Before you look at a single scholarship, know which version of Maritime your student is signing up for. Regiment cadets wear a uniform, follow a structured daily routine, and (if they want a U.S. Coast Guard license to work on commercial ships) spend three summers at sea on the training ship Empire State VII. Traditional students live like students at any other college. Tuition is the same either way, but the Regiment adds real costs, and some of Maritime’s biggest money, like the Cadet Appointment Program, requires it.
🏆 Full tuition for NY residents via the Cadet Appointment Program
Average Net Price
$20,312/year (in-state estimate)
Average paid for residents.
Automatic Merit
Varies; decided at admission
No separate application.
Scholarships Tracked
12 opportunities
2 automatic · 8 competitive · 2 hidden gem
Merit Evaluation
Holistic Review / Varies
Merit depends on profile rigor.
Testing Policy
Test-optional
Superscores ACT/SAT.
Key Deadlines
Priority: Dec 1 • FAFSA: Feb 1
Full-Tuition / Full-Ride
Cadet Appointment Program (NY residents in the Regiment)
Residency & Waivers
Special Waivers Available
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at SUNY Maritime (Read This First)
There are three prices, not two. Families in 15 states plus DC and Puerto Rico (including Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, New Jersey and Pennsylvania) pay a lower “in-region” rate of $12,111 in tuition and fees instead of the $19,471 out-of-region rate.
“Automatic” merit is not guaranteed merit. Every admitted freshman is considered with no extra form, but awards are competitive and Maritime does not publish amounts or cutoffs. Merit is decided with the admission decision, so applying Early Action by December 1 gets you an answer sooner.
The bill does not stop at tuition. Regiment cadets pay about $4,384 for a uniform package, every full-time undergrad is billed $3,505 for health insurance unless they waive it, and license cadets pay for three summer sea terms.
The biggest award is political, in the good sense. The Cadet Appointment Program covers four years of tuition, but your student needs a nomination from a New York state legislator. That means calling your senator’s and assembly member’s offices, not just filling out a form.
The Regiment is not the military. It is a leadership program with uniforms and structure, and Maritime is clear it carries no service obligation. NROTC is a separate, optional path.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. SUNY Maritime College is test-optional for admission.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 22-28; SAT: 1120-1290.
Average net price? About $20,312/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
Yes. Institutional waivers are available.
💰 Cost of Attendance at SUNY Maritime College: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest SUNY Maritime College has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly
$500 to $1,300 more than the in-state total below.$700 to $1,800 more than the out-of-state total below.
In-State: billed cost per year
$25,911
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$8,571
Housing & meals (typical)
$17,340
Total billed cost
$25,911
Out-of-State: billed cost per year
$36,811
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$19,471
Housing & meals (typical)
$17,340
Total billed cost
$36,811
That is $10,900 more per year than New York residents pay, before any waivers or scholarships.
Average federal net price: $20,312 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, for in-state students only, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
Out-of-state families: this average does not include you. Run the college's own net price calculator for a number based on your situation.
📌 Regional Tuition & Waiver Options
SUNY Maritime charges three tuition levels, not two. Residents of Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia and Washington, DC pay an in-region rate of $12,111 in tuition and mandatory fees for 2026-2027, compared with $19,471 for out-of-region students and $8,571 for New York residents. Separately, Maritime's Out-of-State Tuition Match offers students from Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Illinois and California a scholarship covering the difference when Maritime's tuition and fees are higher than their home state's flagship. Because Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania families already get the in-region rate, the match may be worth little or nothing for them, so ask Admissions for the exact figure for your state.
The Middle Price Most Families Miss: In-Region Tuition
The table above shows New York and out-of-region prices, but Maritime has a third tier. If you live in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia or Washington, DC, tuition and mandatory fees run $12,111 for 2026–2027. Add housing and meals and your direct cost is about $29,451, roughly $7,400 less than the out-of-region total. You do not apply for this. It is based on your residency.
Costs That Are Not in the Table
Health insurance: $3,505, billed in the fall to every full-time undergrad. You can waive it with proof of other coverage, but you have to re-file the waiver every year.
Regimental uniform package: about $4,384, a one-time cost paid directly to the Ship’s Store.
