Peter F. Vallone Academic Scholarship Program
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The Vallone Scholarship was established by the New York City Council and is a scholarship that rewards high school graduates who have proven their ability to succeed academically while they were in high school. There is no separate application for the scholarship. Students are automatically considered for the award when they apply for admission to CUNY.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
You are eligible to receive the Peter F. Vallone Academic Scholarship if you enroll as a first time freshman in a college of the City University of New York system within a year of graduating from a New York City high school without having attended any other post-secondary institution before entering CUNY. Your high school records will be evaluated to determine if you have a College Admissions Average (CAA) of 80 or above and 12 College Preparatory initiative (CPI) units, as calculated by the University Application Processing Center.
CONDITIONS OF CONTINUED ELIGIBILITY
- There is no citizenship requirement; therefore, international and undocumented students who graduated from New York City high schools are also eligible to receive this award.
- You must maintain continuous full-time enrollment within The City University of New York system. In exceptional cases, one leave of absence for a period of up to one year might be granted for extenuating medical, family or personal circumstances. (See Leave of Absence)
- In your first semester, at least six credits of your full-time enrollment (at least twelve equated credits) must be college credit-bearing coursework. Future semesters require that you enroll in at least 12 credits of college credit bearing coursework.
- You must maintain at least a cumulative “B” (3.00) grade point average. If you fail to maintain this grade point average, you will no longer be eligible for the scholarship, unless you file an appeal and the appeal is granted. (See Appeal Process)
- If you are pursuing an associate’s degree, you must accumulate 39 credits by the end of the 4th semester. If you are pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you must accumulate 90 credits by the end of the 8th semester.
- You are limited to six semesters of eligibility, if you are enrolled in an associate’s degree program. If you are enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program, you are limited to ten semesters of eligibility.
- You MUST file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or its successor form, every year to receive this scholarship.
SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT
The scholarship amount each year is dependent on the program’s appropriation in the annual New York City budget. For the 2007-2008 academic year, the scholarship was funded at $625 for Fall 2007 and $465 for Spring 2008.
For the 2008-2009 academic year, the scholarship will be funded at the level of $500 ($250 each semester.) The conditions of this program are subject to review and revision by the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York and the New York City Council.
APPEAL PROCESS
If you lose your eligibility for the Vallone Scholarship due to academic or personal circumstances, you can file an appeal to request that the award be restored. Appeal applications are available at the Office of Student Affairs, in the General Building, Room G-414. The City Tech Waiver Review Committee reviews the appeal and makes a recommendation.. The final determination is made by the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs of the City University of New York. If you do not have the basis for an appeal or the appeal is not granted, eligibility is terminated for awards in future semesters.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Since you must maintain continuous full-time enrollment within CUNY for the Fall and Spring semesters, you are not allowed to take a semester off and then have your scholarship reinstated. However, in exceptional cases, one leave of absence for up to one year may be granted for extenuating medical, family, or personal circumstances. Appeal applications are available at the Office of Student Affairs, in the General Building, Room G-414. DROPPING OR WITHDRAWING FROM CLASSES
Provided that you meet all other eligibility requirements, your eligibility to receive payment of the award is certified based on your enrollment on certification date (Form A date: end of change period.) If you drop below full-time attendance after the end of the change period (certification date), you will still be eligible the following semester. There is no credit accumulation requirement built into the program other than the maximum number of semesters of receipt of the award, and the need to have 39 credits at the end of four semesters in two-year programs, and 90 credits after eight semesters in a bachelor’s degree program.
TRANSFER STUDENTS
The eligibility rules that apply to any continuing student also apply to students who transfer within CUNY and are already receiving the scholarship.
