NEW YORK STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SERVICES CORPORATION ANNOUNCES OPENING OF THE 2026-27 APPLICATION FOR THE SENATOR PATRICIA K. MCGEE NURSING FACULTY SCHOLARSHIP TO TRAIN FUTURE HEALTHCARE EDUCATORS

Scholarship Provides Up To $20,000 Annually for Registered Nurses Licensed in New York Pursuing Graduate Degrees to Advance Their Careers in Nursing Education

The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) announced that the 2026-27 application opened for the Senator Patricia K. McGee Nursing Faculty Scholarship. This program provides critical financial assistance to registered nurses seeking to advance their education and become nursing faculty, helping ensure the state can effectively train the next generation of healthcare professionals.

The McGee Nursing Faculty Scholarship Program provides up to $20,000 per year or the average cost of attendance for a graduate program at a state-operated SUNY, whichever is less.

The scholarship highlights the critical need for qualified nursing instructors in both clinical and academic settings. By removing financial barriers for those seeking advanced degrees, New York State aims to increase enrollment capacity at nursing schools. Last year, the program awarded $2.1 million to over 100 nurses looking to transition their career to become nursing or adjunct clinical faculty.  As part of the scholarship agreement, recipients are required to live in New York State and serve as nursing faculty or adjunct faculty for four years.

To be eligible for the McGee Nursing Faculty Scholarship Program, applicants must also:

• Enroll full-time or part-time at an approved, accredited college in NYS in a master’s or doctoral level program in nursing or related program
• Maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher if the applicant has already completed a semester in a graduate program that will qualify them as nursing faculty or adjunct clinical faculty.

Eligible applicants have until June 18, 2026, to apply.

For more information, eligibility requirements, and to apply for the Senator Patricia K. McGee Nursing Faculty Scholarship Program and other New York State financial aid programs, visit the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) website.

HESC is New York State’s student financial aid agency and a national leader in providing need-based grant and scholarship award money to college-going students. At HESC’s core are more than two dozen grant, scholarship, and loan forgiveness programs, including the NYS Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and the Excelsior Scholarship. HESC puts college within the reach of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers each year through programs like these and through the guidance it provides to students, families, and counselors. HESC helps nearly 300,000 students achieve their college dreams each year by providing more than $900M in grants, scholarships, and loan forgiveness benefits.