Regiment entry (Indoc): about $905 one time and non-refundable ($930 for male cadets, who also pay a barber fee), plus small per-semester charges for drug testing and haircuts.
Orientation fee: $250 for new students.
Summer sea terms: License cadets train at sea after freshman, sophomore and junior year. Maritime’s 2026 summer charges ran from about $4,030 to $14,634, depending on residency and the type of summer training.
Books, travel and personal costs: Maritime budgets about $1,500 for books, $1,300 for transportation and $2,546 for everything else.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at SUNY Maritime College
Why does Maritime have three tuition prices?
New York residents pay the standard SUNY in-state rate. On top of that, Maritime offers a discounted in-region rate to residents of a list of mostly Atlantic and Gulf Coast states, where a lot of maritime industry jobs are. Everyone else pays the out-of-region rate. For 2026–2027 that works out to $8,571, $12,111 and $19,471 in tuition and fees.
Does joining the Regiment of Cadets cost more?
Tuition, housing and meals are the same. The extra costs are the one-time uniform package (about $4,384), the one-time Indoc fees, small per-semester Regiment fees, and for license cadets, three summer sea terms. Budget for these separately.
What does Summer Sea Term cost?
It depends on your residency and whether your student sails on the training ship or is placed on a commercial vessel. Maritime’s 2026 cost sheet ranged from about $4,030 to $14,634 per summer. License cadets do this three times, so pull the current sheet and plan for it from day one.
Can we skip the $3,505 health insurance charge?
Yes, if your student is covered under your family plan. Submit Maritime’s health insurance waiver, and do it every year, or the charge stays on the bill.
Does the Out-of-State Tuition Match make Maritime cost the same as our home state flagship?
For tuition and fees, that is the goal, but only for Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Illinois and California, and only when Maritime costs more than your flagship. Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania already get the in-region rate, so the match may add little or nothing for them. Ask Admissions for your number. It does not touch housing or meals.
Is the average net price really around $20,300?
That is the federal average for first-year students who received grant or scholarship aid. New York families who qualify for TAP, Excelsior or CAP can pay much less. Out-of-region families without aid will pay much closer to the full sticker price.
Do Excelsior or CAP cover housing?
No. Both cover tuition only. Housing, meals, fees, uniforms and sea terms are still on the family, which is where outside maritime scholarships really earn their keep.
December 1: Early Action. Merit is decided with admission, so this is the smart target.
January 31: Regular Decision. Still considered for merit, just later.
February 1: FAFSA priority date (school code 002853). New York families also file TAP and Excelsior through HESC.
Every year after: Continuing students apply on AcademicWorks for named scholarships and sea term money.
Parent rule of thumb: at Maritime, the scholarship deadline and the admission deadline are the same thing. Apply early.
Automatic Merit Scholarships at SUNY Maritime College
Every admitted freshman is automatically considered, with no separate application. But Maritime is clear that these awards are competitive and go to top applicants, and it does not publish amounts or GPA and test cutoffs. Think of this as “automatic consideration,” not a guaranteed grid.
Find your student's tier
Enter the numbers you have. We'll highlight the automatic award your student would actually get and tuck the rest out of the way. Leave it blank to browse everything.
Residency
Based on published cutoffs for entering freshmen. Always verify with the college before finalizing plans.
Start with your state. The awards in this first group come from the state, not the college. They are decided by residency and the FAFSA, and they stack on top of whatever automatic merit award the college gives below. If you live out of state, use the toggle above and these will step aside.
State AidFull TuitionApp Requiredstate residencyservice
NYS STEM Incentive Program
📅 Deadline: Senior-year application window; next window not yet posted ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
✔ Stackable
Top 10.0% of the high school class; approved STEM major at a SUNY or CUNY; apply during senior year only and enroll the next fall; five years living and working in NY in a STEM job afterward, or it converts to a 10-year loan with interest; cannot be combined with Excelsior
✚
Stacking & Combining
Pays SUNY resident tuition, $7,070, reduced by TAP and other tuition aid. No income test, so it is the top-10% family's answer to Excelsior. The service commitment is the price: five years in a New York STEM job.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a SUNY Maritime College award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent NY page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Top-10% seniors who commit to a STEM major and to New York. The rank is exact (10.4% does not qualify) and the window is senior year only, so a family that learns about it in the fall of freshman year has already missed it.
