child Care Centers

Juggling childcare and school is challenging. Your campus might have a Child Care Center that meets the demands of your schedule and your child’s educational and development needs.

CUNY CARES

CUNY CARES provides supports to students at Bronx Community College, Hostos Community College, or Lehman College who need help finding campus and community-based essential services for health care, mental health, food, and housing. To access CUNY CARES services visit the CUNY CARES Navigator Portal or email CARESNavigators@cuny.edu.

CUNY Disability Services

Each CUNY campus offers a variety of resources and accommodations to support the academic and personal success of students with disabilities. Services include counseling and referral services, assistive technology services, and arranging auxiliary aids and services like note-takers, readers, sign-language interpreters, testing arrangements and much more!

CUNY Veteran Services

If you are a veteran, CUNY offers application fee waivers and maintains a repository of other mental health, financial, and housing resources. Visit the Veterans Affairs website to learn more and connect with a Veterans Affairs representative at your campus.

CUNY EDGE

CUNY EDGE is committed to supporting public assistance recipients at CUNY succeed in college, while meeting their public assistance requirements, by providing academic, personal and career planning support. Visit the CUNY EDGE website to find the CUNY EDGE representative on your campus.

CUNY Foster Care Support & Initiatives

If you are in foster care or have a history in foster care, CUNY is committed to supporting your success through several supportive pipelines. To learn more about the different ways that CUNY is supporting people with a history of Foster Care visit the CUNY Foster Care Collaborative website.

CUNY Undocumented Student Support

If you are an undocumented student, CUNY has organized resources and information to support your educational journey no matter your citizenship status. Each campus has designated contacts to help answer any question you have about financial aid, enrollment, and other matters. And legal services are available to ensure you get the legal help you need regarding your immigration status. To learn more, visit the CUNY Undocumented Student Support website.

Federal Aid – Second Chance Pell, Pell Restoration, & Pell Grant Eligibility

• Understanding Second Chance Pell – Second Chance Pell is a pilot program that enables incarcerated people in some state and federal prisons to access Pell grants. 130 colleges are approved Second Chance Pell sites and provide post secondary credits, certificates, associates degrees, and bachelor’s degrees to incarcerated college students. Click here for an instructional video on how to file a FAFSA while in prison.
• Understanding Financial Aid & Pell Grant Eligibility After Incarceration – After incarceration, almost all students have access to federal and state financial aid. There are only two instances where eligibility may be suspended: 1) conviction of a drug-related offense while receiving financial aid; and 2) subject to an involuntary civil commitment for a sexual offense upon completion of incarceration.
  • If you were convicted of a drug-related offense while receiving financial aid, you can regain your eligibility for financial aid by: 1) completing an approved drug rehabilitation program, or 2) passing two unannounced drug tests administered by an approved drug rehabilitation program.

*Beginning July 2023, there will be no exclusions or suspensions of financial aid for people who have a conviction record or who are currently incarcerated*

NYS State Aid – Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) Eligibility

You are eligible for New York State’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) if you are a formerly incarcerated student or have a prior conviction! Only currently incarcerated students are ineligible for TAP.

CUNY Application Fee Waivers

CUNY application fees range from $65-$75 depending on whether you are a new student, transfer student, or graduate student. In special cases, students may be eligible for an application fee waiver. Contact CUNY admissions and work with your counselor or advisor to learn more about application fee waiver eligibility.

National Directory of Higher Education in Prison Programs

There is an evolving community of higher education in prison programs operating across the country. Click here to access a comprehensive directory of college-in-prison programs in the United States.

College-in-Prison in New York State

There are a number of higher education institutions operating in more than 30 prisons across New York State. Click here for an interactive map of higher education in prison opportunities across the state courtesy of SUNY’s Higher Education for the Justice-Involved work.

College-in-Prison as Earned Eligibility for Merit Time

Earning college credits in prison is now part of the New York State Department of Correctional Education and Supervision’s Merit Time eligibility criteria!

New York State passed S261/A3078 that will allow incarcerated people who earn at least 18 credits from degree-granting higher education institution as a condition on which the Merit Board may grant merit time. To learn more about Merit Time click here.

Getting the Record Straight: A Guide to Navigating Background Checks

A guide designed to help people with criminal records understand what is on their record and become equip to talk compellingly about their history.

