NYS Reconnect program expanded to include more New Yorkers: What to know
New York is expanding its free associate degree program to include adults who already have college degrees, in a bid to help workers retrain for careers in high-demand fields.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday that starting in January, all SUNY and CUNY Reconnect programs will be open to adults ages 25 to 55, even if they already have college degrees. Previously, most Reconnect programs were restricted to those who did not have degrees. The exception was in nursing programs, which started accepting degree-holding students this fall.
The expansion is intended to help workers whose job prospects are impacted by artificial intelligence, Hochul said in a statement.
“As AI continues to reshape the global economy, I’m taking action to ensure more New Yorkers have the skills they need to succeed," she said.
The participating Long Island schools include Nassau Community College and Suffolk County Community College, which offer a wide range of Reconnect-eligible programs in healthcare, engineering, technology, education and other fields. Students in Farmingdale State College's dental hygiene program will be eligible for Reconnect starting in fall 2027.
“This is an incredible opportunity for adults in New York State,” said Patricia Munsch, vice president for student affairs at SCCC. “Maybe what they did at 18 isn't what they want to do at 35, and now they're going to have an opportunity to help support the state economy in these high-demand programs where we need workers — and now they'll have an opportunity to do that tuition-free, which is incredible.”
More than 1,400 students are enrolled in Reconnect programs at SCCC this fall, Munsch said.
NCC has about 560 Reconnect students, including about 170 in its Health Studies program, which helps students prepare to work in nursing and other healthcare fields, said Binta Christopher, acting grant director for the program. Many students are returning to NCC after working in retail or as home health aides, she said.
"Returning to school and majoring in something in allied health, whether it's respiratory care or nursing, this will double their income" or more than double it, she said.
Books and supplies also covered
A total of $65 million for the Reconnect program was included in the $277 billion state budget for fiscal 2026-27, which was passed in May.
Reconnect covers the cost of tuition and fees and also provides funding for books and supplies. There is no income test for eligibility.
More than 15,000 students have joined the program since it started in 2025, and the expansion is expected to add "tens of thousands" more students, Hochul said Monday.
The program is open to students who take at least six credits per semester, and some campuses offer childcare. More information about eligibility and applications are available on the State University of New York and City University of New York websites.
The expansion comes as some public and private higher education institutions have reported enrollment declines in recent years due to falling birth rates starting about 18 years ago, as well as recent decreases in the numbers of international students. Throughout the SUNY system, there were more than 387,000 students in 2025, up slightly from the previous three years but down 12.5% from nearly 443,000 a decade earlier, SUNY figures show.
Newsday's Keshia Clukey contributed to this story.
Maura McDermott covers education. Since joining Newsday in 2012, she also has worked on the investigations team and covered real estate and the business of health care.