State AidApp Required
NYS Excelsior Scholarship
📅 Deadline: HESC annual window ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ New York residents; family AGI of $125,000 or less.
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Applied after other grants and scholarships. Cannot push total aid above the cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
File the FAFSA and the NYS TAP application, then apply for Excelsior through HESC. The 2026-27 window has closed, so watch for the next one.
💡
Strategic Detail
New York families with a combined federal AGI of $125,000 or less can attend a state-operated SUNY campus like Maritime tuition-free. It is last-dollar money: Pell, TAP and other grants are applied to tuition first, and Excelsior covers what is left. It covers tuition only, not fees, housing or sea terms. Students must complete at least 30 credits a year, and after graduation must live in New York, and work there if employed, for as many years as they received the award, or it converts to a no-interest loan.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: New York residents in the income range who stay full-time, stay on pace at 30 credits a year, and plan to live and work in New York after graduation.
State AidAutomaticstate residencyneed based
Tuition Assistance Program
📅 Deadline: FAFSA and TAP application; final cutoff June 30 after the aid year ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$1,000–$5,665/yr
✔ Stackable
NY resident for 12 months; NYS net taxable income $125,000 or less for dependent students; full time (part-time TAP exists separately); FAFSA plus a separate TAP application every year
✚
Stacking & Combining
New York's main need grant, $1,000 to $5,665 a year on a sliding income scale. At a SUNY campus it pays most or all of tuition for the lowest-income families. Stacks with Pell and campus aid, and it is the base that Excelsior builds on. Two forms every year: the FAFSA and the TAP application.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a SUNY Maritime College award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent NY page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Families under $125,000 who finished the separate TAP application after the FAFSA. The TAP form is its own step on the HESC site, and the students who show up with Pell but no TAP are almost always the ones who stopped at the FAFSA confirmation screen.
State AidAutomatic
NYS Scholarship for Academic Excellence
📅 Deadline: Set by your high school ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$500–$1,500/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Graduates of New York high schools, nominated by the school.
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Can be combined with other non-loan aid up to the cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
New York high schools nominate top students, based largely on Regents exam grades, for $500 or $1,500 a year at a New York college. There is no income limit.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Top graduates of New York high schools, selected by their schools.
One award, not a pile. Colleges apply your student's single best automatic award. Automatic scholarships almost never stack with each other, though some stack with housing, departmental, or outside money. The stacking notes on each card tell you which.
Automatic
Admissions Merit Scholarships
📅 Deadline: With admission decision ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Can combine with NYS TAP, Excelsior, federal grants and outside scholarships, but total aid cannot exceed the cost of attendance. If it does, Maritime reduces loans first and then institutional aid. A FAFSA is required every year to receive institutional scholarship money.
💡
Strategic Detail
Every admitted freshman is automatically reviewed for merit money. There is no separate form. Maritime is upfront that these awards are competitive and go to the strongest applicants, so meeting the minimum academic bar does not guarantee a scholarship. Maritime does not publish award amounts or GPA and test cutoffs.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students near the top of Maritime's applicant pool. A strong transcript, solid math and science grades, and test scores when they help are the levers. Because awards are decided with the admission decision, applying Early Action by December 1 gets your student an answer, and any merit offer, sooner.
Automatic
Out-of-State Tuition Match
📅 Deadline: Auto w/ admission ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Coordinates with home-state grants and outside scholarships. Total aid cannot exceed the cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
If your family lives in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Illinois or California, Maritime compares its tuition and fees with your home state's flagship (UConn, Penn State, Rutgers, UMass Amherst, UVM, UNH, UIUC or UC Berkeley) and covers the difference with a scholarship. The catch is that it only pays when Maritime costs more. Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania families already get Maritime's lower in-region rate, so the match may be worth little or nothing for them. Ask Admissions for the exact dollar figure for your state.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted students who are legal residents of one of the eight listed states, and only when Maritime's price is higher than their home flagship's.
Data last verified Oct 1, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Note: Maritime is test-optional. If your student’s SAT or ACT strengthens the application, send it. Scores only count if your student opts in when applying.
Automatic Merit: FAQs (SUNY Maritime College)
Is merit aid at Maritime really automatic?
The consideration is automatic. The money is not. Every admitted freshman is reviewed, but awards go to the strongest applicants and meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee an award.