Getting to Work with a Criminal Record: NYS License Guides

A guide dispelling myths and misinformation, and processes for obtaining licenses in 25, high-demand professions.

CUNY Office of Career and Industry Partnerships

CUNY is committed to your career success and provides tangible ways for you to climb your professional ladder with internship, job, and training opportunities. Visit the Office of Career and Industry Partnerships website to learn about internships, externships, and fellowships for CUNY students.

Beyond the Record: A Justice-Oriented Approach to Background Checks

A guide for universities, organizations, and gatekeepers, to understand the history and impact of background checks and recommendations for minimizing their impact.

Campus-based Committees

• Reentry @Lehman – Contact Professor Penny Prince penny.prince@lehman.cuny.edu
• Justice@Hostos – Contact Marsha Milan Bethel mmilanbethel@hostos.cuny.edu; Professor Sarah Hoiland shoiland@hostos.cuny.edu
• Justice @BCC – Contact Professor Crystal Rodriguez crystal.rodriguez03@bcc.cuny.edu
• Reentry Interest Group at BMCC – Contact Dean Janice Zummo jzummo@bmcc.cuny.edu

CUNY Justice Learning Collaborative

The CUNY Justice Learning Collaborative is an internal coalition of faculty, staff, administrators, and students from across CUNY committed to creating a more equitable accessible univeristy system for students with conviction histories. To learn more about the CUNY Justice Learning Collaborative contact Tommasina Faratro tfaratro@jjay.cuny.edu.

University Faculty Senate Committee on Higher Education in Prison

A consortium of faculty and staff across CUNY who support the educational aspirations of incarcerated people through conferences and research on criminal justice and reentry, class offerings for incarcerated students, and assistance for formerly incarcerated students at CUNY after incarceration. To learn more about the committee contact Professor Emily Tai etai@qcc.cuny.edu.

Fellowships and Experiential Learning Opportunities for Students

• Soros Justice Fellowships
  A fellowship that funds individuals to take on projects to promote change in the criminal legal system.
• Justice Fellow Policy Program at the Education Trust
  A fellowship program where directly impacted and formerly incarcerated people use their lived experience to inform, review, amplify and reflect on the Education Trusts’ policy recommendations.
• Center for Justice at Columbia University
  Beyond the Bars is a justice initiative centered on prevention and healing through panel discussions, workshops, community building, and performance art. The initiative sponsors an annual conference, and a fellowship where fellows plan and execute the conference.
  Beyond the Bars Conference
  Beyond the Bars Fellowship
• Just Leadership USA
  • Leading with Conviction
    A year long cohort advanced leadership training for mid-senior level formerly incarcerated leaders committed to advocacy and community organizing.
  • Emerging Leaders
    Day long leadership development opportunities for people directly impacted by the criminal legal system.

Local & National Higher Education in Prison Networks

• Alliance for Higher Education in Prison
  A national community of higher education in prison providers working to support the expansion of higher education in prison.
• New York Consortium for Higher Education in Prison
  A coalition of higher education in prison providers in New York state working together to grow their programs, share best practices, and advocate for their students.
• SUNY’s Office of Higher Education in Prison
  SUNY’s Office of Higher Education in Prison (SUNY) HEP, works to ensure equitable access to higher education in all New York’s state prisons and support justice-involved individuals in their academic and professional endeavors during their incarceration and after release. SUNY HEP supports the SUNY campuses that offer credit-bearing coursework inside over twenty New York State prisons, serving over 700 students, making SUNY the largest education provider in New York State. Additionally, the team also coordinates transfer and articulations between programs and produces publications.

Networks for Students

• Formerly Incarcerated College Graduates Network
  A professional network of formerly incarcerated college graduates across the country committed to sharing opportunities and accomplishments and providing academic and career support to fellow formerly incarcerated peers.
• Prison Cells to PhD
  A network of professionals who provide mentoring and educational counseling to formerly incarcerated people.
• College and Community Fellowship
  A community-based organization committed to providing access to higher education and meaningful career pathways for justice-involved women.

Voting with a Conviction Record

Voting rights are automatically restored after incarceration for a felony conviction, even if you are on parole! However, you must re-register to vote. To learn more about voting with a conviction record in New York State and how to register to vote, click here.