Empowering Great Danes to Graduate on Time and Thrive at UAlbany
ACE Program Overview
If you're a first-year or transfer student who is eligible for PELL OR Tap/Excelsior, the Advancing Completion through Engagement (ACE) program at the University at Albany may be available to you to help you stay on track to complete your bachelor’s degree on time. It offers a wide range of financial, academic and personal support, including intensive academic advising, career development, priority registration and monthly stipend assistance.
Key Benefits
- Personalized advising from your first semester through graduation
- Cost of Attendance Award (up to $550/year) after financial aid applied
- Textbook assistance (up to $150/semester, $300/year)
- A monthly stipend to use toward transportation, groceries and more ($50/month, up to $400/year)
- Early course registration options
- Opportunities to take classes with other ACE students
- Winter/Summer course scholarships
- Specialized career development and graduate school preparation
- Access to a wide range of workshops and activities to support academic and personal growth
Eligibility
To qualify for the ACE program for Fall 2026, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be an incoming first-year student, or be an incoming transfer student with an earned associate degree or a transfer student from an ASAP or ACE program
- Meet UAlbany’s Undergraduate Admissions requirements
- Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen (NYS DREAM Act students also eligible)
- Reside in New York State and qualify for in-state tuition
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) application.
- Receive at least $1 of federal Pell or NYS grant aid (TAP or Excelsior)
- Note: If you’re from a mixed status family, you are now eligible to apply for NYS financial aid without completing the FAFSA at the Alternate Eligibility Path. You may also reach out to ASAP|ACE staff to learn more about your options to apply for NYS aid.
- If you’re an ACE student, you cannot participate in UAlbany’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)
- All majors, except engineering programs, are eligible majors in the ACE Program.
Student Responsibilities
As an ACE student, you’ll be expected to do the following on your path to earning your degree:
- Attend regular one-on-one meetings with your ACE academic advisor.
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) application each year, and accept any federal and state grant aid awarded
- Commit to graduating within four years (first-year) or two years (transfer) and adhere to course schedules and degree maps approved by your advisors
- Maintain full-time status by enrolling in at least 15 credits per semester
- Enroll in summer or winter courses if 30 credits are not earned by the end of each academic year
- Participate in all required program activities
- Respond promptly to all communications sent out by ACE staff
- Students enrolled in fully online programs are not eligible to participate.