How much are Maritime’s merit scholarships?
Maritime does not publish amounts. You will see your student’s number in the admission and financial aid offer.
What GPA or test score does my student need?
There are no published cutoffs. Admissions looks closely at the whole transcript, especially math and science, and pre-calculus is required for engineering majors.
When should we apply to get the best shot at merit?
Early Action, December 1. Merit is awarded with the admission decision, so applying early gets you both answers sooner.
Who gets the Out-of-State Tuition Match?
Admitted students from Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Illinois or California, and only when Maritime costs more than their home flagship. It is applied automatically.
Can Maritime merit be combined with TAP or Excelsior?
Yes, up to the cost of attendance. If total aid goes over, Maritime reduces loans first, then institutional aid.
Do we have to file the FAFSA to keep a merit scholarship?
Yes. Maritime requires a FAFSA every year to receive any institutional scholarship, even merit-based ones.
Maritime has one true flagship award, the Cadet Appointment Program, and it is for New York residents. For everyone else, the big competitive money comes from the maritime industry itself. Trade groups and shipping foundations fund cadets because they need licensed officers, and several of them (TK Foundation, CMA, Blue Water) work directly with the state maritime academies.
🗳️ How CAP Nominations Actually Work
Your student applies and is admitted to Maritime, planning to join the Regiment of Cadets.
You contact your state senator’s and assembly member’s district offices and ask about a CAP nomination. Each senator gets 2 nominations every four years, each assembly member gets 1, and the Governor, Senate Majority Leader and Assembly Speaker get 5 each.
Your student completes the CAP application on Maritime’s site. Questions go to CAPscholarships@sunymaritime.edu.
Parent translation: nominations are tied to your district and they are scarce. Make the call in the fall of senior year, not after the acceptance letter arrives.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at Maritime?
Aid Type
Stacks?
Maritime Parent Translation
Admissions Merit
Yes, up to cost
Combines with state and outside aid, but nothing can push the total past the cost of attendance.
CAP (full tuition)
Partly
Covers tuition, so other tuition-only aid may shrink. Outside money still helps with housing, meals, uniforms and sea terms.
Industry Scholarships (TK, CMA, Blue Water, SNAME)
Usually yes
These are the gap fillers. If total aid goes over cost, Maritime cuts loans first, then its own aid.
NY State Aid (TAP, Excelsior)
Yes
Excelsior is last-dollar, so it covers whatever tuition is left after other grants.
NROTC / Strategic Sealift
Often yes
Real money, but it comes with a service commitment. Read the fine print together.
⚠ New York residents in the Regiment of Cadets only.
👥 ~2 per Senate district / 1 per Assembly district per 4-year cycle; 5 each from Governor, Senate Majority Leader, Assembly Speaker winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Because CAP covers tuition, other institutional aid may be trimmed to stay under the cost of attendance. Outside scholarships usually still help with housing, meals, uniforms and sea term bills.
📄
How to Apply
Get admitted to Maritime and submit all required documents, then complete the CAP application on Maritime's website. Contact your state senator's and assembly member's offices early to ask about nominations. Questions go to CAPscholarships@sunymaritime.edu. The Fall 2026 application has closed, so watch for the next cycle.
💡
Strategic Detail
This is Maritime's biggest award: four years of full tuition, funded by the New York State Legislature. Your student needs a nomination from an elected official. Every four years each state senator can nominate 2 students, each assembly member 1, and the Governor, Senate Majority Leader and Assembly Speaker 5 each. It covers tuition only, so housing, meals, uniforms and sea term costs are still on the family.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: New York residents (for at least one year before classes start) who graduate from a New York high school or earn a New York equivalency diploma, join the Regiment of Cadets, and live in a district with an open nomination. Strong academics matter, and Maritime reviews each applicant individually.
🎓 All UndergradSophomores, juniors and seniors in maritime majors.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with other aid up to the cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Ask Maritime's scholarship office (scholarships@sunymaritime.edu) how TK Foundation awards are offered each year, and complete the AcademicWorks general scholarship application.
💡
Strategic Detail
The TK Foundation offers maritime scholarships of up to $10,000 a year to sophomores, juniors and seniors in maritime majors. SUNY Maritime is one of only four schools it works through, along with Cal Maritime, Maine Maritime and Mass Maritime. The foundation does not take applications directly, so this runs through Maritime.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Upperclass students in maritime majors with clear maritime career plans. Specific criteria are set by the foundation and Maritime.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
CMA Education Foundation Maritime Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Late March (see cma-edu.org) Non-Renewable
$500–$20,000
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with other aid up to the cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Download the application from cma-edu.org and email it with an original essay or video essay, one faculty reference letter, a resume and a photo. The 2026 general and Castrol deadline fell in late March.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
The CMA Education Foundation awards $500 to $20,000 to students in maritime studies, including deck, engine, logistics and non-license students at maritime academies. Awards of $7,500 to $20,000 are paid to the school as tuition; smaller awards go to the student. In 2026 the foundation added the $2,500 Castrol Engineering Scholarship, open only to SUNY Maritime marine engineering students on the Third Assistant Engineer license track who have completed at least one sea training experience. Winners can reapply in later years.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who can show genuine interest in a maritime career, with a strong essay and a solid faculty reference. Top candidates may be interviewed over Zoom.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Blue Water Scholarship Fund
📅 Deadline: See Blue Water portal Non-Renewable
$1,000–$10,000
✔ Stackable
⚠ License-track students with financial need.
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with other aid up to the cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the Blue Water Scholarship Fund online portal, linked from bluewaterscholarshipfund.org. Keep FAFSA results handy to document need.
💡
Strategic Detail
Blue Water was started by three maritime industry veterans from blue collar families to help license-track students at the state maritime academies who have financial need. SUNY Maritime's scholarship listing puts awards at $1,000 to $10,000. Your student must be enrolled in a Coast Guard license program and show involvement outside class.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: License-track cadets with real financial need and extracurricular involvement.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
SNAME Undergraduate Scholarships (Herbert and Rosenblatt)
📅 Deadline: June 1 Non-Renewable
$6,000
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Outside scholarship. Counts toward the cost of attendance cap like any other award.
📄
How to Apply
Apply on sname.org by June 1. Joining the SNAME student section early and staying active strengthens the application.
💡
Strategic Detail
The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers offers two undergraduate awards, the Robert N. and Helen H. Herbert Scholarship and the Mandell and Lester Rosenblatt Scholarship, each worth up to $6,000. Both look for a real passion for naval architecture, marine or ocean engineering and active involvement in SNAME. Maritime's Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering majors are a natural fit.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Engineering students in naval architecture or marine engineering who are visibly involved in SNAME.
App Required
Norm Manly YMTA Maritime Educational Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Spring (see YMTA) Non-Renewable
$1,000–$5,000
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Outside scholarship. Counts toward the cost of attendance cap like any other award.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through YMTA in the spring of senior year.
💡
Strategic Detail
The Young Mariners Training Association awards these each spring to graduating high school seniors heading into maritime education, in amounts from $1,000 to $5,000. Maritime lists it, but YMTA runs the application and picks the winners.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: High school seniors with a clear maritime plan and a thoughtful application.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Only
Ports of Philadelphia Maritime Society Scholarship
📅 Deadline: April 15 Non-Renewable
$2,500
✔ Stackable
🎓 Upperclassmen
✚
Stacking & Combining
Outside scholarship. Counts toward the cost of attendance cap like any other award.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the Ports of Philadelphia Maritime Society by April 15.
💡
Strategic Detail
A $2,500 award for Maritime juniors and seniors whose home address is in Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Delaware. The Ports of Philadelphia Maritime Society runs the application, which is due April 15.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Upperclass students from Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Delaware with a strong record and maritime career plans.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Trooper Joseph J. Gallagher Memorial Scholarship
📅 Deadline: July 1 Non-Renewable
$1,000
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Outside scholarship. Counts toward the cost of attendance cap like any other award.
📄
How to Apply
Send the bio and statement through the CONTACT US link on the Troopers Memorial Fund website before July 1.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
A $1,000 award from the Troopers Memorial Fund for any Maritime undergraduate planning a career in law enforcement or the U.S. Coast Guard. The application is short: a brief bio and a statement on why your student should be chosen.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with a clear path toward law enforcement or the Coast Guard. Genuine commitment matters more than test scores here.
Data last verified Oct 1, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
Who can get the Cadet Appointment Program scholarship?
New York residents (for at least a year before classes start) who graduated from or are finishing at a New York high school, are admitted to Maritime, join the Regiment of Cadets, and live in a district with an open nomination.
Does CAP cover room and board?
No. CAP is four years of full tuition only. Housing, meals, fees, uniforms and sea terms are separate.
Can out-of-state students get CAP?
No. Out-of-state families should look at the in-region rate, the Tuition Match, and the industry scholarships below.
How does my student apply for the TK Foundation scholarship?
Through Maritime. The foundation offers up to $10,000 a year to sophomores, juniors and seniors in maritime majors but does not accept direct applications. Ask the scholarship office at scholarships@sunymaritime.edu.
Is there anything just for SUNY Maritime engineering students?
Yes. In 2026 the CMA Education Foundation added a $2,500 Castrol Engineering Scholarship for Maritime marine engineering students on the Third Assistant Engineer license track who have completed at least one sea training experience.
When are the industry scholarship deadlines?
They vary. CMA landed in late March in 2026, the Ports of Philadelphia award is due April 15, SNAME is due June 1, and the Trooper Gallagher award is due July 1. Put them all on the family calendar in January.
🧠 Parent Strategy: The Every-Year AcademicWorks Habit
Freshman merit is only the first round. After that, most of Maritime’s own scholarship money flows through one portal:
AcademicWorks. Dozens of alumni, class-year and industry funds sit behind it.
Complete the general application every year (it covers academic year, Summer Sea Term, unpaid internship and study abroad scholarships).
Check the Summer Sea Term box if your student will be sailing. If they are not sure between Sea Term and Cadet Shipping, check both.
Open the Opportunities tab and apply separately to any scholarship that asks for its own application.
File the FAFSA every year. No FAFSA, no institutional scholarship.
Parent translation: the students who win these are usually the ones who bothered to apply. Make it a calendar reminder, not a maybe.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These are not automatic, but they can make a real dent, especially for New York families and for the sea term summers that catch a lot of parents off guard.
🎓 All UndergradCurrent and continuing students; FAFSA required every year.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with merit and need-based aid up to the cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Log in at sunymaritime.academicworks.com, finish the general application, check the Summer Sea Term and internship boxes if they apply, then open the Opportunities tab and apply separately to any additional scholarships. The 2026-27 cycle is closed; watch for the next opening.
💡
Strategic Detail
After the first year, this is where most of Maritime's own scholarship money lives. One general application on AcademicWorks puts your student in the running for dozens of named alumni, industry and endowed funds, including Houston Pilots, G&H Towing, Horizon Engineering and many class-year funds, plus Faculty Student Association money for Summer Sea Term, unpaid summer internships and study abroad. Some funds also require their own separate application listed under Opportunities.
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Who Actually Wins
Continuing students who actually fill out the application every year. Many awards target specific majors, Regiment involvement, financial need or service, so a complete profile matters.
Stacks with other aid up to the cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the AcademicWorks general scholarship application and mark study abroad as a summer plan.
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Strategic Detail
Maritime's Faculty Student Association funds scholarships for students in the study abroad program run by the Department of Global Business and Transportation. Amounts are not published.
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Who Actually Wins
Students accepted into Maritime's study abroad program who complete the scholarship application.
Generally stacks with other aid; confirm the cost of attendance math with Financial Aid.
📄
How to Apply
Contact Maritime's NROTC Strategic Sealift liaison, join the program, then apply for Student Incentive Pay.
💡
Strategic Detail
License-track students can join Maritime's NROTC unit through the Strategic Sealift Midshipman Program and commission as Strategic Sealift Officers in the Navy Reserve. The program itself is not a scholarship, but participants can apply for Student Incentive Pay worth $64,000 toward tuition, books and other college costs. It comes with a service obligation.
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Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Deck or engine license cadets willing to take on a Navy Reserve commitment.
Data last verified Oct 1, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
What is the catch with the Excelsior Scholarship?
Two catches. It is last-dollar, so it only covers tuition left over after Pell and TAP. And after graduation your student must live in New York, and work there if employed, for as many years as they received it, or it turns into a loan. For a mariner who may take a job sailing out of another port, that matters.
How does my student get the NYS Scholarship for Academic Excellence?
Your high school nominates students, mostly based on Regents exam grades. It pays $500 or $1,500 a year with no income limit. Ask your counselor early in senior year.
Is there money specifically for Summer Sea Term?
Yes. Maritime’s Faculty Student Association funds Summer Sea Term scholarships, and several named funds are summer-only. Both come through the AcademicWorks general application.
Is there a full ride at Maritime?
Not from Maritime itself. The closest path is NROTC: the NROTC Preparatory Scholarship covers tuition, fees, room and board for one year and converts to a four-year scholarship if the student hits a 2.8 GPA and passes fitness and medical requirements. It comes with a Navy or Marine Corps commitment.
When does the AcademicWorks application open?
Once a year. The 2026–27 cycle is closed, so continuing students should watch for the next opening and apply right away.
SUNY Maritime does not have an honors college or a separate honors program. That is not a knock on the school. At a small, specialized college, the “elite track” just looks different. For high-achieving students, the ambitious paths here are the Regiment of Cadets leadership ladder, the Cadet Appointment Program, and NROTC.
This institution does not offer designated Honors College scholarships at this time.
What Fills the Honors Role at Maritime
Cadet Appointment Program: Four years of full tuition for nominated New York residents in the Regiment.
Regiment leadership: Cadets take on more responsibility each year, and seniors serve as cadet officers running the Regiment ashore and at sea.
NROTC National and Preparatory Scholarships: Maritime hosts the New York City NROTC battalion headquarters, so these Navy scholarships are right on campus.
Industry scholarships: Awards like the TK Foundation’s are only offered through a handful of maritime academies, Maritime included.
Honors: FAQs (SUNY Maritime College)
Does SUNY Maritime have an honors college?
No. There is no honors college or separate honors application.
What should a top student aim for instead?
Apply Early Action for the best shot at merit, pursue a CAP nomination if you live in New York, and look at NROTC if a military career appeals. After freshman year, apply for AcademicWorks scholarships every year.
Does Maritime recognize high academic achievement?
Yes. Many of the named donor scholarships on AcademicWorks reward academic performance, leadership and service, and they renew as an opportunity every year.
⭐ College Specialty
SUNY Maritime is one of a handful of state maritime academies in the country, sitting on the old Fort Schuyler grounds in the Bronx where the East River meets Long Island Sound. It is small, focused and hands-on. Most students come here with a pretty clear idea of what they want to do, and a lot of them want to work on, around, or in support of ships.
Signature Path: Bachelor’s Degree + U.S. Coast Guard License: Many Maritime majors let students earn a Coast Guard deck or engine license alongside their degree. That license qualifies graduates to work as officers on commercial vessels. To get there, students join the Regiment of Cadets and complete three summer sea terms aboard the training ship Empire State VII.
Marine Transportation: The classic deck-officer track for students who want to navigate and run ships.
Engineering: Bachelor of Engineering degrees in Marine Engineering, Naval Architecture, Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering, with license and internship options.
International Transportation & Trade: The business side of shipping, logistics and global trade, a strong fit for students who love the industry but want to work ashore.
Marine Environmental Science, Maritime Studies, Marine Operations and Data Science & Machine Learning: Smaller programs that round out the catalog.
NROTC: Maritime hosts the New York City NROTC battalion headquarters, and license-track students can also commission as Strategic Sealift Officers in the Navy Reserve.
🔗 Official SUNY Maritime College Links
Use SUNY Maritime’s official pages below to confirm deadlines, costs and scholarship rules. Always go by these pages for final dates and award terms.
SUNY Maritime is not a school you stumble into. It is a small, hands-on college for kids who want a career tied to the water, whether that means standing watch as a licensed officer, designing ships, or running the logistics that move the world’s cargo. The sticker price is reasonable by private-college standards, and families in New York and the in-region states get a real break before any scholarship even shows up.
The money strategy is different from a big state flagship. Apply Early Action, because merit is decided with admission. If you live in New York, chase a Cadet Appointment Program nomination and file for TAP and Excelsior. Budget honestly for the uniform, health insurance and sea term summers, because the tuition line is not the whole bill. And once your student is on campus, treat the AcademicWorks application and the maritime industry scholarships like a yearly habit. That is where a lot of Maritime families quietly close the gap.
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